LOCATION GREATDAY                NV

Established Series
Rev. CWL/TM/JBF
02/2012

GREATDAY SERIES

The Greatday series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived mainly from limestone and welded tuff. Greatday soils are on basin-floor remnants. Slopes are 2 to 4 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 180 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 12 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Petronodic Xeric Haplocalcids

TYPICAL PEDON: Greatday fine sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 10 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate very thick platy structure parting to weak medium platy; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine, common fine and few medium vesicular pores; 5 percent gravel; 5 percent coarse strongly cemented calcium carbonate nodules; few (0.5 percent) thin faint masses of secondary calcium carbonate on bottom of rock fragments; calcium carbonate equivalent is 34 percent; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 13 cm thick)

Bk1--10 to 23 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to strong medium granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine, common medium and few coarse roots; common very fine and fine, and few medium tubular and interstitial pores; 10 percent gravel; 15 percent coarse strongly cemented secondary calcium carbonate nodules; few (1 percent) fine prominent masses of secondary calcium carbonate on bottom of rock fragments; calcium carbonate equivalent is 37 percent; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 20 cm thick)

2Bk2--23 to 36 cm; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) very gravelly silt loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure parting to moderate medium platy; very hard, extremely firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, common fine and few medium roots; common very fine and fine, and few medium irregular pores; many (50 percent) coarse very strongly cemented secondary calcium carbonate nodules; calcium carbonate equivalent is 40 percent; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (13 to 30 cm thick)

2Bk3--36 to 69 cm; white (10YR 8/1) very gravelly silt loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, extremely firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine, and few fine and medium irregular pores; 50 percent gravel-size very strongly cemented secondary calcium carbonate nodules; calcium carbonate equivalent is greater than 60 percent; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (25 to 38 cm thick)

2Bk4--69 to 97 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silty clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; strong coarse angular blocky structure parting to strong fine angular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; few fine and medium irregular pores; common (5 percent) masses of secondary calcium carbonate on faces of peds; calcium carbonate equivalent is 2 percent; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual smooth boundary. (25 to 40 cm thick)

2Bky1--97 to 112 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; strong coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine and medium roots; few fine and medium irregular pores; common (5 percent) coarse very strongly cemented secondary calcium carbonate nodules; calcium carbonate equivalent is 2 percent; few (1 percent) soft fine gypsum threads; slightly effervescent; common medium distinct relict iron concentrations and very dark brown (10YR 2/2) common medium distinct soft relict manganese concentrations; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual smooth boundary.

2Bky2--112 to 127 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; strong coarse subangular blocky structure parting to strong fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few fine and medium irregular pores; common (5 percent) strongly cemented coarse secondary calcium carbonate nodules; calcium carbonate equivalent is 2 percent; common (5 percent) soft fine gypsum threads; slightly effervescent; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) common (15 percent) very coarse relict iron concentrations, moderately alkaline (pH 8.0), clear smooth boundary.

2Bky3--127 to 140 cm; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; strong fine angular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few fine and medium irregular pores; common (5 percent) strongly cemented coarse secondary calcium carbonate nodules; few (1 percent) soft fine gypsum threads; calcium carbonate equivalent is 2 percent; slightly effervescent; few medium distinct relict iron concentrations; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of 2Bky horizons is 15 to 46 cm thick)

2C1--140 to 163 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium irregular pores; calcium carbonate equivalent is 2 percent; slightly effervescent; few medium distinct relict iron concentrations; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary.

2C2--163 to 218 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) sandy clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine and medium irregular pores; calcium carbonate equivalent is 2 percent; slightly effervescent; few distinct irregular reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) relict iron concentrations, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).

TYPE LOCATION: White Pine County, Nevada; 2 miles east of Bigspring Ranch, 0.8 miles south of the Hamlin Valley Road and 75 feet east of a jeep trail; about 2400 feet south and 400 feet west of the northeast corner of section 34, T. 10 N., R. 70 E.; USGS Tweedy Wash 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 38 degrees 41 minutes 45 seconds N and longitude 114 degrees 06 minutes 26 seconds W; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry; moist in winter and spring and for 10 to 20 days cumulative due to summer convection storms; aridic soil moisture regime bordering on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 11 to 13 degrees C.
Calcic horizon thickness: 50 to 80 cm.
Depth to calcic horizon: 8 to 13 cm.
Calcium carbonate equivalent (less than 20 mm fraction): averages 30 to 40 percent.

Particle-size control section: Clay content: 27 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 25 to 35 percent, mainly strongly cemented gravel-size secondary calcium carbonate nodules, occurring mainly in the upper part.

A horizon
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Calcium carbonate equivalent (fine earth fraction): 30 to 35 percent.

Bk1 horizon
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Loam or gravelly loam.
Clay content: 15 to 24 percent.
Rock fragments: 5 to 25 percent, mainly strongly cemented coarse (mostly more than 20 millimeters) secondary calcium carbonate nodules.
Calcium carbonate equivalent (fine earth fraction): 30 to 40 percent.

2Bk2 and 2Bk3 horizons
Value: 7 or 8 dry, 6 or 7 moist.
Chroma: 1 through 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Clay loam, silt loam and silty clay loam.
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: 20 to 50 percent, mainly strongly cemented coarse pebble-size secondary calcium carbonate nodules.
Calcium carbonate equivalent (fine earth fraction): 40 to 70 percent.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.

2Bk4 horizon
Value: 6 through 8 dry, 5 through 7 moist.
Chroma: 1 through 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Clay loam or silty clay loam.
Clay content: 30 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent, mainly strongly cemented coarse pebble-size secondary calcium carbonate nodules.
Calcium carbonate equivalent (fine earth fraction): 0 to 5 percent.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.

2Bky horizons
Value: 6 through 8 dry, 4 through 6 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 6, dry or moist.
Texture: Silty clay loam or clay loam.
Clay content: 30 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent, mainly strongly cemented coarse pebble-size secondary calcium carbonate nodules.
Calcium carbonate equivalent (fine earth fraction): 0 to 5 percent.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.

2C horizons
Value: 7 or 8 dry, 5 or 6 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Sandy clay loam or clay loam.
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent (fine earth fraction): 0 to 5 percent.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Greatday soils are on basin-floor remnants. These soils formed in mixed alluvium derived mainly from limestone and welded tuff. Slopes are 2 to 4 percent. Elevations range from 1,650 to 1,740 meters. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 200 to 250 mm, the mean annual temperature is 10 to 14 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 90 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Bigspring, Kunzler, and Slaw soils. The Bigspring soils have mollic epipedons. The Kunzler soils contain less than 18 percent clay. The Slaw soils are fine-silty and do not have calcic horizons.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; low runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Greatday soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is mainly black sagebrush, needleandthread, and Indian ricegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 28A.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: White Pine County, Nevada, East Part, 2004.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 18 cm (A and Bk1 horizons).
Calcic horizon - The zone from 10 to 69 cm (Bk1, 2Bk2 and 2Bk3 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (including the lower part of the 2Bk2, 2Bk3, 2Bk4 and upper part of the 2Bky1 horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.