LOCATION WISKIFLAT               NV

Established Series
Rev: EWB/WED/JBF
05/2016

WISKIFLAT SERIES

The Wiskiflat series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from predominantly granitic rocks with volcanic ash influence throughout. Wiskiflat soils are on alluvial fans and fan piedmonts. Slopes are 2 to 15 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 200 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 12 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, nonacid, mesic Xeric Torriorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Wiskiflat gravelly loamy sand--rangeland. (colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 25 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly loamy sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; single grained; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; few medium and coarse roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.7); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 30 cm thick)

C1--25 to 76 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots and few fine and coarse roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 40 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (38 to 76 cm thick)

C2--76 to 152 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 50 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.3)

TYPE LOCATION: Mineral County, Nevada; on the northwest side of Whiskey Flat; approximately 1,100 feet south and 300 feet east of the northwest corner of section 1, T. 6 N., R. 30 E.; USGS Powell Mountain NE 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 38 degrees 24 minutes 46 seconds N and longitude 118 degrees 35 minutes 39 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 38.4128889 latitude, -118.5938889 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry, moist in winter and spring; dry in summer and fall except moist for l0 to 20 days cumulative between July and October due to convection storms; aridic soil moisture regime bordering on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 13 to 15 degrees C.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 5 to 10 percent.
Percent silt: Averages 15 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent, predominantly gravel.

A horizon
Value: Predominantly 6 dry and 4 moist; may be 5 dry and 3 moist in the top 5 to 8 cm in some pedons.
Structure: Subangular blocky or is single grained.

C horizons
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.
Texture: Stratified sandy loam to coarse sand that averages sandy loam.
Consistence: Soft or slightly hard dry.

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Karoc series. Karoc soils contain 10 to 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section and are not moist 10 to 20 days following summer convection storms.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wiskiflat soils are on alluvial fans and fan piedmonts. Wiskiflat soils formed in alluvium from predominantly granitic rocks but with a component of volcanic ash throughout. Slopes are 2 to 15 percent. Elevations are 1,280 to 1,950 meters. The mean annual precipitation is 200 to 300 mm, mean annual temperature is 10 to 12 degrees C, and the frost-free season is 100 to 130 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the Ratleflat soils. These soils have an argillic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat excessively drained; slow runoff; high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is Wyoming big sagebrush, desert needlegrass and bottlebrush squirreltail.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West-central Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 27.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mineral County Area, Nevada, 1985.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 18 cm (part of A1 horizon).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (C1 and part of C2 horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.