LOCATION BEZO                    NV

Established Series
Rev. MJZ/GJS/JBF
01/2023

BEZO SERIES

The Bezo series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in lacustrine sediments derived from mixed rocks. Bezo soils are on lake plains. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 150 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 10 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Aeric Halaquepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Bezo silty clay--rangeland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 3 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; strong medium platy structure; hard, friable, very sticky and very plastic; many very fine and few fine vesicular pores; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 13 cm thick)

A2--3 to 8 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; moderate thin platy structure; slightly hard, very friable, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 20 cm thick)

2By1--8 to 18 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; common fine soft masses of gypsum, strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 30 cm thick)

2By2--18 to 38 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay loam, with few fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) iron redox concentrations, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; massive; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; common fine filaments of gypsum, strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary (15 to 38 cm thick)

2C--38 to 81 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay loam, with few fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) iron redox concentrations, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; massive; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary (0 to 50 cm thick)

2Ck--81 to 107 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silty clay loam, with common fine distinct brown (7.5YR 5/4), iron redox concentrations, very pale brown(10YR 8/2) dry; massive; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; many very fine and few fine tubular pores; common medium lime filament; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 38 cm thick)

3C--107 to 152 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silty clay, with few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) iron mottles, very pale brown(10YR 8/2) dry; massive; slightly hard, friable, very sticky and very plastic; many very fine tubular pores; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Pershing County, Nevada; approximately 23 miles southeast of Mill City in Buena Vista Valley, about 500 feet east and 350 feet north of the southwest corner of section 22, T. 29 N., R. 36 E.; latitude 40 degrees 21 minutes 50 seconds N and longitude 117 degrees 55 minutes 35 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 40.3638889 latitude, -117.9266667 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Saturated in some horizon between depths of 30 to 60 cm for at least 1 month during most years.
Mean annual soil temperature: 12 to 13 degrees C.
Depth to By horizon: 8 to 33 cm.
Other features: Thin strata of silty clay occur in some pedons.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 27 to 35 percent.

A horizon
Value: 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry.

By horizons
Value: 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry.
Chroma: 3 or 4.

C horizons
Value: 5 or 6 moist, 6 through 8 dry.
Chroma: 3 or 4 moist, 2 or 3 dry.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
Carbonates: Strongly or violently effervescent. Lime accumulations are common in any subhorizon.
Other features: Below depths of 100 cm, silty clay textures are common in most pedons.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Nuyobe and Yobe series.

Nuyobe and Yobe soils average less than 27 percent clay in the particle-size control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bezo soils are on lake plains. These soils formed in lacustrine sediments derived from mixed rocks. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevations are 1,160 to 1,280 meters. The climate is cool, arid with hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 100 to 200 mm, mean annual temperature is 10 to 12 degrees C, and the frost-free season is 100 to 130 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Mazuma and the competing Yobe soils. Mazuma soils have a coarse-loamy particle size control section.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly big saltbush, black greasewood and seepweed.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Nevada. These soils are not extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Pershing County, Nevada, East Part. 1986.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 18 cm (A1, A2 and 2By1 horizons).
Seasonal water table - Within 30 to 60 cm.
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (2C and part of the 2By2 and 2Ck horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.