West Mojave Plan FEIR/S - Desert Managers Group

The general soil information and maps provide information on broad areas that have adistinctive pattern of soils, relief, and drainage. Many different kinds of soil have formedthought the planning area. Ongoing soil forming processes are evident in desert soils. Severalprocesses are involved in the formation of soils. These processes are the accumulation oforganic matter, the formation of and translocation of silicate clay, the accumulation of silica andlime, weathering of parent material and the formation of desert pavement. General soils aredivided into mapping units that represents a unique natural landscape. Typically a mapping unitconsists of one or more major soils or miscellaneous areas and some minor soils. The soils inany map unit may differ from place to place in slope, depth, drainage, and other characteristicsthat affect management. The general map units have been grouped for broad interpretivepurposes.The San Bernardino County Mojave River Area is comprised of three groups:• Soils of the Mojave Desert on flood plains, alluvial fans, and terraces and in basins aredominantly in low positions in arid areas and are comprised of seven map units. Slopesare nearly level to strongly sloping. Elevation ranges from about 1,700 feet to about4,000 feet. Soils are very deep and shallow and are moderately to somewhat excessivelydrained. The surface layer is sand, loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, loam, andclay. Soils are used mainly for irrigated crops, homesite development, wildlife habitat,and livestock grazing.• Soils of the Mojave Desert on old terraces that have a desert pavement and on alluvialfans, foothills, and mountains are dominantly on scattered rock desert uplands onadjacent high terraces in the central and northern parts of the survey area. Elevationranges from about 1,800 to 4,500 feet. The four mapping units in this group range indepth form very shallow, shallow, moderately deep to very deep. They are well drainedwith the surface layer is gravelly sand, very gravelly sand, cobbly sandy loam, gravellysandy loam, sandy loam, and loam. Soils are used for wildlife habitat, grazing, and asource of gravel.• Soils of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains on mountains, foothills, alluvialfans, and terraces are gently sloping to steep and range in elevation from 3,400 to 6,200feet. The four mapping units in this group are moderately deep and very deep and arewell drained and somewhat excessively drained. The surface layer is sandy loam andloamy fine sand. Soils are used for wildlife habitat, grazing, homesite development,irrigated crops and pasturelands.The Southeastern Part of Kern County Soil Survey is comprised of two groups within theWest Mojave Planning Area:• Soils of the Mojave Desert occupy several different landscapes that range from lowbasins to high mountain ridges. Seven mapping units are incorporated into this group.Soils are nearly level to very steep ranging from 2,000 to 4,200 feet elevation and areshallow, deep, or very deep, and well to excessively drained. Surface layers range fromChapter 3 3-57