Death Valley National Park

Location:California, Nevada, United States
IUCN Category:II
Area:762,125 acres (308,421 hectares)
Species:All  Endangered  Invasive
Website:View website
Climate:View Climate Data
Land Use:View Land Use Data
Köppen climate classification:BWh (Climate: arid; Precipitation: desert; Temperature: hot arid)

Ecoregions

Great Basin montane forests
Great Basin shrub steppe
Mojave desert

Soils

Protected Area Boundary
 AB
   
Share50 %30 %10 %10 %30 %30 %20 %20 %
Soil TypeLuvic YermosolsCalcic YermosolsCalcaric RegosolsLithosolsLuvic YermosolsLuvic YermosolsCalcic YermosolsCalcaric Regosols
Topsoil TextureMediumMediumMediumMediumCoarseMediumMediumMedium
Reference Depth100 cm100 cm100 cm10 cm100 cm100 cm100 cm100 cm
DrainageModerately wellModerately wellModerately wellImperfectlyModerately wellModerately wellModerately wellModerately well
Available Water Capacity100 m150 m150 m15 mm150 m150 m150 m150 m
Phase 1Stony       
Topsoil Properties
Gravel20 %20 %17 %26 %4 %20 %20 %17 %
Sand50 %39 %43 %43 %79 %50 %39 %43 %
Silt29 %37 %35 %34 %10 %29 %37 %35 %
Clay21 %24 %22 %23 %11 %21 %24 %22 %
USDA TextureLoamLoamLoamLoamSandy loamLoamLoamLoam
Reference Bulk Density1.42 g/cm³1.38 g/cm³1.4 g/cm³1.39 g/cm³1.57 g/cm³1.42 g/cm³1.38 g/cm³1.4 g/cm³
Bulk Density1.5 g/cm³1.46 g/cm³1.4 g/cm³1.3 g/cm³1.66 g/cm³1.5 g/cm³1.46 g/cm³1.4 g/cm³
Organic Carbon0.4 %0.37 %0.77 %1.4 %0.34 %0.4 %0.37 %0.77 %
PH7.38.187.68.27.38.18
Clay Cation Exchange Capacity47 cmol kg⁻¹45 cmol kg⁻¹40 cmol kg⁻¹42 cmol kg⁻¹52 cmol kg⁻¹47 cmol kg⁻¹45 cmol kg⁻¹40 cmol kg⁻¹
Soil Cation Exchange Capacity7 cmol kg⁻¹15 cmol kg⁻¹17 cmol kg⁻¹15 cmol kg⁻¹8 cmol kg⁻¹7 cmol kg⁻¹15 cmol kg⁻¹17 cmol kg⁻¹
Base Saturation100 %100 %100 %100 %100 %100 %100 %100 %
Total Exchangeable Bases14 cmol kg⁻¹24 cmol kg⁻¹31.1 cmol kg⁻¹15.6 cmol kg⁻¹6.8 cmol kg⁻¹14 cmol kg⁻¹24 cmol kg⁻¹31.1 cmol kg⁻¹
Calcium Carbonate0.5 %26 %15 %3.9 %2.2 %0.5 %26 %15 %
Calcium Sulphate0.1 %0.1 %0 %0 %0.1 %0.1 %0.1 %0 %
Exchangeable Sodium6 %8 %2 %4 %5 %6 %8 %2 %
Electrical Conductivity0.1 dS m-12.4 dS m-10.3 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.2 dS m-10.1 dS m-12.4 dS m-10.3 dS m-1
Subsoil Properties
Gravel27 %41 %18 % 5 %27 %41 %18 %
Sand44 %30 %38 % 65 %44 %30 %38 %
Silt28 %42 %36 % 14 %28 %42 %36 %
Clay28 %28 %26 % 21 %28 %28 %26 %
USDA TextureClay loamClay loamLoam Sandy clay loamClay loamClay loamLoam
Reference Bulk Density1.37 g/cm³1.34 g/cm³1.36 g/cm³ 1.45 g/cm³1.37 g/cm³1.34 g/cm³1.36 g/cm³
Bulk Density1.47 g/cm³1.3 g/cm³1.52 g/cm³ 1.63 g/cm³1.47 g/cm³1.3 g/cm³1.52 g/cm³
Organic Carbon0.28 %0.29 %0.53 % 0.24 %0.28 %0.29 %0.53 %
PH7.38.18.1 8.37.38.18.1
Clay Cation Exchange Capacity58 cmol kg⁻¹35 cmol kg⁻¹50 cmol kg⁻¹ 45 cmol kg⁻¹58 cmol kg⁻¹35 cmol kg⁻¹50 cmol kg⁻¹
Soil Cation Exchange Capacity11 cmol kg⁻¹11 cmol kg⁻¹15 cmol kg⁻¹ 9 cmol kg⁻¹11 cmol kg⁻¹11 cmol kg⁻¹15 cmol kg⁻¹
Base Saturation100 %100 %100 % 100 %100 %100 %100 %
Total Exchangeable Bases14.6 cmol kg⁻¹21.8 cmol kg⁻¹41.1 cmol kg⁻¹ 8.4 cmol kg⁻¹14.6 cmol kg⁻¹21.8 cmol kg⁻¹41.1 cmol kg⁻¹
Calcium Carbonate3.8 %35 %15 % 11.4 %3.8 %35 %15 %
Calcium Sulphate0.7 %0.7 %0 % 0.9 %0.7 %0.7 %0 %
Exchangeable Sodium4 %8 %1 % 3 %4 %8 %1 %
Electrical Conductivity9.7 dS m-12.6 dS m-10.3 dS m-1 0.2 dS m-19.7 dS m-12.6 dS m-10.3 dS m-1
Soil data provided by FAO/IIASA/ISRIC/ISSCAS/JRC, 2012. Harmonized World Soil Database (version 1.2). FAO, Rome, Italy and IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria.
Köppen climate classification provided by Kottek, M., J. Grieser, C. Beck, B. Rudolf, and F. Rubel, 2006: World Map of Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification updated. Meteorol. Z., 15, 259-263