LOCATION NOVACAN NV
Established Series
Rev. CEJ/GJS/JBF
11/2016
NOVACAN SERIES
The Novacan series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed volcanic rocks. Novacan soils are on fan piedmonts. Slopes are 2 to 8 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 230 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Abruptic Xeric Argidurids
TYPICAL PEDON: Novacan cobbly loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The surface is covered by approximately 10 percent gravel and 25 percent cobbles.
A1--0 to 8 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) cobbly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak thin platy structure parting to moderate fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; 15 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 13 cm thick)
A2--8 to 13 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine, common fine and medium roots; common very fine interstitial pores; 15 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 8 cm thick)
Bt1--13 to 28 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly clay, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; hard, friable, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine exped roots and few fine and medium roots; common fine interstitial pores; common distinct clay films on ped faces; 25 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 28 cm thick)
Bt2--28 to 46 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4) clay, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; strong medium prismatic structure; hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; common fine interstitial pores; common distinct clay films on ped faces and lining pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (13 to 28 cm thick)
Btk--46 to 61 cm; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist; massive; hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common faint clay films bridging mineral grains; 30 percent gravel; common fine carbonate in seams and as filaments or threads; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 25 cm thick)
Bqkm--61 to 114 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) continuous strongly cemented duripan, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; massive; very hard, very firm; 15 percent gravel, 35 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; patchy discontinuous thin laminar cap; common medium silica and carbonate coats and pendants on undersides of rock fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (18 to 53 cm thick)
Bqk--114 to 152 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly loamy sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine pores; 20 percent gravel, 30 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; 50 percent discontinuous strong cementation; carbonate occurs in common fine concretions and seams; common medium silica and carbonate coats and pendants on undersides of rock fragments; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Lander County, Nevada; about 18 miles east of Austin in Monitor Valley; approximately 1,900 feet south and 3,650 feet east of the northwest corner of section 6, T. l7 N., R. 47 E.; USGS Potts Well 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 39 degrees 20 minutes 40 seconds N and longitude 116 degrees 42 minutes 41 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 39.3444444 latitude, -116.7113889 longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry, moist in some part from November through June. Dry July through October; aridic soil moisture regime bordering on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 11 degrees C.
Depth to duripan and base of argillic horizon: 50 to 76 cm.
Depth to carbonates: 36 to 60 cm.
Other features: These soils have an abrupt textural change at the A - B horizon boundary.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 45 to 60 percent.
Rock fragments: 10 to 25 percent, mainly gravel.
A horizons
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.
Bt horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4 through dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 4 or 6.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Bogusrim,
Catchell,
Chilcott, Lockout,
Lovejoy,
Pigtail,
Reno and
Suncold series.
Bogusrim,
Catchell,
Lookout and
Suncold soils have a lithic contact within 152 cm.
Chilcott soils have less than 5 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
Lovejoy and
Pigtail soils have an indurated duripan.
Reno soils have an E horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Novacan soils are on fan piedmonts. These soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed volcanic rocks. Slopes are 2 to 8 percent. Elevations are 1,895 to 2,135 meters. The climate is cool, semiarid with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 200 to 250 cm; mean annual temperature is 6 to 9 degrees C; and the frost-free season is 80 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Barrier,
Glyphs,
Muni and
Orovada series. These soils have less than 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Additionally, Glyphs and Orovada soils lack continuously strongly cemented duripans.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; slow or medium runoff; low saturated hydraulic conductivity.
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly black sagebrush, bottlebrush squirreltail, Sandberg bluegrass, pine bluegrass, and littleleaf horsebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Nevada. These soils are of small extent. MLRA 24, 28B.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lander County, South Part, Nevada, l985.
REMARKS: The name is coined from a nearby canyon. Additional data: NSSL sample # S83NV-015-020.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the surface to 13 cm (A1 and A2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 13 to 61 cm (Bt1, Bt2, and Btk horizons).
Strongly cemented duripan - The zone from 61 to 114 cm (Bqkm horizon).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 13 to 61 cm (Bt1, Bt2, and Btk horizons).
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.