LOCATION NOBUCK                  NV

Established Series
Rev. CEJ/RLB/JBF
11/2016

NOBUCK SERIES

The Nobuck series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium derived from mixed volcanic rocks. The Nobuck soils are on mountain side slopes. Slopes are 15 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 250 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Xeric Haplargids

TYPICAL PEDON: Nobuck very cobbly loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is partially covered with 35 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones.

A1--0 to 10 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very cobbly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine vesicular pores; 35 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 13 cm thick)

A2--10 to 18 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak thin platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 40 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 18 cm thick)

A3--18 to 30 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and few medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 35 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 13 cm thick)

Bt--30 to 58 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine and few fine interstitial pores; common faint clay films on ped faces; 35 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (28 to 60 cm thick)

Btk1--58 to 81 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine interstitial pores; common faint clay films on ped faces; 35 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent; few fine irregular shaped carbonate seams and filaments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (20 to 28 cm thick)

Btk2--81 to 97 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine interstitial pores; many distinct clay films on ped faces; 35 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; common medium irregular shape carbonate seams and filaments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 20 cm thick)

Bk--97 to 107 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very cobbly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine interstitial pores; 10 percent weak 5 to 15 millimeter durinodes; 35 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; few fine irregular shaped carbonate seams and filaments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 cm thick)

Bqk--107 to 152 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) very cobbly loam, brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) moist; massive, hard, firm, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; continuous weak silica and carbonate cementation with about 10 percent discontinuous strong silica and carbonate cemented strata; 35 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0)

TYPE LOCATION: Lander County, Nevada; approximately 16 miles east of Austin, about 600 feet east and 1,950 feet north of the southwest corner of section 6, T. 19 N., R. 46 E.; USGS Bates Mountain 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 39 degrees 32 minutes 20 seconds N and longitude 116 degrees 51 minutes 17 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 39.5388889 latitude, -116.8547222 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Moist in some part mid-October through mid-June; dry mid-June through mid-October; aridic soil moisture regime bordering on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 6 to 8 degrees C.
Depth to Btk horizon: 56 to 100 cm.
Depth to Bqk horizon: 100 to 150 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 25 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent, mainly gravel.

A horizons
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.

Bt & Btk horizons
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4.
Texture: Very gravelly loam, very gravelly clay loam or very gravelly sandy clay loam.
Structure: Prismatic, angular blocky or subangular blocky.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Effervescence: Noneffervescent or slightly effervescent matrix in the upper part; strongly effervescent or violently effervescent matrix in the lower part with few to common carbonate seams and filaments.

Bqk horizon
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 through 6.
Texture: Very gravelly sandy loam or very gravelly loam.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
Cementation: Continuous brittle matrix or 20 to 40 percent durinodes in a firm and brittle matrix.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Gabel and Wiskan series.

Gabel soils are moderately deep. Wiskan soils have bedrock at depths of 50 to 100 cm.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nobuck soils are on mountain side slopes. These soils formed in colluvium derived from mixed volcanic rocks. Slopes are 15 to 30 percent. Elevations are 1,590 to 2,135 meters. The climate is cool, semiarid with hot, dry summers and cold, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 250 to 300 mm; mean annual temperature is 6 to 8 degrees C, and the frost-free season is 80 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Punchbowl and Locane series. Punchbowl and Locane soils have a lithic contact within 50 cm.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained, rapid runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly pine bluegrass, Indian ricegrass, needleandthread, and black sagebrush, with invaded Utah juniper common in some areas.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 24, 28B.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lander County, Nevada, South Part. 1985.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the surface to 30 cm (A1, A2 and A3 horizons)
Argillic horizon - The zone from 30 to 97 cm (Bt, Btk1 and Btk2 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 30 to 80 (Bt and part of the Btk1 horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.