Physiographic features

This site occurs on nearly level enclosed basins, lake plains, and depressions. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Elevations are 5300 to 7200 feet.

Table 2. Representative physiographic features

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 43 to 47 degrees F. The average growing season is about 80 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

Influencing water features

A seasonally high water table is at or near the surface in most years. The soils are typically ponded through most of the growing season from runoff from adjacent landscapes.

Soil features

The soils associated with this site are very deep, dark colored and clayey. The permeability is very slow, runoff is negligible, and the soils are somewhat poorly to poorly drained. When dry, the soils are subject to extensive cracking that damages the root systems of many species of plants. The dry, cracked condition persists long enough in most years for appreciable surface sloughing to take place, and a hummocky (gilgai) relief is not produced. A seasonally high water table is at or near the surface in most years and the soils are typically ponded through most of the growing season. The soil series associated with this site include: Boulder Lake and Weimer.

Table 4. Representative soil features

Animal community

Livstock Interpretations:
This site can be suitable for livestock grazing. Grazing management should be keyed to perennial grass production. Young mat muhly is readily eaten by livestock. Plants become less palatable as they mature. Mat muhly plants usually grow in scattered patches, so they are seldom sufficiently abundant to be of major importance to livestock. In the northern part of its range, mat muhly is rated as good to very good forage for cattle and horses and fairly good for domestic sheep.

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:
The palatability of mat muhly for wildlife species has been rated as fair to poor.

Hydrological functions

Runoff is negligible. Permeability is very slow.

Recreational uses

Aesthetic value is derived from the diverse floral and faunal composition and the colorful flowering of wild flowers during early summer. This site offers rewarding opportunities to photographers and for nature study. This site has potential for upland and big game hunting.

Type locality

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/GKB

Approval

Kendra Moseley, 4/10/2025