LOCATION LOCANE NV+OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, frigid Lithic Xeric Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Locane very gravelly loam--woodland. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is partially covered with about 20 percent stones.
A--0 to 13 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 10 percent stones and 45 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 15 cm thick)
Bt1--13 to 20 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; hard, friable, very sticky and very plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; few thin clay films lining pores; 35 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 13 cm thick)
Bt2--20 to 48 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; few fine tubular pores; common moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 35 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (13 to 30 cm thick)
R--48 cm; siliceous conglomerate bedrock with very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) stains at the Bt bedrock interface.
TYPE LOCATION: Eureka County, Nevada, in the Diamond Valley Area, about 2,700 feet south and 4,500 feet east of the northwest corner of section 5, T. 23 N., R.52 E.; latitude 39 degrees 54 minutes 8 seconds N and longitude 116 degrees 7 minutes 55 seconds W; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry, moist in the winter and spring, aridic bordering on xeric soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Depth to bedrock: 25 to 50 cm.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 35 to 50 percent.
Rock fragments: Average 35 to 50 percent.
A horizon
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Bt horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4.
Texture: Gravelly clay loam, very gravelly clay loam or very gravelly clay.
Structure: Weak to strong, angular blocky, subangular blocky or is massive.
Thickness: 18 to 38 cm.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Robson series. Robson soils have argillic horizons containing 50 to 75 percent rock fragments.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Locane soils are on mountain side slopes. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from shale and tuffaceous or siliceous conglomerate and volcanic rocks. Slopes are 2 to 75 percent. Elevations are 1,710 to 2,440 meters. The climate is cool, semiarid with cool moist winters and hot dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 250 to 350 mm; mean annual temperature is 6 to 7 degrees C., and the frost-free season is 50 to 80 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Labshaft, Hopeka, and Sheege soils. Labshaft soils lack argillic horizons. Hopeka and Sheege soils are calcareous throughout and lack argillic horizons. Hopeka soils, in addition, lack mollic epipedons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; slow permeability; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.
USE AND VEGETATION: Woodland, livestock grazing, wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly Wyoming big sagebrush, Nevada ephedra, Sandberg bluegrass and bluebunch wheatgrass and in woodland areas single leaf pinyon and Utah juniper.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and northeastern Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 25, 24, 27, 28B.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Reno, Nevada
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Eureka County (Diamond Valley Area), Nevada, 1971.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Argillic horizon - The zone from about 13 to 48 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
Lithic contact - The boundary at about 48 cm (R layer).
Particle-size control section - The zone from about 13 to 48 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).