LOCATION ALBURZ                  NV

Established Series
Rev. DWW/PWB/RLB/JBF
02/2018

ALBURZ SERIES

The Alburz series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks with a component of loess and volcanic ash. The Alburz soils are along drainageways of hills and mountains and on axial stream flood plains. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 300 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Fluvaquentic Endoaquolls

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

A1--0 to 18 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and few fine roots; 5 percent gravel; neutral ((pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 25 cm thick)

A2--18 to 33 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; few, fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist iron mottles; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and few fine roots; common very fine discontinuous random interstitial pores; 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 25 cm thick)

AC--33 to 51 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; few, fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist iron mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; many very fine discontinuous random interstitial pores; 25 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 20 cm thick)

2C1--51 to 76 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grained; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; 60 percent gravel; 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.1); gradual wavy boundary. (13 to 76 cm thick)

2C2--76 to 152 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly coarse sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grained; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; 60 percent gravel; 20 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.3).

TYPE LOCATION: Elko County, Nevada; approximately 10 miles north of Elko, about 1,710 feet east and 510 feet south of the northwest corner of section 2 T. 35 N., R. 54 E.; USGS Kittridge Springs 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 40 degrees 57 minutes 22 seconds N and longitude 115 degrees 52 minutes 1 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 40.9561111 latitude, -115.8669444 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Dry in mid-summer and early fall, moist in late fall, winter, spring and early summer. Apparent seasonal water table is between 30 to 46 cm for at least a month a year during most years, mainly during the winter to early summer months.
Mean annual soil temperature: 5 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 33 to 50 cm.
Depth to 2C horizon: 33 to 66 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 0 to 10 percent.
Rock fragments: 50 to 80 percent, mainly gravel, with cobbles common in the lower part.

A horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 1 or 2 moist.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.

AC horizon, when present
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Texture: Stratified gravelly loam to gravelly coarse sandy loam.
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent.
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent, mainly gravel.

2C horizon
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4.
Texture: Stratified extremely gravelly coarse sand to extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand.
Clay content: 0 to 5 percent.
Rock fragments: 60 to 85 percent, mainly gravel.
Structure: Massive or single grained.

Other features: The percent of cobbles typically increase with depth.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Alburz soils are on narrow drainageways of hills and low mountains, axial stream flood plains and inset fans. These soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed rock sources with a component of loess and volcanic ash. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevations are 1,620 to 1,985 meters. The climate is cool, semiarid with cool moist winters and warm dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 250 to 360 mm; mean annual temperature is 5 to 8 degrees C, and the frost-free season is 80 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Welch and Sonoma series. Welch soils have a mollic epipedon over 74 cm thick and less than 15 percent rock fragments in their particle-size control section. Sonoma soils have an ochric epipedon, reaction that is moderately to very strongly alkaline and less than 15 percent rock fragments in their particle-size control section.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Poorly drained; very slow runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly Sandberg bluegrass, sedges, Baltic rush and cinquefoil.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeast Nevada. MLRA 25. These soils are not extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Elko County (Central Part), Nevada. 1986

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of about 33 cm (A1 and A2 horizon).
Lithologic discontinuity - The boundary at about 50 cm.
Endosaturation - The apparent water table from 30 to 46 cm.
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (all or part of A2, AC, 2C1 and 2C2 horizons).

Classification was changed in 1992 from Haplaquolls to Endoaquolls.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.