LOCATION VANA AZEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic, shallow Ustalfic Petrocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Vana fine sandy loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) 15 to 35 percent of the surface is covered with gravel and/or cobble
A--0 to 1 inch; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; weak thin platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; few fine irregular pores; noneffervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
Bt--1 to 8 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; few fine irregular and tubular pores; common distinct clay films on ped faces and bridging sand grains; noneffervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Btky--8 to 14 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) sandy clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; few fine irregular and tubular pores; common distinct clay films on ped faces; common distinct calcium carbonate coatings on ped faces and rock fragments; many fine calcium carbonate filaments; 10 percent gravel; strongly effervescent, 7 percent calcium carbonate equivalent and 5 percent gypsum; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
Bkym--14 to 24 inches; indurated hardpan cemented with calcium carbonate and gypsum. (8 to 15 inches thick)
Bky--24 to 60 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine irregular pores; common distinct calcium carbonate coatings on ped faces and rock fragments; many fine calcium carbonate filaments; 10 percent gravel; strongly effervescent, 63 percent calcium carbonate equivalent and 10 percent gypsum; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Cochise County, Arizona; located at a latitude of 31 degrees, 33 minutes, 10 seconds North and longitude of 110 degrees, 12 minutes, 25 seconds West; about 700 feet south of the Northwest corner of Section 3, T. 22 S., R. 21 E.; 0.2 miles from gate at 92 on State Land leased by Bella Vista, across from the sewage treatment plant.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section during July - September and December - February. Driest during May and June. Ustic aridic soil moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 62 to 69 degrees F.
Rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent gravel and/or cobble
Reaction: slightly to moderately alkaline
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 10 percent above the hardpan greater than 40 percent below hardpan
Depth to petrocalcic horizon: 8 to 20 inches
Gypsum content: 0 to 5 percent above hardpan and 5 to 15 percent below the hardpan
A horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 3 through 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam
Bt horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam (10 to 30 percent clay)
Btky horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6, dry or moist
Texture: sandy clay loam, clay loam (20 to 30 percent clay)
Bky horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6, dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam, loam; can contain more than 35 percent gravel and/or cobble
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Buntline (AZ), Jerag (NM) and Palo (NM) series. These soils do not contain gypsum. In addition Jerag soils have hues that range to 10YR and Palo soils have hues that range to 2.5YR. In addition, Palo soils are in the Pecos-Canadian Plains and Valleys (MLRA 70) and are moist in May and June.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Vana soils are in the Chihuahuan desert on fan terraces at elevations of 4,200 to 4,800 feet. Slopes range from 1 to 10 percent. These soils formed in mixed fan alluvium. The mean annual precipitation is 12 to 16 inches and occurs as thunderstorms during July to September and as gentle rains during December to February. The mean annual air temperature is 60 to 67 degrees F. The frost-free period is 180 to 230 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bella, Luckyhills, Major, Libby and Gulch soils. Bella soils do not have argillic horizons. Luckyhills, Major, Libby and Gulch soils are very deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Vegetation includes Lehmann lovegrass, whitethorn, catclaw acacia, bush muhly, and cane beardgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Arizona portion of the Chihuahuan desert. Vana soils are of moderate extent. MLRA is 41.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cochise County, Arizona. Soil survey of Cochise County, Arizona, Douglas - Tombstone Part; 1996.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from 0 to 1 inch (A horizon)
Argillic horizon - The zone from 1 to 14 inches (Bt, Btky horizons)
Petrocalcic horizon - The zone from 14 to 24 inches (Bkym horizon)
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999; Keys to Soil Taxonomy Tenth Edition, 2006.