Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R023XY021NV
SCABLAND 10-14 P.Z.
Last updated: 4/10/2025
Accessed: 09/05/2026
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Provisional. A provisional ecological site description has undergone quality control and quality assurance review. It contains a working state and transition model and enough information to identify the ecological site.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 023X–Malheur High Plateau
Currently there is only a draft of the initial concept for this ecological site. The initial concept for this site places it within the Clay or Claypan ,12” PZ Low and Lahontan sagebrush and bluebunch wheatgrass/ Thurber’s needlegrass Ecological Site Group. To view the General STM and other information available for this ESG please go to https://edit.jornada.nmsu.edu/catalogs/esg/023X/R023XY901NV
This site is dominated by Sandberg bluegrass, and is much less productive than the modal site with 200 lbs/ac in a normal year. It may have scattered juniper trees. The soils of this site have a very shallow effective rooting depth and are well drained. The soils are typically modified with over 50 percent gravels and other coarse fragments throughout the profile. These soils also have high amounts of gravels, cobbles, or stones on the surface which occupy plant growing space yet provide a stabilizing effect on surface erosion conditions. The available water capacity of these soils is very low. A surface cover of rock fragments helps to reduce evaporation and conserve the limited soil moisture. The harsh environment for plant growth presented by these soil properties restricts site productivity. Characteristic herbaceous plants have shallow root systems and the ability to make rapid early growth before evaporation depletes the limited supply of soil moisture. This site has a four state model without a tree stateAssociated sites
R023XY031NV CLAYPAN 10-14 P.Z.
R023XY044NV VERY COBBLY CLAYPAN
R023XY047NV GRAVELLY CLAY 8-10 P.Z.
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R023XY044NV VERY COBBLY CLAYPAN
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R023XY014NV SHALLOW LOAM 14+ P.Z.
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R023XY008NV MOUNTAIN RIDGE
FEID dominant grass; higher elevations
R023XY060NV COBBLY CLAYPAN 8-12 P.Z.
PSSPS-ACTH7 codominant; many cobbles on surface
R023XY031NV CLAYPAN 10-14 P.Z.
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R023XY059NV GRAVELLY CLAYPAN 10-12 P.Z.
ACTH7 dominant grass
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub (1) Artemisia arbuscula
Herbaceous (1) Poa secunda
Physiographic features
This site occurs on sideslopes and summits of plateaus, hills, and lower mountains on all aspects. Slope gradients are 2 to 50 percent. Elevations are 4700 to 7800 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Mountain slope
(2) Hill
(3) Plateau
Elevation 4700 – 7800 ft Slope 2 – 50 % Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The climate associated with this site is semiarid and characterized by cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. Average annual precipitation is 10 to 14 inches. Mean annual air temperature is 42 to 44 degrees F. The average growing season is about 70 to 100 days.
Nevada’s climate is predominantly arid, with large daily ranges of temperature, infrequent severe storms, heavy snowfall in the higher mountains, and great location variations with elevation. Three basic geographical factors largely influence Nevada’s climate: continentality, latitude, and elevation. Continentality is the most important factor. The strong continental effect is expressed in the form of both dryness and large temperature variations. Nevada lies on the eastern, lee side of the Sierra Nevada Range, a massive mountain barrier that markedly influences the climate of the State. The prevailing winds are from the west, and as the warm moist air from the Pacific Ocean ascend the western slopes of the Sierra Range, the air cools, condensation occurs and most of the moisture falls as precipitation. As the air descends the eastern slope, it is warmed by compression, and very little precipitation occurs. The effects of this mountain barrier are felt not only in the West but throughout the state, with the result that the lowlands of Nevada are largely desert or steppes. The temperature regime is also affected by the blocking of the inland-moving maritime air. Nevada sheltered from maritime winds, has a continental climate with well-developed seasons and the terrain responds quickly to changes in solar heating.
Nevada lies within the mid-latitude belt of prevailing westerly winds which occur most of the year. These winds bring frequent changes in weather during the late fall, winter and spring months, when most of the precipitation occurs. To the south of the mid-latitude westerlies, lies a zone of high pressure in subtropical latitudes, with a center over the Pacific Ocean. In the summer, this high-pressure belt shifts northward over the latitudes of Nevada, blocking storms from the ocean. The resulting weather is mostly clear and dry during the summer and early fall, with scattered thundershowers. The eastern portion of the state receives significant summer thunderstorms generated from monsoonal moisture pushed up from the Gulf of California, known as the North American monsoon. The monsoon system peaks in August and by October the monsoon high over the Western U.S. begins to weaken and the precipitation retreats southward towards the tropics (NOAA 2004).
