LOCATION KOLCHECK NV

Established Series
Rev. CWL-TM-BKP
02/2017

KOLCHECK SERIES

The Kolcheck series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in colluvium derived mainly from quartzite, with minor amounts of limestone. Kolcheck soils are in depressions on mountains. Slopes are 2 to 8 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 575 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 4.5 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic Oxyaquic Argicryolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Kolcheck loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The surface is partially covered with approximately 5 percent gravel.

A1--0 to 10 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; strong fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and common fine tubular and interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary.

A2--10 to 23 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; strong coarse subangular blocky structure parting to strong medium granular; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine, and few medium roots; few very fine, fine and medium tubular and interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.3); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A1 and A2 horizons is 20 to 30 cm)

Bt1--23 to 50 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; strong coarse subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and medium, and common fine roots; common very fine and fine, and few medium interstitial and tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); gradual smooth boundary.

Bt2--50 to 74 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine, and few medium interstitial and tubular pores; many prominent clay films on faces of peds; 20 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt1 and Bt2 horizons is 40 to 60 cm)

Btk1--74 to 94 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly clay, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and fine, and few medium interstitial and tubular pores; many prominent clay films on faces of peds; common (2 percent) fine secondary calcium carbonate threads; calcium carbonate equivalent 11 percent; 35 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 30 cm thick)

Btk2--94 to 152 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly clay, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and fine, and few medium tubular pores; many prominent clay films on faces of peds; common (15 percent) fine secondary calcium carbonate threads, and common (5 percent) medium secondary calcium carbonate masses, and common secondary calcium carbonate concretions around rock fragments; calcium carbonate equivalent 10 percent; 20 percent gravel; strongly and violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9).

TYPE LOCATION: White Pine County, Nevada; in the Schell Creek Range about 2.5 miles east of Cave Lake; about 970 feet north and 470 feet east of the southwest corner section 1, T. 15 N., R 65 E.; USGS Cave Creek 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 39 degrees 11 minutes 24 seconds north and longitude 114 degrees 37 minutes 56 seconds west; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 39.1900000 latitude, -114.6322222 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); the soil is episaturated through the upper 50 to 75 cm during the spring for at least 20 consecutive days during normal years, xeric soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 4 to 7 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 8 to 10 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 40 to 56 cm
Depth to argillic horizon: 20 to 30 cm.
Argillic horizon thickness: 120 to 130 cm.
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 60 to 90 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 35 to 42 percent.
Rock fragments: 5 to 20 percent, mainly gravel.

A horizons
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Clay content: 16 to 27 percent.
Rock Fragments: 0 to 5 percent.
Organic matter content: 2 to 4 percent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.

Bt horizons
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 2 through 4 moist, values of 2 or 3 dry, and 2 or 3 moist only in the Bt1 horizon.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist, chroma 2 only in the Bt1 horizon.
Texture: Clay loam or clay.
Clay content: 32 to 45 percent, generally increasing with depth. There is less than a 20 percent increase from the overlying horizon.
Rock fragments: 5 to 20 percent, dominantly gravel.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 2 to 8 percent.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

Btk horizons - Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Loam or clay loam.
Clay content: 40 to 46 percent.
Rock fragments: 25 to 45 percent, dominantly gravel.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 15 percent.
Effervescence: strongly effervescent through violently effervescent.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: At present there no series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kolcheck soils are in broad linear depressions on mountains. They formed in colluvium derived mainly from quartzite, with minor amounts of limestone. Slopes are 2 to 8 percent. Elevations range from 2,130 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, mean annual temperature is 3 to 6 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 40 to 60 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Brokit, Cooperwash, and Successloop series. Brokit soils have a strongly contrasting particle-size control section with 12 to 20 percent clay in the upper part and 3 to 10 percent clay in the lower part. Cooperwash soils are well drained, have mollic epipedons that are 80 to 150 cm thick, and have Btkss horizons. Successloop soils have 27 to 35 percent clay and 35 to 50 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained; low surface runoff; low saturated hydraulic conductivity. Episaturation is present during spring and early summer that saturates the profile through the upper 50 to 75 cm. The profile appears wet:nonsatiated below the saturated zone.

USE AND VEGETATION: Kolcheck soils are used for livestock grazing, recreation, and wildlife habitat. Present vegetation is slender wheatgrass, Letterman's needlegrass and silver sagebrush.

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

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: White Pine County, Humboldt National Forest, Nevada, South part, 2013. The name is from a local geographic feature.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 50 cm (A1, A2 and Bt1 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 23 to 152 cm (Bt1, Bt2, Btk1, and Btk2 horizons).
Episaturation feature - The condition of snow melt and run-in water saturates the profile through the upper 75 to 50 cm during the spring and early summer in normal years (Bt2, Btk1, and Btk2 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 23 to 73 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Typical Pedon ID - 2007NV033007.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.