LOCATION BELSAC NV
Established Series
Rev. PWB-DWW-RLB-JBF
11/2016
BELSAC SERIES
The Belsac series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in residuum and colluvium derived from siltstone or dolostone influenced by calcareous loess. The Belsac soils are on mountain side slopes. Slopes are 15 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 400 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 6 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Pachic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Belsac very gravelly loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 5 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 40 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 18 cm thick)
A2--5 to 15 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; 35 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 30 cm thick)
A3--15 to 50 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, few fine and medium roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; few thin strongly effervescent carbonate coats on gravel; 40 percent gravel; noneffervescent matrix; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 38 cm thick)
Bk1--50 to 61 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, few fine and medium roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; thin carbonate coats on rock fragments; 45 percent gravel, 2 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent (3 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 25 cm thick)
Bk2--61 to 94 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, few fine and medium roots; few fine tubular pores; thin carbonate coats cover rock fragments with thin carbonate pendants on the underside of rock fragments; 40 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; violently effervescent (10 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 38 cm thick)
Cr--94 cm; fractured siltstone with carbonate coats along fractures with few gypsum crystals.
TYPE LOCATION: Elko County, Nevada; approximately 24 miles north of Wells in the Snake Mountains, about 2,000 feet east and 1,500 feet north of southwest corner, sec. 14, T. 41 N., R. 61 E.; USGS Black Butte NE 7.5 minute quadrangle; latitude 41 degrees 26 minutes 25 seconds N and longitude 115 degrees 02 minutes 34 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 41.4402778 latitude, -115.0427778 longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist, dry late July to October, typic xeric soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 4 to 7 degrees C.
Average summer soil temperature: 12 to 15 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 50 to 100 cm.
Depth to bedrock: 64 to 100 cm.
Depth to carbonates: 50 to 64 cm.
Particle-size control section - Average clay content: 18 to 25 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 35 to 60 percent, mainly gravel with up to 10 percent cobbles.
A horizon;
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 through 3 moist.
Reaction: Neutral or mildly alkaline.
Other features: Few thin carbonate coats are common on rock fragments in lower subhorizon above the Bk horizon.
Bk1 horizon;
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist.
Structure: Fine through coarse subangular blocky
Consistence: Soft or slightly hard dry.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Effervescence: Strongly effervescent or violently effervescent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 2 to 10 percent.
Bk2 horizon (when present);
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Effervescence: Strongly effervescent through violently effervescent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 2 to 10 percent.
Other features: The horizon commonly has thin carbonate coats that cover rock fragments with thin carbonate pendants on underside of rock fragments.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Baconcamp,
Badgerton,
Badhap,
Behanco,
Behanin,
Boatman,
Boydhollow,
Bullrey,
Busterback,
Caballo,
Campone,
Croesus,
Dressel,
Gateview,
Goodski,
Hapgood,
Harcany,
Hobacker,
Lionhead,
Lolon,
Marcetta,
Mundos,
Nagitsy,
Namela,
Nazaton,
Papaspila,
Parkcity,
Poleline,
Povey,
Snacreek,
Snopoc,
Spearhead,
Splitbutte,
Sweethollow and
Tonigut series.
Baconcamp,
Goodski, and
Namela soils do not have Bk horizons.
Badgerton,
Behanco,
Behanin,
Boatman,
Boydhollow,
Bullrey,
Caballo,
Campone,
Dressel,
Gateview,
Hapgood,
Harcany,
Hobacker,
Lolon,
Marcetta,
Mundos,
Nazaton,
Parkcity,
Poleline,
Povey,
Snacreek,
Snopoc,
Spearhead
Sweethollow, and
Tonigut soils have soil profiles 100 cm or more thick.
Busterback and
Papaspila soils are very deep and do not contain calcium carbonate.
Croesus soils have a particle-size control section with less than 18 percent clay and lack Bk horizons with an effervescent matrix.
Nagitsy soils have noncalcareous soils profiles, cambic horizons and are medium acid or slightly acid. Namela soils do not have Bk horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Belsac soils are on mountain side slopes. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from siltstone or dolostone influenced by calcareous loess. Slopes are 15 to 75 percent. Elevations are 1,895 to 2,595 meters. The climate is cold, continental with cold, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 410 to 460 mm, additional moisture may be derived as a result of snow accumulation through drifting; mean annual temperature is 4 to 7 degrees C, and the frost-free season is 60 to 70 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Amene soils. Amene soils are shallow to a lithic contact and are carbonatic.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained, medium or rapid runoff, moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly mountain big sagebrush, snowberry, serviceberry, Idaho fescue and mountain brome.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeast Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 25, 28B.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Elko County, Nevada, northeast part, 1986.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 94 cm (A1, A2, A3, Bk1 and Bk2 horizons).
Secondary carbonates - The zone from 15 to 94 cm (The A3, Bk1 and Bk2 Horizons).
Paralithic contact - The boundary at about 94 cm. (Cr layer).
Particle-size control section - the zone from 25 to 94 cm (Bk1, Bk2 horizons and part of the A3 horizons).
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.