LOCATION BERRYCREEK NV
Established Series
Rev. DHZ/TM/JBF
11/2016
BERRYCREEK SERIES
The Berrycreek series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium and residuum derived from quartzite. Berrycreek soils are on mountains. Slope ranges from 15 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 750 millimeters and the mean annual temperature is about 2 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Xeric Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Berrycreek very gravelly loam--forestland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is covered with 35 percent gravel.
Oi and Oe--0 to 2 cm; slightly to moderately decomposed organic material consisting of aspen leaves and twigs and grass residues. (1 to 3 cm thick)
Oa--2 to 5 cm; highly decomposed organic material. (1 to 4 cm thick)
A1--5 to 19 cm; dark brown (10YR 3/3) very gravelly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine, and common medium roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; very few distinct sand coats on the bottom of rock fragments and on faces of peds; 55 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.7); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 cm thick)
A2--19 to 32 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine through very coarse roots; common very fine and fine, and few medium and coarse tubular and interstitial pores; very few distinct sand coats on the bottom of rock fragments and on faces of peds; 45 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.7); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 25 cm thick)
Bw1--32 to 54 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely gravelly sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and medium, few coarse and very coarse roots; common very fine, fine, and medium, and few coarse tubular and interstitial pores; very few distinct sand coats on the bottom of rock fragments and on faces of peds; 65 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 70 cm thick)
Bw2--54 to 152 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely gravelly sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine, medium, coarse, and very coarse roots; few very fine, fine and medium interstitial pores; very few distinct sand coats on the bottom of rock fragments and on faces of peds; 65 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.3).
TYPE LOCATION: White Pine County, Nevada; in the Schell Creek Range, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, about 1.5 miles southwest of South Schell Peak; section 24, R. 17 N., T. 65 E.; USGS South Schell Peak 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 39 degrees 19 minutes 14.4 seconds N and longitude 114 degrees 36 minutes 57.32 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 39.320678 latitude, -114.615922 longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in winter, spring, and early summer, dry July and early August. Moist intermittently in the upper part from summer convection storms primarily in late August and September. This soil accumulates additional moisture from wind-deposited snow. This soil is dry in all parts at least 45 consecutive days following the summer solstice; typic xeric soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 3 to 5 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Mean winter soil temperature: 0 to 2 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 25 to 40 cm.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly acid.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 18 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: 45 to 65 percent, mainly gravel. Lithology of the fragments is quartzite.
O horizons
Range from slightly decomposed to highly decomposed organic material derived from aspen leaves and twigs and grass residues.
A horizons
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Consistence: Soft or slightly hard, dry.
Concentrations: Faint or distinct sand and silt coats on the bottom of rock fragments and on faces of peds.
Bw horizons
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 4 through 6, dry or moist.
Texture: Loam or sandy clay loam.
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: 45 to 65 percent; with 30 to 65 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles.
Structure: Weak to moderate, medium or coarse subangular blocky.
Consistence: Soft or slightly hard, dry.
Concentrations: Faint or distinct sand and silt coats on the bottom of rock fragments and faces of peds.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Basinpeak,
Decram,
Fairydell,
Foxmount,
Gaia,
Klug,
Krackle,
Lag,
Middlehill,
Rockabin,
Steepshrub,
Sup,
Timmercrek, and
Wareagle series.
Basinpeak soils do not have cambic horizons.
Decram soils are moderately deep to lithic contacts.
Fairydell soils have Bk and Bqk horizons.
Foxmount soils formed in tuff and volcanic flow rock and have paralithic contacts at 61 to 100 cm.
Gaia soils do not have cambic horizons.
Klug soils have mean summer soil temperatures of 9.4 to 12.2 degrees C and do not have O horizons.
Krackle soils have a lithic contact at 61 to 100 cm and have 27 to 35 percent clay in the control section.
Middlehill soils have a lithic contact at 61 to 100 cm and have Bk horizons.
Rockabin soils have a paralithic contact at 61 to 100 cm.
Steepshrub soils have 8 to 18 percent clay and 70 to 90 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
Sup soils do not have cambic horizons.
Timmercrek soils have lamellae and average 12 to 18 percent clay and 65 to 85 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
Wareagle soils have rock fragments with rhyolite or tuff lithology and solum thickness ranging from 38 to 86 cm.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Berrycreek soils are on mountains. They typically are on backslope and shoulder positions. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from quartzite. Slopes are 15 to 75 percent. Elevations range from 2,380 to 3,300 meters. The climate is subhumid, continental with cold, snowy winters and cool, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 600 to 950 millimeters, most of which comes in the form of snow. These soils receive additional moisture in the form of wind blown snow making it much wetter than the precipitation zone would indicate. Mean annual temperature is 1.5 to 4 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 30 to 50 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Badhap,
Steepshrub, and
Keyole soils. Keyole soils do not have mollic epipedons. Badhap soils have mollic epipedons thicker than 40 cm. Steepshrub soils have 8 to 18 percent clay and 70 to 90 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; moderate or high surface runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.
USE AND VEGETATION: Berrycreek soils are used for recreation, forestland, livestock grazing, and wildlife habitat. The dominant native vegetation is a forest canopy of quaking aspen with an understory of mountain brome and slender wheatgrass. This pedon is correlated to Ecological Site F028BY067NV, Populus tremuloides/Symphoricarpos/Bromus marginatus-Pseudoroegneria spicata ssp. spicata.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 28B.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: White Pine County, Great Bsin National Park, Nevada, 2009. The name is from a local stream.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from 5 to 32 cm (A1 and A2 horizons).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 32 to 152 cm (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 30 to 105 cm (Bw1 horizon and parts of the A2 and Bw2 horizons; 25 to 100 cm from the mineral soil surface).
ADDITIONAL DATA: User site ID: 07NV708049-DHZ
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.