LOCATION CRETHERS                NV

Established Series
Rev. CWL/PWB/JBF
11/2016

CRETHERS SERIES

The Crethers series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium and residuum derived from welded tuff. The Crethers soils are on mountain backslopes. Slopes are 30 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 575 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 4.5 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic Vitrandic Argicryolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Crethers very cobbly ashy loam--forestland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is partially covered with approximately 20 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones. Lithology of the fragments is welded tuff

Oe--0 to 5 cm; moderately decomposed pine needles and twigs; neutral (pH 6.8).

A1--5 to 12 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very cobbly ashy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to strong medium granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; common very fine and fine, and few medium interstitial and tubular pores; 20 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary.

A2--12 to 38 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly ashy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; common very fine and medium, and many fine interstitial and tubular pores; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; many (10 percent) fine fungal hyphae throughout the matrix; neutral (pH 7.3); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A and A2 horizons is 20 to 40 cm)

E--38 to 61 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly ashy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, many fine, few medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine, and few medium interstitial and tubular pores; common (5 percent) fungal hyphae throughout; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (20 to 40 cm thick)

Bt1--61 to 81 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely stony clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine, and few medium and coarse roots; common very fine and few fine, medium, and coarse interstitial and tubular pores; common faint and few distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 20 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.1); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 35 cm thick)

Bt2--81 to 99 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely stony clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; strong coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; few very fine, fine, medium, and coarse interstitial and tubular pores; many faint and common distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 25 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 55 cm thick)

Bt3--99 to 152 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely stony clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; few very fine, fine, medium, and coarse interstitial and tubular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 25 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.7).

TYPE LOCATION: White Pine County, Nevada; about 2.5 miles east of Cave Lake, 0.3 miles southwest of Cave Creek Spring, and 0.5 miles northeast of Cooper Summit, on the south side of jeep trail; about 1,700 feet north and2,400 feet west of the southeast corner of section 14, T. 15 N., R. 65 E.; USGS Cave Creek 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 39 degrees 09 minutes 46.9 seconds N and longitude 114 degrees 38 minutes 32.2 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 39.1630278 latitude, -114.6422778 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in winter, spring, and early summer, dry in all parts at least 45 consecutive days following the summer solstice (July and August); Xeric soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 4 to 7 degrees C.
Summer soil Temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 25 to 40 cm.
Argillic horizon thickness: 80 to 100 cm.
Reaction: Slightly acid through slightly alkaline.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 35 to 40 percent.
Rock fragment content: Averages 40 to 70 percent. Lithology of the fragments is welded tuff.

Oe and Oa (when present) horizons - Moderately to highly decomposed white fir pine needles and twigs

A horizons
Value: 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Organic matter content: 2 to 4 percent.
Mineralogy: 20 to 30 percent volcanic glass weathered from the parent material and 0.1 to 0.2 Al and Fe.

E horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Clay content: 20 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: 40 to 60 percent.
Texture modifiers: Very cobbly or very stony.
Mineralogy: 20 to 30 percent volcanic glass weathered from the parent material and 0.1 to 0.2 Al and Fe.

Bt horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Clay content: 35 to 40 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 40 to 70 percent.
Texture modifiers: Very stony or extremely stony.

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Wiltop series.
The Wiltop soils are deep to a lithic contact and have 27 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Crethers soils are on backslopes with north aspects of mountains. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from welded tuff. Slopes are 30 to 75 percent. Elevations are 2,500 to 2,950 meters. The climate is moist-subhumid with cold wet winters and warm dry summers.
The mean annual precipitation is 450 to 700 mm. The mean annual temperature is 3 to 6 degrees C. The frost-free period is 40 to 60 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Murial, Notellumcreek, and Tusel series.
Murial soils are moderately deep to bedrock. Notellumcreek soils are shallow to bedrock. Tusel soils have mollic epipedons that are 40 to 56 cm thick.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Crethers soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is mainly, an overstory of Rocky Mountain white fir and limber pine with an understory of mountain big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass and mutton grass. This site is correlated to Ecological Site F28BY063NV, Rocky Mountain White Fir and Limber Pine.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East central Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 28B.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: White Pine County, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, South Part, Nevada, 2013. The name is coined from a spring in the area.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the mineral soil surface, 5 cm to 38 cm (A1 and A2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 61 to 152 cm (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).
Vitrandic intergrade feature - The zone from 5 to 61 cm (A1, A2, and E horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 61 to 111 cm (Bt1, Bt2 and upper part of the Bt3 horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: User Pedon ID: 07NV778056-CWL

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.