Average annual precipitation is 16 to over 20 inches. Mean annual air temperature is 41 to 44 degrees F. The average growing season is about 50 to 70 days.
Mean annual precipitaion at the Bear Creek, Nevada SNOTEL station (170501020301) is 37.69 inches.
monthly mean precipitation is:
January 3.84; February 3.75; March 4.38; April 4.9;
May 3.99; June 2.82; July .95; August 1.66;
September 1.22; October 2.12;
November 3.67; December 4.38.Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 90 days Freeze-free period (average) Precipitation total (average) 10 in BarLineFigure 1. Monthly precipitation range
BarLineFigure 2. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
Figure 3. Annual precipitation pattern
Figure 4 Annual average temperature pattern
">Influencing water features
There are no influencing water features associated with this site.
Soil features
The soils associated with this site have a very shallow to very deep effective rooting depth and are well drained. The soils are typically modified with over 50 percent gravels and other coarse fragments throughout the profile. These soils also have high amounts of gravels, cobbles, or stones on the surface which occupy plant growing space yet provide a stabilizing affect on surface erosion conditions. The available water capacity of these soils is very low to low. A surface cover of rock fragments helps to reduce evaporation and conserve the limited soil moisture. The harsh environment for plant growth presented by these soil properties restricts site productivity. Characteristic herbaceous plants have shallow root systems and the ability to make rapid early growth before evaporation depletes the limited supply of soil moisture. The soil series associated with this site include: Anawalt, Devada, Freznik, Grassycan, and Millerlux.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Very gravelly loam
(2) Extremely gravelly loam
(3) Very stony loam
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Drainage class Moderately well drained to somewhat excessively drained Permeability class Very slow to moderately rapid Soil depth 7 – 72 in Surface fragment cover <=3" 11 – 50 % Surface fragment cover >3" 3 – 21 % Available water capacity
(0-40in)1.1 – 3.7 in Calcium carbonate equivalent
(0-40in)0 – 10 % Electrical conductivity
(0-40in)0 – 2 mmhos/cm Sodium adsorption ratio
(0-40in)0 – 5 Soil reaction (1:1 water)
(0-40in)6.6 – 9 Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)9 – 42 % Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)0 – 5 % Ecological dynamics
As ecological condition declines, rabbitbrush, low sagebrush and Hooker balsamroot increase, as palatable grasses and forbs become scarce. Cheatgrass readily invades this site.
Fire Ecology:
Prior to 1897, mean fire return intervals for low sagebrush communities have been estimated to be from 35 to over 100 years. Fire most often occurs during wet years with high forage production. Low sagebrush is very susceptible to fire damage. Low sagebrush is usually killed by fire and does not re-sprout. The recovery in burned areas is usually via small, light, wind-dispersed seed for all low sagebrush subspecies. Partially injured low sagebrush may re-grow from living branches, but sprouting does not occur. Sandberg bluegrass is generally unharmed by fire. It produces little litter, and its small bunch size and sparse litter reduces the amount of heat transferred to perennating buds in the soil. Its rapid maturation in the spring also reduces fire damage, since it is dormant when most fires occur. Webber’s needlegrass is damaged by burning due to dense plant material that can burn slowly and long, charring to the growing points. Late summer and early fall fires are the least harmful.State and transition model
Custom diagramStandard diagramMore interactive model formats are also available. View Interactive Models
Click on state and transition labels to scroll to the respective textEcosystem states
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 2 submodel, plant communities
State 1
Reference Plant CommunityCommunity 1.1
Community PhaseThe reference plant community is dominated by Sandberg bluegrass and low sagebrush. Potential vegetative composition is about 50% grasses, 10% forbs, and 40% shrubs and trees. Approximate ground cover (basal and crown) is about 5 to 15 percent.
