LOCATION CASSENAI NV CAEstablished Series
The Cassenai series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in colluvium over residuum weathered from granodiorite. The Cassenai soils are on sideslopes of mountains. Slopes range from 5 to 70 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 1000 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is about 6 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, frigid Dystric Xeropsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Cassenai gravelly loamy sand on a north west facing (290 degree), 26 percent slope at an elevation of 1956 meters. When described on 06/03/2004 the soil was dry throughout. Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.
Oi--0 to 2 cm; slightly decomposed pine needles.
A1--2 to 7 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly loamy coarse sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; 85 percent sand; 14 percent silt; 1 percent clay; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots throughout; many very fine interstitial pores; 20 percent gravel; slightly acid, pH 6.2; abrupt smooth boundary.
A2--7 to 16 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loamy coarse sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; 85 percent sand; 14 percent silt; 1 percent clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, , nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots throughout; many very fine interstitial pores; 12 percent gravel; slightly acid, pH 6.2; abrupt smooth boundary. (The combined thickness of the A horizons is 8 to 23 cm thick)
Bw1--16 to 34 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loamy coarse sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; 85 percent sand; 12 percent silt; 3 percent clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine through coarse roots throughout; many very fine interstitial pores; 12 percent gravel; slightly acid, pH 6.2; gradual smooth boundary.
Bw2--34 to 59 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; 85 percent sand; 12 percent silt; 3 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine, medium and very coarse and many coarse roots throughout; many very fine interstitial pores; 20 percent gravel; slightly acid, pH 6.4; gradual smooth boundary.
Bw3--59 to 110 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 85 percent sand; 12 percent silt; 3 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine through coarse roots throughout; many very fine interstitial pores; 30 percent gravel; slightly acid, pH 6.2; gradual smooth boundary. (the combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 20 to 130 cm thick)
C--110 to 200 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 85 percent sand; 12 percent silt; 3 percent clay; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine through medium roots throughout; many very fine interstitial pores; 25 percent gravel; moderately acid, pH 6.0;
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, NV, 2000 feet west and 1000 feet south of Section 3, Township 13N, Range 18E, 39 degrees, 1 minutes, 23 seconds North latitude and 119 degrees, 56 minutes, 36 seconds West longitude, NAD83 - U.S.G.S Quad: Glenbrook, NV.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Soil moisture - usually dry for 45 to 75 consecutive days in late summer, moist rest of year. The soil has a typic xeric moisture regime.
Surface rock fragment content:
0 to 5 percent consisting of:
Cobbles, stones and boulders
Control section:
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent, with 10 to 35 percent gravel, predominantly 2 to 5 millimeters, 0 to 5 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones and 0 to 5 percent boulders.
Clay content: averages 1 to 5 percent clay
Mineralogy: mixed
A horizons:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: Loamy coarse sand, loamy sand or coarse sandy loam
Clay content: 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent
Organic matter: 5 to 12 percent
Reaction: pH moderately acid to neutral
Bw horizons:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 through 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: Loamy coarse sand, loamy sand or coarse sandy loam
Clay content: 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent
Organic matter: 1 to 5 percent
Reaction: pH moderately acid to neutral
C horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4 dry; 3 through 5 moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: Loamy sand, loamy coarse sand or coarse sandy loam
Clay content: 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent
Organic matter: 0 to 1 percent
Reaction: pH moderately acid to neutral
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cagwin and Christopher soils. Cagwin soils are 50 to 100 cm to soft granodiorite bedrock. Christopher soils are formed in material from glacial outwash and average less than 15 percent fragments in the control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Cassenai soils are on mountain slopes and hill slopes. Slopes range from 5 to 70 percent. These soils formed in colluvium over residuum weathered from granodiorite. Elevation is 1900 to 2850 meters. The climate is subhumid with warm dry summers and cold moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 530 to 1550 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is 5 to 8 degrees C. The frost free season is 40 to 90 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cagwin and Toem soils. The Cagwin soils are 50 to 100 cm to soft bedrock and the Toem soils are less than 50 cm to soft bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained, moderately rapid permeability, low to medium runoff. These soils are not flooded or ponded.
USE AND VEGETATION: Cassenai soils are used for wildlife, recreation and urban development. Vegetation is predominantly Jeffrey pine with an understory of shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Cassenai is of moderate extent in Nevada and California in MLRA 22A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County, (Tahoe Basin area), Nevada 2007.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 27 to 102 cm, portions of the Bw1, Bw2, and Bw3