LOCATION WIKIEUP            AZ
Established Series
Rev. WJ/RKS/DWD/HCD
01/2005

WIKIEUP SERIES


The Wikieup series consists of very shallow and shallow, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in alluvium from mixed igneous and metamorphic alluvium and colluvium. Wikieup soils are on pediments, hills and mountains. Slopes range from 3 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 9 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 64 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, nonacid, thermic, shallow Typic Torriorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Wikieup extremely cobbly coarse sandy loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 1 inch; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely cobbly coarse sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine granular structure; loose, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 45 percent gravel and 25 percent cobble; noneffervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 2 inches thick)

C--1 to 5 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; loose, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 35 percent gravel; noneffervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 18 inches thick)

2Cr--5 to 8 inches; weathered granite. (3 to 16 inches thick)

2R--8 inches; granite.

TYPE LOCATION: Mohave County, Arizona; located at a latitude of 35 degrees, 02 minutes, 03 seconds North and a longitude of 114 degrees, 04 minutes, 17 seconds West.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil Moisture: Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section during December - February and for less than 20 days cumulative during July - September. Driest during May and June. Typic aridic soil moisture regime.

Soil Temperature: 61 to 72 degrees F.

Depth to paralithic contact: 4 to 20 inches

Depth to lithic contact: 6 to 20 inches

Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

Dark colors are considered to be lithochromic

A horizon

Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR

Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist

Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist

Rock fragments: 35 to 70 percent gravel and cobble

C horizon

Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR

Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist

Chroma: 2 to 4, dry or moist

Texture: sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, loam

Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent, dominantly gravel

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Fig (AZ) and Nolena (NV) soils. Fig soils do not have a lithic contact. Nolena soils average more than 60 percent gravel in the control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wikieup soils are on pediments, hills and mountains. Slopes range from 3 to 60 percent. These soils formed in mixed igneous and metamorphic alluvium and colluvium. Elevations range from 2,400 to 5,400 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 6 to 12 inches. The mean annual air temperature is 59 to 70 degrees F. The frost-free period is about 180 to 250 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Arizo, Castaneda, Franconia, Goodsprings and Orwash soils. Arizo, Franconia and Orwash soils are very deep. Castaneda soils are moderately deep to a petrocalcic hardpan. Goodsprings soils are shallow to a petrocalcic hardpan.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; very high runoff; moderately rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Vegetation includes big galleta, desert needlegrass, Parish threeawn, flattop buckwheat, Nevada Mormon tea and Parish goldeneye.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Arizona. This series is of moderate extent. MLRA is 30. The name is from a local town.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mohave County, Arizona; Soil survey of Mohave County, Arizona, Central Part; 2005.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon - The zone from 0 to 1 inch (A horizon)

Paralithic contact - The boundary at 5 inches (2Cr horizon)

Lithic contact - The boundary at 8 inches (2R horizon)

Entisol feature - The absence of diagnostic subsurface horizons

Series originally proposed in Mohave County, Arizona; Soil survey of Mohave County, Arizona, Southern Part; 1993.

Classified according to Keys to Soil Taxonomy Ninth Edition, 2003.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.