LOCATION XICA                    NV

Established Series
Rev. RWD-DWW-JVC-JBF
12/2019

XICA SERIES

The Xica series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in residuum derived from granitic rocks. Xica soils are on hills and mountains. Slopes are 4 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 460 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid, shallow Typic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Xica sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is partially covered with 30 percent gravel and 5 percent with cobbles.

A--0 to 8 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 13 cm thick)

Bt1--8 to 25 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; few faint clay films coating and bridging sand grains; 20 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 23 cm thick)

Bt2--25 to 43 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films lining pores and bridging sand grains; 30 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (13 to 20 cm thick)

Cr--43 cm; soft, highly weathered granite.

TYPE LOCATION: Elko County, Nevada; approximately 3 miles south of Middlestack Mountain; about 2,000 feet south and 2,100 feet east of the northwest corner of section 20, T. 45 N., R. 65 E.; USGS Middle Stack Mountain 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 41 degrees 46 minutes 26 seconds N and longitude 114 degrees 38 minutes 19 seconds W;
WGS84 Decimal Degrees 41.7738611 latitude, -114.6386111 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist, dry late July to October; xeric soil moisture regime that borders on aridic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 36 to 50 cm, includes all or part of the argillic horizon.
Depth to bedrock: 36 to 50 cm to a paralithic contact. The paralithic materials below the contact are weathered granite.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 10 to 24 percent.
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent fine gravel. Lithology of fragments is granite.

A horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Organic matter content: 2 to 4 percent.
Structure: Weak to moderate subangular blocky.

Bt horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Gravelly sandy loam in the Bt1 horizon and gravelly sandy loam or gravelly sandy clay loam in the Bt2 horizon.
Clay content: 10 to 24 percent.
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.
Structure: Weak to moderate subangular blocky.

COMPETING SERIES: At present, there are no other series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Xica soils are on hills and mountains. These soils formed in residuum derived from granitic rocks. Slopes are 4 to 75 percent. Elevations range from 1,830 to 2,595 meters. The climate is semiarid with cold, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 400 to 500 mm, mean annual temperature is 6 to 7 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 70 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Gollaher, Hapgood, and Shalcleav soils. Gollaher and Shalcleav are less than 30 cm deep to a lithic contact. Hapgood soils are over 100 cm deep to bedrock.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; very high surface runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Xica soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly black sagebrush, low sagebrush, Sandberg's bluegrass, and Idaho fescue.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Nevada. These soils are moderately extensive. MLRA 25.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Elko County (Northeast Part), Nevada, 1986.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 43 cm (A, Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 8 to 43 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
Paralithic contact - The boundary at 43 cm to underlying soft, weathered bedrock (Cr layer).
Particle size control section - The zone from 8 to 43 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.