LOCATION WOODSPRING NVEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Pachic Calciustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Woodspring gravelly sandy loam, forest and wildlife habitat. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted). The surface is covered by approximately 20 percent pebbles, 2 percent cobbles and 1 percent stones.
Oi--0 to 0.25 inch; slightly decomposed plant material, pine duff. (1/4 to 1 inch thick)
A--0.25 to 2 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) gravelly sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine through coarse roots; many fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 25 percent pebbles and 2 percent cobbles; very slightly effervescent (7 percent calcium carbonate equivalent in the fine earth fraction); moderately alkaline, (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick)
ABk--2 to 9 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine through medium and common coarse roots; few fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 15 percent, distinct very pale brown (10YR 8/2) calcium carbonate coats on the bottom of rock fragments; 45 percent pebbles; very slightly effervescent (5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent in the fine earth fraction) moderately alkaline, (pH 8.2); gradual smooth boundary. (7 to 11 inches thick)
Bk1--9 to 28 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many fine, medium and few coarse roots; common fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 25 percent fine very pale brown (10YR 8/2) calcium carbonate coats on the bottom of rock fragments; 45 percent pebbles and 10 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent (11 percent calcium carbonate equivalent in the fine earth fraction); moderately alkaline, (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (15 to 20 inches thick)
Bk2--28 to 61 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; few fine and common very fine interstitial pores; 45 percent medium very pale brown (10YR 8/2) calcium carbonate coats on the side and bottom of rock fragments; 75 percent pebbles and 10 percent cobbles; violently effervescent (25 percent calcium carbonate equivalent in the fine earth fraction); moderately alkaline, (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Clark County, Nevada; Along Wheeler Pass road, approximately 1.75 miles southwest of Wheeler Pass, 1 mile east of the junction of Wheeler Pass road and the road to Wheeler Well; 940 feet north and 1,540 feet east of the southwest corner of section 21, T. 18 S., R. 55 E.; USGS Wheeler Well, Nevada 7.5 minute quadrangle; 36 degrees, 22 minutes, 3 seconds north latitude and 115 degrees, 48 minutes, 36 seconds west longitude; UTM 11, 606755e 4025367n NAD83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry, moist in late winter and early spring and intermittently moist in the upper part following summer convection storms; aridic moisture regime bordering on ustic.
Soil temperature: 53 to 59 degrees F.
Depth to base of mollic epipedon: 30 to 61 inches.
Depth to calcic horizon: 8 to 14 inches.
Control section - Clay content: 8 to 15 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 50 to 80 percent, mainly gravel.
Calcium carbonate equivalent of the less than 20 millimeter fraction: 20 to 40 percent.
Oi horizon - Organic matter: 25 to 80 percent.
Bulk density: 0.5 to 1.0.
A horizon Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 1 or 2 moist.
ABk horizons - Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 1 or 2 moist.
Structure: Fine or medium.
Consistence: Slightly sticky or nonsticky.
Texture: Sandy loam or loam.
Rock fragments: 35 to 55 percent, mainly gravel.
Organic matter: 1 to 3 percent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent in the fine earth fraction: 5 to 15 percent.
Bk1 horizon - Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 1 through 3 moist.
Consistence: Nonplastic or slightly plastic.
Organic matter: 1 to 3 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 55 percent mainly gravel with up to 10 percent cobbles.
Calcium carbonate equivalent in the fine earth fraction: 10 to 30 percent.
Other features: Secondary calcium carbonate: 5 to 10 percent by volume.
Bk2 horizon - Consistence: nonplastic or slightly plastic.
Organic matter: 0.6 to 1 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 85 percent gravel and cobbles.
Calcium carbonate equivalent in the fine earth fraction: 20 to 35 percent.
Other features: Secondary calcium carbonate ranges from 5 to 10 percent by volume.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series at this time.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Woodspring soils are on fan remnants. Slope ranges from 4 to 15 percent. These soils formed in alluvium from limestone and dolomite. Elevations are 6,400 to 7,800 feet. The climate is sub-humid continental, cool, with moist winters and common summer convection storms. Mean annual precipitation is 14 to 16 inches. The mean annual temperature is 50 to 56 degrees F., and the frost free season is 130 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Charkiln and Buckspring soils. The Charkiln soils have an argillic horizon with a base below 40 inches. Buckspring soils are shallow over limestone bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; low runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Woodspring soils are used for forest and wildlife habitat. Present vegetation is singleleaf pinyon, Utah juniper, mountain big sagebrush, curlleaf mountainmahogany, Gambels oak and blue flax.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mojave Desert of southern Nevada; MLRA 30. These soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clark County Area, Nevada, 2006. Proposed in Clark County, Nevada; Clark County Soil Survey, 2005. The name is coined from nearby Wood Spring.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 61 inches (A, ABk, Bk1 and Bk2 horizons).
Calcic horizon - 9 to 61 inches (Bk1 and Bk2 horizons).
Particle size control section - 10 to 40 inches (Parts of the Bk1 and Bk2 horizons).