Figure 5. Annual production by plant type (representative values) or group (midpoint values)
Table 5. Annual production by plant type
Plant type Low
(lb/acre)Representative value
(lb/acre)High
(lb/acre)Grass/Grasslike 75 100 150 Shrub/Vine 59 77 116 Forb 15 20 30 Tree 1 3 4 Total 150 200 300 Community 1.2
Community PhaseCommunity 1.3
Community PhasePathway a
Community 1.1 to 1.2Pathway b
Community 1.1 to 1.3Pathway a
Community 1.2 to 1.1Pathway a
Community 1.3 to 1.1Pathway b
Community 1.3 to 1.2State 2
Current Potential StateCommunity 2.1
Community PhaseCommunity 2.2
Community PhaseCommunity 2.3
Community Phase (at risk)Pathway a
Community 2.1 to 2.2Pathway b
Community 2.1 to 2.3Pathway a
Community 2.2 to 2.1Pathway a
Community 2.3 to 2.1Pathway b
Community 2.3 to 2.2Transition A
State 1 to 2Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 Primary Perennial Grasses 64–120 Sandberg bluegrass POSE Poa secunda 60–110 – Webber needlegrass ACWE3 Achnatherum webberi 4–10 – 2 Secondary Perennial Grasses 4–10 Indian ricegrass ACHY Achnatherum hymenoides 1–4 – Thurber's needlegrass ACTH7 Achnatherum thurberianum 1–4 – squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 1–4 – bluebunch wheatgrass PSSPS Pseudoroegneria spicata ssp. spicata 1–4 – Forb3 Perennial 10–30 Hooker's balsamroot BAHO Balsamorhiza hookeri 1–6 – buckwheat ERIOG Eriogonum 1–6 – phlox PHLOX Phlox 1–6 – goldenweed PYRRO Pyrrocoma 1–6 – Shrub/Vine4 Primary Shrub 60–90 little sagebrush ARAR8 Artemisia arbuscula 60–90 – 5 Secondary Shrub 4–10 Utah serviceberry AMUT Amelanchier utahensis 2–4 – yellow rabbitbrush CHVI8 Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus 2–4 – wild crab apple PERA4 Peraphyllum ramosissimum 2–4 – antelope bitterbrush PUTR2 Purshia tridentata 2–4 – Tree6 Evergreen 1–4 juniper JUNIP Juniperus 1–4 – Table 7. Community 1.2 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Table 8. Community 1.3 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Table 9. Community 2.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Table 10. Community 2.2 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Table 11. Community 2.3 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock Interpretations:
This site has limited value for livestock grazing, due to the low forage production. Sandberg bluegrass is a widespread forage grass. It is one of the earliest grasses in the spring and is sought by domestic livestock and several wildlife species. Sandberg bluegrass is a palatable species, but its production is closely tied to weather conditions. It produces little forage in drought years, making it a less dependable food source than other perennial bunchgrasses. Webber’s needlegrass is desired forage in the spring and undesired the rest of the year for livestock. Domestic sheep and to a much lesser degree cattle consume low sagebrush, particularly during the spring, fall and winter.
Stocking rates vary over time depending upon season of use, climate variations, site, and previous and current management goals. A safe starting stocking rate is an estimated stocking rate that is fine tuned by the client by adaptive management through the year and from year to year.
Wildlife Interpretations:
Low sagebrush is considered a valuable browse plant during the spring, fall and winter months. In some areas it is of little value in winter due to heavy snow. Mule deer utilize and sometimes prefer low sagebrush, particularly in winter and early spring. Sagebrush-grassland communities provide critical sage-grouse breeding and nesting habitats. Meadows surrounded by sagebrush may be used as feeding and strutting grounds. Sagebrush is a crucial component of their diet year-round, and sage-grouse select sagebrush almost exclusively for cover. Sage-grouse prefer mountain big sagebrush and Wyoming big sagebrush communities to basin big sagebrush communities. Sandberg bluegrass is desirable for pronghorn antelope and mule deer in the spring and preferable in the spring, summer, and fall for elk and desirable as part of their winter range. Webber’s needlegrass is desired forage in the spring and undesired the rest of the year for wildlife.Hydrological functions
Rills are few to common on this site with the amount primarily dependent on cover of surface rock fragments. Water flow patterns are rare. Pedestals are rare with occurrence typically limited to areas within water flow patterns. Frost heaving of shallow rooted plants should not be considered as normal condition. Gullies are rare. The relatively low density of perennial herbaceous plants offers minimal impact on surface runoff or infiltration conditions. Shrub canopy and associated litter break raindrop impact and provide opportunity for snow catch and accumulation on site. Coarse textured surface soils allow medium to rapid infiltration.
Recreational uses
Aesthetic value is derived from the diverse floral and faunal composition and the colorful flowering of wild flowers and shrubs during the spring and early summer. This site offers rewarding opportunities to photographers and for nature study. This site has potential for upland and big game hunting.
