LOCATION MEDLAVAL                NV

Established Series
Rev. GWM/TM/JBF
03/2012

MEDLAVAL SERIES

The Medlaval series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in alluvium and lacustrine deposits derived from mixed rocks. The Medlaval soils are on lake plain depressions and channels of bolson floors. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 180 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 8 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Vertic Calcixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Medlaval silty clay loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface has cracks 5 to 15 cm wide and 150 to 200 cm apart.

A1--0 to 13 cm; dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and common medium roots; many fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary.

A2--13 to 30 cm; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay, black (10YR 2/1) moist; strong medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to strong fine and medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common fine tubular and interstitial pores; vertical cracks 3 to 5 cm wide and 5 to 10 cm apart; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined A horizon thickness ranges from 25 to 50 cm)

Bk--30 to 79 cm; light gray (5Y 7/1) silty clay, light olive gray (5Y 6/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to strong medium subangular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine and medium roots; common fine tubular and interstitial pores; vertical cracks 3 to 5 cm wide and 3 to 5 cm apart with A horizon (10 percent of horizon) material adhering to faces of peds; many fine and medium irregular masses of secondary calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (25 to 50 cm)

Bkg--79 to 152 cm; gray (5Y 6/1) silty clay, gray (5Y 6/1) moist; strong medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to strong fine and medium angular blocky; hard, firm moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine and medium roots; few fine tubular pores; vertical cracks filled with A horizon material are 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches wide and 15 to 30 inches apart; many prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) irregularly shaped masses of iron accumulation on faces of peds; many irregular secondary calcium carbonate masses; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6).

TYPE LOCATION: White Pine County, Nevada; approximately 1.2 miles east of the North Spring Valley highway on the Rodgers ranch road; 2300 feet east and 200 feet north of the southwest corner of section 32, T. 17 N., R. 67 E.; latitude 39 degrees 17 minutes 22 seconds N, and longitude 114 degrees 27 minutes 47 seconds W; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: Saturated within depths of 76 and 107 cm in the early to late Spring and are usually moist at this depth due to capillarity from ground water. Soil moisture control section is usually dry from July through October except for 10 to 20 days cumulative due to convection storms.
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 11 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 25 to 50 cm.
Depth to calcic horizon: 25 to 50 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 40 to 50 percent.

A horizons
Hue 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y.
Value: 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2, dry or moist.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent.

Bk horizon
Hue 2.5Y or 5Y.
Value: 7 or 8 dry, 5 or 6 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2, dry or moist.
Structure: Medium and coarse prismatic parting to angular or subangular blocky.
Texture: Silty clay or clay.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 35 to 45 percent.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.

Bkg horizon
Hue 2.5Y or 5Y.
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2, dry or moist.
Texture: Silty clay or clay.
Structure: Medium and coarse prismatic parting to angular or subangular blocky.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 25 percent.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Medlaval soils are in depressions and channels of lake plains and bolson floors. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevations are 1,680 to 1,770 meters. The climate is cool, semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 200 to 250 mm mean annual temperature is 7 to 10 degrees C, and the frost-free season is 100 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kolda, Duffer, Ewelac and Biji soils. The Kolda soils are saturated between depths of 0 to 60 cm for more than 90 days consecutive. Duffer, Ewelac and Biji soils lack mollic epipedons.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained; very low runoff; moderately low saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is dominantly bluegrass, mat muhly, alkali sacaton, western wheatgrass and basin wildrye.

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

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona

SERIES ESTABLISHED: White Pine County, Nevada, East Part, 2004.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the surface to 30 cm (A1 and A2 horizons).
Calcic horizon - The zone from 30 to 79 cm (Bk horizon).
Seasonal water table - Within a depth of 79 to 152 cm.
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 152 cm (A2, Bk and part of the Bkg horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.