LOCATION BURNBOROUGH NV

Established Series
Rev. OWB/CEJ/JVC/JBF
06/2017

BURNBOROUGH SERIES

The Burnborough series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in residuum and colluvium derived from andesitic and rhyolitic volcanic rocks. Burnborough soils are on hills and mountains. Slopes are 15 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 360 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Aridic Argixerolls

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

A1--0 to 13 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly loam; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 50 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 20 cm thick)

A2--13 to 28 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) 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 and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; 40 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 20 cm thick)

Bt1--28 to 43 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; common faint clay films lining pores; 30 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 25 cm thick)

Bt2--43 to 74 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; common faint and distinct clay films lining pores and coating rock fragments; 40 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (20 to 40 cm thick)

Bt3--74 to 157 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; few thin clay films lining pores and coating rock fragments; 40 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; slightly acid (pH 6.4)

TYPE LOCATION: Washoe County, Nevada; about 8 miles northwest of Reno on Peavine Mountain; approximately 600 feet east and 2,400 feet south of the northwest corner of section 23, T. 20 N., R. 18 E; USGS Verdi 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 39 degrees 35 minutes 7 seconds N. and longitude 119 degrees 56 minutes 6 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 39.5855556 latitude, -119.9358333 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Moist in winter and spring, dry in summer and fall. Depth of wetting exceeds 76 cm in most years; aridic soil moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 6 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 25 to 50 cm; includes the Bt1 horizon.
Depth to base of argillic horizon: More than 100 cm.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral throughout.

A horizons
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Rock fragments: 35 to 55 percent, mainly gravel.

Bt1 horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Texture: Very gravelly sandy loam or very gravelly loam.
Clay content: 18 to 25 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 50 percent, mainly gravel.
Structure: Subangular blocky or massive.
Consistence: Slightly sticky or moderately sticky and slightly plastic or moderately plastic.
Other features: In some pedons this horizon is not part of the mollic epipedon and has colors of the Bt2 and Bt3 horizons.

Bt2 and Bt3 horizons
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4.
Texture: Very gravelly loam, very gravelly clay loam, or very gravelly sandy clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent, mainly gravel.
Structure: Fine subangular blocky or massive.
Consistence: Slightly hard or hard, slightly sticky or moderately sticky and slightly plastic or moderately plastic.

C horizon (where present)
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 6.
Texture: Loam to loamy sand in the fine-earth fraction.
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent, mainly gravel.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Belate, Closkey, Devils, Dutchjohn, Gowjai, Granipeak, Jivas, Millan, Sumine, and Torro series.

Belate soils receive slightly less total precipitation and the depth of wetting is 38 to 50 cm in most years and also contain 25 to 30 percent clay in the upper part of the argillic horizon. Closkey and Devils soils are moderately deep to paralithic contacts. Dutchjohn soils are deep to a paralithic contact and have a Bq horizon above the argillic. Gowjai soils have a Cq horizon with up to 15 percent durinodes. Granipeak soils contain more than 50 percent sand in the control section. Jivas soils are deep to a lithic contact. Millan soils are moist for 10 to 20 days cumulative between July and September and have the base of the argillic horizon at depths of 25 to 50 cm. Sumine soils are moderately deep to a lithic contact. Torro soils have more than 60 percent gravel in the Bt2 horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Burnborough soils are on hills and mountains. They typically occur on backslope positions. They formed in residuum and colluvium derived from andesitic and rhyolitic volcanic rocks. Slopes are 15 to 75 percent. Elevations range from 1,670 to 2,745 meters. The mean annual precipitation is 300 to 400 mm, the mean annual temperature is 4 to 7 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 50 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Gabica, Softscrabble, and Ticino soils. Gabica soils are shallow to bedrock. Softscrabble soils have a mollic epipedon more than 50 cm thick. Ticino soils are fine-loamy and moderately deep to bedrock.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Burnborough soils are used mainly for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is mountain big sagebrush, ephedra, mulesear wyethia, green rabbitbrush, bottlebrush squirreltail, Idaho fescue, and bluebunch wheatgrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western and northern Nevada. These soils are moderately extensive. MLRAs 26, 27, 23, and 24.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Washoe County, Nevada, South part, 1980.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 43 cm (A1, A2, and Bt1 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 28 to 157 cm (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 28 to 78 cm (Bt1, Bt2, and the upper part of the Bt3 horizon).

ADDITIONAL DATA: User Pedon ID: 1978NV031022.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.