LOCATION MORANCH                 NV

Established Series
Rev. DWW/PWB/RLB
09/2019

MORANCH SERIES

The Moranch series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks with a component of loess and volcanic ash. The Moranch soils are on fan skirts and alluvial flats. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 230 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 8 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Duric Torriorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Moranch silt loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 5 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; moderate medium platy structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; many very fine vesicular pores; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 8 cm thick)

A2--5 to 13 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong thin platy structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few medium roots; common fine continuous tubular, and common very fine and few fine discontinuous random interstitial pores; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 13 cm thick)

C--13 to 25 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium platy structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common very fine and few fine discontinuous random interstitial pores; violently effervescent, very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 18 cm thick)

Cq1--25 to 50 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) very fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate medium platy structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common very fine and few fine discontinuous random interstitial pores; discontinuous weakly silica-cemented; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); clear smooth boundary. (13 to 38 cm thick)

Cq2--50 to 114 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) continuous weakly silica cemented silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; hard, firm, brittle, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and few fine discontinuous random interstitial pores; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); clear smooth boundary. (25 to 76 cm thick)

Cq3--114 to 155 cm; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) continuous weakly silica-cemented silt loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak thin platy; very hard, very firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; brittle; few very fine roots along some horizontal plates; common very fine discontinuous random interstitial pores; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Elko County, Nevada; approximately 24 miles northeast of Elko, about 6.9 miles west of Deeth interchange and 330 feet south of Interstate 80, about 3,200 feet west of the projected southeast corner of section 1, T. 36 N., R. 58 E.; USGS Morgan Hill 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 41 degrees 01 minutes 41 seconds N and longitude 115 degrees 22 minutes 57 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 41.0280556 latitude, -115.3825000 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry, moist from late fall to mid-spring, dry mid-June to October; typic aridic soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 10 degrees C.
Depth to Cq horizon: 13 to 38 cm.
Sodium absorption: Rate is greater than 50 throughout the profile.
Other features: It is nonsaline to slightly saline in the A horizon and slightly saline or moderately saline throughout the remainder of the profile.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 8 to 18 percent.
Sand: Averages less than 15 percent fine sand or coarser.

A horizon
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Structure: Fine to coarse or it is massive.

C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y.
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4.
Texture: Silt loam, loam, or very fine sandy loam.
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent.

Cq horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y.
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4.
Texture: Silt loam, loam, or very fine sandy loam.
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent.
Other features: At least one subhorizon above 100 cm is continuously weakly silica cemented.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Amene, Lundy, Noski and Streuling series.

Amene, Lundy and Strueling soils have more than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Noski and Streuling soils have a calcium carbonate equivalent of 40 to 60 percent in the Bk horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Moranch soils are on fan skirts and alluvial flats. These soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks, with a component of loess and volcanic ash. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevations are 1,495 to 1,739 meters. The climate is cool, semiarid with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 200 to 250 mm; mean annual temperature is 7 to 9 degrees C., and the frost-free season is 100 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kelk, Ocala, Orovada, Sonoma and Tweba soils. Kelk soils have a 15 to 25 cm thick cambic horizon. Ocala and Sonoma soils have aquic moisture regimes. Orovada soils have cambic horizons and more than 15 percent fine sand or coarser sands in the particle size control section. Tweba soils lack silica cementation and have average textures of fine sandy loam or sandy loam.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. Very slow runoff and low saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly black greasewood with some basin wildrye and inland saltgrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeast Elko County Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA25 and 28B.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Elko County, Nevada, Central Part, 1986.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 18 cm (A1, A2 and part of the C horizons).
Duric horizon - The zone from about 25 to 155 cm (Cq1, Cq2 and Cq3 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (Cq1, and part of the Cq2 horizon).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.