Other information
Low sagebrush can be successfully transplanted or seeded in restoration.
Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: Washoe County, NV Township/Range/Section T37N R20E S11 UTM zone N UTM northing 273026 UTM easting 4553721 Latitude 41° 6′ 11″ Longitude 119° 42′ 10″ General legal description S 1/2, About 1½ miles west of summit on Lost Creek Pass road, Washoe County, Nevada. Other references
Fire Effects Information System (Online; http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/).
USDA-NRCS Plants Database (Online; http://www.plants.usda.gov).Contributors
BH/SW
T Stringham (UNR under contract with BLM)Approval
Kendra Moseley, 4/10/2025
Rangeland health reference sheet
Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health is a qualitative assessment protocol used to determine ecosystem condition based on benchmark characteristics described in the Reference Sheet. A suite of 17 (or more) indicators are typically considered in an assessment. The ecological site(s) representative of an assessment location must be known prior to applying the protocol and must be verified based on soils and climate. Current plant community cannot be used to identify the ecological site.
Author(s)/participant(s) GK BRACKLEY Contact for lead author State Rangeland Management Specialist Date 06/20/2006 Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
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Number and extent of rills:
Rills are few to common on this site with the amount primarily dependent on cover of surface rock fragments. -
Presence of water flow patterns:
Water flow patterns rare to few depending on the cover of surface rock fragments. -
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Pedestals are rare with occurrence typically limited to areas within water flow patterns. Frost heaving of shallow rooted plants should not be considered as normal condition. -
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
Bare Ground 40 to 60%; surface rock fragments 35 to 65%; shrub canopy 5 to 15%; basal area for perennial herbaceous plants ± 2%. -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
Gullies are rare in areas of this site that occur on stable landforms. -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None to slight -
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Fine litter (foliage from grasses and annual & perennial forbs) is expected to move the distance of slope length during intense summer convection storms or rapid snowmelt events. Persistent litter (large woody material) will remain in place except during catastrophic events. -
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Soil stability values should be 3 to 6 on most soil textures found on this site. Areas of this site occurring on soils that have a physical crust will probably have stability values less than 3. (To be field tested.) -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Surface soil structure is variable and can range from granular, platy, or subangular blocky. Soil surface colors are dark and the soils are typified by an mollic epipedon. Organic matter of the surface 2 to 3 inches is typically 1 to 1.5 percent dropping off quickly below. -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
The relatively low density of perennial herbaceous plants offers minimal impact on surface runoff or infiltration conditions. Shrub canopy and associated litter break raindrop impact and provide opportunity for snow catch and accumulation on site. Coarse textured surface soils allow medium to rapid infiltration. -
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
Compacted layers are not typical. Platy, subangular blocky, or argillic horizons are not to be interpreted as compacted. -
Functional/Structural Groups (list in order of descending dominance by above-ground annual-production or live foliar cover using symbols: >>, >, = to indicate much greater than, greater than, and equal to):
Dominant:
Reference Plant Community: Shallow-rooted, cool season, perennial bunchgrasses = low shrubs (low sagebrush). (By above ground production)Sub-dominant:
Deep-rooted, cool season, perennial forbs = fibrous, shallow-rooted, cool season, annual and perennial forbs > associated shrubs = deep-rooted, cool season, perennial bunchgrasses. (By above ground production)Other:
Additional:
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Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Dead branches within individual shrubs are common and standing dead shrub canopy material may be as much as 35% of total woody canopy; some of the mature bunchgrasses (±25%) have dead centers. -
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
Between plant interspaces (± 5%) and depth (± ¼ in). -
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
For normal or average growing season, ± 200 lbs/ac; Spring moisture significantly affects total production. -
Potential invasive (including noxious) species (native and non-native). List species which BOTH characterize degraded states and have the potential to become a dominant or co-dominant species on the ecological site if their future establishment and growth is not actively controlled by management interventions. Species that become dominant for only one to several years (e.g., short-term response to drought or wildfire) are not invasive plants. Note that unlike other indicators, we are describing what is NOT expected in the reference state for the ecological site:
Douglas rabbitbrush and juniper are increasers on this site. Cheatgrass, filaree, snakeweed, horsebrush, Russian thistle, and annual mustards are invaders on this site. -
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
All functional groups should reproduce in average (or normal) and above average growing season years.
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