LOCATION AKERCAN NV

Established Series
Rev. JVC/JBF
11/2016

AKERCAN SERIES

The Akercan series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks. Akercan soils are on inset fans and stream terraces. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 250 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Xeric Haplocambids

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

A1--0 to 8 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate thick platy structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium and fine roots; many fine and very fine vesicular pores; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 cm thick)

A2--8 to 13 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots; common fine and very fine interstitial pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (5 or 8 cm thick)

Bw1--13 to 20 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic, few medium, common fine and very fine roots; common fine and very fine interstitial pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 cm thick)

Bw2--20 to 41 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium, common fine and very fine roots; common fine and very fine interstitial pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (13 to 20 cm thick)

C1--41 to 53 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic, few fine and very fine roots; common fine and very fine pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (13 to 20 cm thick)

C2--53 to 124 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and very fine roots; common fine and very fine interstitial pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (64 to 150 cm thick)

C3--124 to 152 cm; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) very fine sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; common fine and very fine interstitial pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8).

TYPE LOCATION: Eureka County, Nevada; approximately 30 miles west of Eureka; about 580 feet south and 500 feet west of the northeast corner of section 4, T. 19 N., R. 48 E.; USGS Bean Flat West 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 39 degrees 32 minutes 46 seconds N and longitude 116 degrees 33 minutes 59 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 39.5461111 latitude, -116.5663889 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in winter and spring, dry from early June through October; aridic soil moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Depth to base of cambic horizon: 25 to 56 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 18 to 25 percent.

A horizons
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.

Bw horizons
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4 moist.
Texture: Loam, silt loam, or fine sandy loam.
Structure: Subangular blocky or angular blocky.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

C horizons
Value: 6 through 8 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4 moist.
Texture: Loam, very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or silt loam.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Burntriver, Lonely, and Woodpass series.

Burntriver soils have depth to base of the cambic horizon of more than 100 cm and average 27 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Lonely soils are moderately deep to lithic contacts. Woodpass soils have free carbonates at depths of 21 to 30 cm from the soil surface and have more than 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent in the cambic horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Akercan soils are on inset fans and stream terraces. These soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevations range from 1,895 to 2,135 meters. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 230 to 280 mm, the mean annual temperature is 7 to 8 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 75 to 95 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Jesse Camp, Pedoli, and Silverado soils. Jesse Camp soils are fine-silty and have horizons with identifiable secondary carbonates and durinodes. Pedoli soils have argillic horizons and horizons with identifiable secondary carbonates and silica. Silverado soils are coarse-loamy and have horizons with identifiable secondary carbonates and durinodes.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Akercan soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly Wyoming big sagebrush, Indian ricegrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, and small rabbitbrush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Nevada. These soils are not extensive with about 3,800 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 28B.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Eureka County Area, Nevada, 1983.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 18 cm (A1 and A2 horizons and part of the Bw1 horizon).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 13 to 41 cm (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (C1 horizon and parts of the Bw2 and C2 horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Previous editors and authors include: OAC-RAF-GJS.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.