LOCATION BEOSKA                  NV

Established Series
Rev. ELS/TM/JVC/JBF
02/2016

BEOSKA SERIES

The Beoska series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks with surficial mantles of loess and volcanic ash. Beoska soils are on fan remnants. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 180 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Durinodic Natrargids

TYPICAL PEDON: Beoska silt loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 13 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate very thin and thin platy structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; many vesicular and very fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel on immediate surface; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 18 cm thick)

A2--13 to 23 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; less than 2 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 cm thick)

AB--23 to 33 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) and very pale brown (10YR 7/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and very few fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; less than 2 percent gravel; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 25 cm thick)

Btn--33 to 46 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silty clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate very fine and fine angular blocky; hard, very friable, moderately sticky and very plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; many faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 5 percent 2 to 15 mm rounded gravel; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear irregular boundary. (10 to 33 cm thick)

Btnk--46 to 61 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silt loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate very fine and fine angular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; many faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 5 percent 2 to 15 mm rounded gravel; common fine filaments and threads of secondary carbonates and coatings on rock fragments; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 20 cm thick)

2Bqk--61 to 157 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) very gravelly very fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; common fine filaments of secondary carbonates; 25 percent 5 to 15 millimeter weak and moderate durinodes; 40 percent 2 to 15 mm rounded gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).

TYPE LOCATION: Lander County, Nevada; about 50 miles southwest of Battle Mountain; approximately 3,150 feet east and 1, 360 feet north of the southeast corner of section 26, T. 25 N., R. 42 E.; USGS The Cedars SW 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 40 degrees 00 minutes 23 seconds N and longitude 117 degrees 13 minutes 05 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 40.0063889 latitude, -117.2180556 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry, moist in winter and spring, dry from late May through November; typic aridic soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 11 degrees C.
Depth to horizons with durinodes: 40 to 66 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 25 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent, mainly gravel.

A horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 6 or 7 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.

AB horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 6 or 7 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Structure: Platy, prismatic, subangular blocky, or horizon is massive.
Consistence: Soft or slightly hard, dry; very friable or friable, moist; slightly sticky or sticky and slightly plastic or plastic, wet.

Btn horizon
Value: 3 or 4 moist, 6 or 7 dry.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Silty clay loam, silt loam, or clay loam.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
Sodicity (SAR): 13 to 30.
Effervescence: Slightly effervescent or strongly effervescent.
Other features: Secondary carbonates in some subhorizon.

2Bqk horizon
Value: 7 or 8 dry, 4 through 6 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Stratified very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam.
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent.
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent above 100 cm, 15 to 65 percent below 100 cm, mainly gravel.
Consistence: Soft through hard dry, very friable through firm moist, nonsticky or slightly sticky when wet.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
Secondary silica: Has either 20 to 40 percent durinodes in a friable matrix or weak to strong discontinuous silica cementation.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Beowawe, Genegraf, Jerval, Nyserva and Ricert series.

Beowawe soils have 18 to 25 percent clay in the particle-size control section and have noncalcareous natric horizons. Genegraf and Ricert soils have horizons with a firm, brittle matrix. Jerval soils have mean annual soil temperatures of 12 to 15 degrees C and visible gypsum in the series control section. Nyserva soils are less than 38 cm to the base of the natric horizon, have very strongly alkaline reaction, and horizons with stratified strongly contrasting textures.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Beoska soils are on fan remnants. These soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks with surficial mantles of loess and volcanic ash. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. Elevations range from 1,130 to 1,830 meters. The climate is arid with cool, moist winters and hot, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 150 to 200 mm, the mean annual temperature is 7 to 10 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 100 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Broyles, Creemon, Dun Glen, and Whirlo soils. Whirlo soils do not have a natric horizon. Oxcorel soils have particle-size control sections with more than 35 percent clay. Tenabo and Tickapoo soils are shallow over duripans.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Beoska soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly shadscale, bud sagebrush, bottlebrush squirreltail, and Indian ricegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Nevada. These soils are extensive with about 154,000 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 24.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lander County, Nevada (North Part), 1974.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 33 cm (A1, A2, and AB horizons).
Natric horizon - The zone from 33 to 61 cm (Btn and Btnk horizons).
Durinodes - The zone from 61 to 157 cm (2Bqk horizon).
Calcic horizon - The zone from 61 to 157 cm (2Bqk horizon).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 33 to 61 cm (Btn and Btnk horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: A pedon of Beoska has full characterization data as user pedon ID 81NV015307 (pedon # 82P0320).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.