LOCATION HOURLAND NV
Established Series
BKP/PWB/JBF
12/2016
HOURLAND SERIES
Hourland series consist of very deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from reworked loess and glacial deposits of metamorphic or volcanic parent material. Hourland soils are on middle to lower elevation mountain and upper fan piedmont narrow stream terraces. Slopes are 2 to 10 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 450 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Pachic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Hourland very gravelly fine sandy loam-forestland and wildlife habitat. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is partially covered by 20 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles.
Oi--0 to 1 cm; moderately decomposed leaves, twigs, and grass; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 cm thick)
A1--1 to 17 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly fine sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate very coarse granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots throughout; many fine irregular pores; 35 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (9 to 20 cm thick)
A2--17 to 51 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots throughout; many fine interstitial pores; 40 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (34 to 55 cm thick)
C--51 to 155 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and medium roots throughout; many fine interstitial pores; 65 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Elko County, Nevada; south of Fort Halleck, NV, 1.75 miles from the mouth of Soldier Creek Canyon in the Ruby Mountains; southeast quarter of section 4, T. 33 N., R. 59 E.; USGS Soldier Peak 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 40 degrees 46 minutes 31.17 seconds N and longitude 115 degrees 19 minutes 32.36 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 40.775324 latitude, -115.3256556 longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Dry in mid-summer through fall for up to 90 days. The soil is moist in the upper part in late fall, winter, spring and early summer. Vegetation is meeting water needs either through direct stream access or ground water at a depth greater than 155 cm; typic xeric soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 10 to 15 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 50 to 100 cm.
Depth to a C horizon: 50 to 75 cm.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 10 to 18 percent in the upper part and 2 to 10 percent in the lower part.
Rock fragments: Averages 35 to 60 percent, mainly gravel.
A1 horizon
Value: 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 through 3 dry, 1 or 2 moist.
Organic matter content: 10 to 20 percent.
A2 horizon
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 1 or 2 moist.
Organic matter content: 5 to 10 percent.
Clay percent: averages 10 to 18 percent.
Texture: Loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, and loamy sand.
Rock fragments: 30 to 60 percent.
Structure: Week or moderate.
C horizon
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Organic matter content: 0 to 2 percent.
Clay percent: 2 to 10 percent.
Texture: Sand, or loamy sand.
Rock fragments: averages 40 to 80 percent, some pedons have subhorizons with as few as 30 percent rock fragments.
COMPETING SERIES: These are
Baldridge,
Beehunt,
Burgi,
Chambeam,
Climine,
Dearbush,
Ginser,
Glean,
Lambring,
Lonecabin,
Pinochle,
Rondowa,
Shorthike,
Sinker,
Smidale,
Webfoot,
Westbutte, and
Willynat series.
Baldridge,
Beehunt and
Ginser soils have B horizons and are well drained.
Burgi soils have an irregular decrease in organic matter with depth.
Dearbush,
Chambeam,
Glean,
Pinochle,
Sinker,
Smidale and
Westbutte soils have a lithic contact below 100 cm.
Climine soils have silica accumulations in the lower part of the profile.
Lambring and
Lonecabin soils have a xeric soil moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Rondowa soils are slightly acid or neutal throughout.
Shorthike soils have 60 to 80 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
Webfoot soils are saturated from March through June at 30 to 60 cm with distinct redox features at 20 cm.
Willynat soils lack a water table below 150 cm or adjacent contact with streams.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Hourland soils are on middle to lower elevation mountain and upper fan piedmont narrow stream terraces. Hourland soils formed in alluvium derived from reworked loess and glacial deposits of metamorphic or volcanic parent material. Slopes are 2 to 10 percent. Elevations range from 1,890 to 2,440 meters. The climate is cool, semiarid, with cool moist winters and warm dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 300 to 450 mm derived mostly from snow. Vegetation water needs are met either through direct stream access or ground water at a depth greater than 155 cm. The mean annual temperature is 6 to 7 degrees C and the frost-free period is 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Poppellen,
Hapgood, and
Hackwood series. Poppellen soils have a water table between 75 and 100 cm for 20 to 45 days. Hapgood and Hackwood soils average a clay content greater than 18 percent in the particle-size control section.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat excessively drained; moderate surface runoff; high saturated hydraulic conductivity.
USE AND VEGETATION: Hourland soils are used for forestland and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is principally narrowleaf cottonwood, Wood's rose, wax currant, slender wheatgrass, bluegrass, false Soloman's seal, and sticky geranium.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 25.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Elko County, Nevada, Humboldt National Forest, Nevada, North Part, 2016.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from 1 to 51 cm (A1 and, A2 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (A2 and part of C horizons).
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.