LOCATION MCCUTCHEN NVEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: McCutchen loam - rangeland (Colors for dry conditions unless otherwise noted).
A1--0 to 3 cm; gray (10YR 6/1) loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; devoid of plant roots; many very fine interstitial pores; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 cm thick)
A2--3 to 8 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate thick platy structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; many fine and medium vesicular pores; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 cm thick)
Bw1--8 to 25 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine gravelly loam (15 percent fine gravel), brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak thick platy structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; abundant fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular, and many very fine interstitial pores; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 cm thick)
Bw2--25 to 41 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; strong medium platy structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; plentiful very fine and fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); clear smooth boundary. (13 to 23 cm thick).
Bk--41 to 91 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular and many micro and very fine interstitial pore; lime is disseminated; crumbles in dilute hydrochloric acid; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); clear wavy boundary. (30 to 60 cm thick)
2C--91 to 152 cm; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) loamy sand, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7).
TYPE LOCATION: Lincoln County, Nevada. 2640 feet east and 1320 feet north of the southeast corner of section 23, T. 2 S., R. 55 E., MDBM; latitude 37 degrees 45 minutes 18 seconds N and longitude 115 degrees 45 minutes 37 seconds W; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry; moist in winter and spring and for brief periods in late summer due to convection storms.
Mean annual soil temperature: 12 to 15 degrees C.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline to strongly alkaline.
Depth to calcic horizon: 30 to 50 cm.
Thickness of calcic horizon: 30 to 60 cm.
Other features: Mineralogy is mixed but has a strong influence from pyroclastic materials.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: Average 5 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: Average 0 to 15 percent.
A horizon
Value: 7 or 6 dry and 5 oe 4 moist.
Chroma: 1 through 3.
Bw horizons
Value: 7 or 6 dry and 5 oe 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Texture: Stratified and is predominantly sandy loam, fine sandy loam or loam.
Effervescence: Slightly effervescent to strongly effervescent.
Bk horizon
Value: 7 or 8 dry and 6 or 7 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2.
Rock fragments: Average 0 to 25 percent.
Texture: Stratified and is predominantly sandy loam, fine sandy loam or loam.
Consistence: Very hard or hard dry and firm or very firm moist.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 20 percent.
2C horizon
Value: 7 or 8 dry and 6 or 7 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2.
Texture: Loamy sand or gravelly loamy sand.
Rock fragments: Average 0 to 25 percent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bluechief, Boreham, Hiko Springs, Kaito, Kinan, Moffat, Nakai, Nakoy, Nolava, Nuahs, Pagina, Riemod and Trook series
Bluechief and Pagina soils are moderately deep to bedrock. Boreham, Nakoy, Nolava, Riemod and Trook soils have mean annual soil temperatures less than 12 degrees C. Hiko Springs soils have an A horizon that is strongly effervescent. Kaito soils have bedrock at 100 to 150 cm. Kinan, Moffat and Nakia soils have hues redder than 10YR and lack pyroclastic materials. Nuahs sois have a depth of 5 to 30 cm to the top of the calcic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: McCutchen soils are on toe slopes of alluvial fans near or adjacent to playas. They have developed in loamy alluvium derived mainly from ignimbrite, and have been influenced by precipitation of lime in the lower horizons when the playas contained water. These soils are at elevations of 1,370 to 1,585 meters. The mean annual precipitation is 150 to 200 mm. The average January air temperature is 2 degrees C, July 22 degrees F. and the mean annual 10 to 13 degrees C., and the frost-free period 130 to 150 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Fang, Jarboe and Kawich soils. Fang and soils lack calcic horizons. Jarboe soils have fine-loamy particle-size control sections.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. These soils apparently developed under more poorly drained conditions when the playas contained water, slow runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing. The dominant vegetation consists of shadscale, gray molly, bud sagebrush, littleleaf horsebrush, and greasewood.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South central Nevada, MLRA 29, not extensive.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Reno, Nevada
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lincoln County, Nevada, Penoyer Valley, 1965. McCutchen is the name of a pass at the northern end of Penoyer Valley.
REMARKS: These soils were formerly classified as Calcium Carbonate Solonchaks.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the surface to 18 cm (A1 and A2 horizons and part of the Bw1 horizon).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 8 to 41 cm (The Bw1 and Bw2 horizons).
Calcic horizon - The zone from 41 to 91 cm (Bk horizon).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (Bw2, Bk and part of 2C horizons).