LOCATION UPSPRING CA+NVEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, calcareous, thermic Lithic Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Upspring very stony loam, on a south southwest slope 15 percent on a plateau under extremely sparse cover of atriplex at 1,700 feet elevation. (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described the soil was dry throughout.) About 45 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobbles, and 15 percent stones cover the surface.
A1--0 to 1 inch; light gray (10YR 7/2) very stony loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 45 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobbles, and 15 percent stones (mostly on the surface); strongly effervescent, disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 2 inches thick)
A2--1 to 6 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) very stony sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; common fine interstitial pores; 45 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobbles, and 15 percent stones; violently effervescent, disseminated lime and lime coating rock fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear irregular boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
Bk--6 to 8inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine interstitial pores; 50 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobbles,; violently effervescent, disseminated lime and lime coating on rock fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
R--8 inches fractured hard basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Inyo County, California, Saline Valley; about 3 miles north of the dune road to lower Warm Springs; at the lower edge of the Saline Range lava flow; NW1/4 NW1/4 section 14, T.13S., R.38E., MDB&M.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to a lithic contact of hard basalt ranges from 4 to 14 inches thick. The mean annual soil temperature is 68 degrees F. The soil contains small amounts of amorphous material from pyroclastic volcanic rocks. Clay averages 10 to 18 percent from the surface to lithic contact. These soils are dry from June through November for about 180 days. The soil temperature is warmer than 41 degrees F. from about March to January for about 300 days. The soils is intermittently moist from January through May but never moist for 90 consecutive days.
The A horizon has dry color of 10YR 6/3, 7/2 and 7/3 and moist color of 10YR 4/2, 4/3, 5/2 or 5/3. It is very gravelly to very stony sandy loam and averages 35 to 70 percent rock fragments. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The Bk horizon has 35 to 60 percent rock fragments. Texture is very gravelly sandy loam or very gravelly fine sandy loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Akela(NM), Beach(T TX), Haleburu(NV, CA), Hindu(AZ), Hulda(T AZ), Noble Pass(CA), Razorback(T AZ) and Tecopa(CA) series. Akela soils are moist during the summer from thunder storms. Beach have hue of 2.5YR and 5YR, and contain mainly sandstone fragments. Haleburu and Razorback soils are moist 10 to 20 days cumulative between July and October. Hindu and Hulda soils are moist more than 20 days cumulative between July and September. Noble Pass soils have 60 to 85 percent rock fragments, mainly pebbles. Tecopa soils lack an influence of amorphous materials from pyroclastic sources and have formed in materials weathered from quartzite, schist, and gneiss.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Upspring soils are on plateaus, hills, and mountains. Slopes are 8 to 75 percent. The soils formed in material from extrusive basic igneous rocks with some pyroclastic materials. Elevations are 1,600 to 4,400 feet. The climate is arid, with hot, dry summers with infrequent thunder showers of short duration, and mildl, slightly moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 3 to 6 inches. The mean annual temperature is 63 degrees F.; the average mean January temperature is 45 degrees F.; and the mean July temperature is 85 degrees F. The frost free season is 235 to 300 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Blacktop soils. Blacktop soils have mesic soil temperature.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; high or very high runoff; moderately rapid permeability over impermeable bedrock.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for watershed, wildlife habitat, and recreation land. The native vegetation is primarily shadscale and winterfat.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: These soils are mapped in the lava flows of northern California Desert and are moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Inyo County, California, Saline Valley Area, 1980.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 6 inches (A1 and A2 horizons)
Lithic contact - the boundary with hard rock at about 8 inches.