LOCATION NYSERVA                 NV+CA

Established Series
Rev. JBF/RLB/JVC
06/2016

NYSERVA SERIES

The Nyserva series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks. Nyserva soils are on lake terraces, alluvial flats and lake plains. Slopes are 0 to 4 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 150 mm and the mean annul temperature is about 10 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Durinodic Natrargids

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

A--0 to 5 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine vesicular pores; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 15 cm thick)

Bt--5 to 13 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; strong very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine interstitial pores; many faint clay films on faces of peds; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 15 cm thick)

Btn--13 to 18 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine through coarse roots; many very fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films coating sand grains; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 23 cm thick)

Bqk--18 to 48 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine through coarse roots; few very fine tubular pores; 35 percent very hard and firm silica and carbonate durinodes about 1.3 cm diameter and 2.8 cm long; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 50 cm thick)

Bk--48 to 152 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) stratified loam, very fine sand and sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky to slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine tubular pores; few thin carbonate filaments; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Nye County, Nevada; 2,400 feet east and 1300 feet south of the northwest corner of section 28, T. 14 N., R. 44 E.; USGS East of Millett Ranch 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 39 degrees 2 minutes 52 seconds N and longitude 117 degrees 2 minutes 30 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 39.0477778 latitude, -117.0416667 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry, moist in moist in some part for short periods during winter and early spring months and for 10 to 20 days cumulative between July and October due to convection storms; typic aridic soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 12 to 15 degrees C.
Depth to durinodes: 15 to 38 cm.
Carbonates: Strongly effervescent or violently effervescent.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 18 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: Average 0 to 15 percent.

A horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y.
Value: 6 through 8 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4.

Bt horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y.
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4.
Texture: Loam or clay loam.
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent.
Structure: Prismatic, platy or subangular blocky.
Consistence: Soft or slightly hard, very friable or friable, slightly sticky or moderately sticky and slightly plastic or moderately plastic.
Sodicity (SAR): 13 to 50.

Bqk horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y.
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma 2 through 4.
Texture: Clay loam, loam, sandy loam or fine sandy loam.
Clay content: 15 to 30 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent.
Cementation: 20 to 60 percent weak through strong durinodes.

Bk horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y.
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Texture: Stratified gravelly sand through clay loam.
Clay content: Averages 10 to 20 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent.
Consistence: Soft or slightly hard.
Other features: Relict faint or distinct mottles are in some pedons.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Beoska, Beowawe, Genegraf, Honlak, Jerval, and Ricert series.

Beoska soils have durinodes starting at 40 to 66 cm deep and contain more than 15 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Beowawe soils do not receive the 10 to 20 days of summer precipitation. Genegraf soils do not have a Bqk horizon with durinodes in a friable matrix. Jerval soils have A and Bt horizons that are greater than 38 cm thick. Honlak soils are moderately well drained and are not stratified below 48 cm. Ricert soils have a continuous weak silica cementation at 36 to 64 cm.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nyserva soils are on lake terraces, alluvial flats and lake plains. Elevations are 1,340 to 1,830 meters. Slopes are 0 to 4 percent. These soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks. The mean annual precipitation is 100 to 200 mm, the mean annual temperature is 10 to 14 degrees C, and the frost-free season is 110 to 130 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kawich, Yobe and Zaba soils. Kawich soils have sandy particle-size control sections. Yobe soils have fine-silty particle-size control sections and Zaba soils have loamy-skeletal particle-size control sections.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland. The vegetation is dominantly black greasewood and suaeda.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South central Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 29 and 23.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Nye County, Nevada (Big Smoky Valley Area), 1972.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 5 cm (A horizon).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 5 to 18 cm (Bt and Btn horizons).
Natric horizon - The zone from 13 to 18 cm (Btn horizon).
Duric feature - The zone from 18 to 48 cm. (Bqk horizon)
Particle control section - The zone from 5 to 100 cm (Bt, Btn, and Bqk horizons and part of the Bk horizon).

---

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.