LOCATION PHEEBS NV

Established Series
Rev. MPC/CKS/JBF
04/2017

PHEEBS SERIES

The Pheebs series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from mixed sources. Pheebs soils are on flood plains and stream terraces. Slopes are 0 to 4 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 250 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, nonacid, mesic Aeric Fluvaquents

TYPICAL PEDON: Pheebs sandy loam--meadow. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

O--0 to 6 cm; slightly decomposed plant material.

A1--6 to 16 cm; gray (10YR 5/1) sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 40 cm thick)

A2--16 to 56 cm; light gray (10YR 7/1) sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, s1ightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 2 percent faint strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist, masses of oxidized iron; 2 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (20 to 40 cm thick)

2A--56 to 105 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 1 percent faint strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist, masses of oxidized iron; 2 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 50 cm thick)

2C--105 to 130 cm; gray (10YR 6/1) sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 2 percent faint dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist, masses of oxidized iron; neutral (pH 6.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Washoe County, Nevada; in Washoe Valley about .5 miles east of Bowers Mansion County Park; about 1,400 feet south and 2,500 feet west of the northeast corner of section 3, T. 16 N., R. 19 E.; USGS Washoe City 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 39 degrees 17 minutes 2 seconds N and longitude 119 degrees 50 minutes 6 seconds W, UTM Zone 11, 255476e, 4352112n; WGS 84 latitude 39.283889, longitude -119.835.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually saturated in some part of the moisture control section during winter and spring, dry in all parts in summer and fall unless irrigated; seasonal periods of aquic moisture regime between December and June during saturation with ground water and anaerobic conditions; an aridic soil moisture regime exists during the growing season in normal years when ground water levels drop below the moisture control section.
Mean annual soil temperature: 9 to 11 degrees C.
Depth to horizons with aquic conditions: 15 to 100 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 5 to 15 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent, mainly gravel. Some pedons have horizons of loamy sand or coarse sand within the particle-size control section. Lithology of fragments are igneous rocks such as granite and andesite and metamorphic rocks such as gneiss.

A horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 2 through 4 moist.
Texture: fine sandy loam to loam, typically a sandy loam.
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent.
Structure: Granular or subangular blocky.
Organic matter content: 1 to 5 percent.
Redoximorphic features: Redox concentrations occur as few to many masses of iron accumulation.

C horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 2 through 6.
Chroma: 1 through 3.
Texture: coarse sand through loam.
Clay content: Averages 2 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: some pedons have horizons that contain up to 50 percent gravel
Organic matter content: 0.5 to 2 percent.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.
Redoximorphic features: Redox concentrations occur as few to many masses of iron accumulation, some horizons have zones of iron depletions.

2Ab horizon (when present)
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2, dry or moist.
Texture: coarse sand to sandy clay loam.
Clay content: 5 to 25 percent.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.
Redoximorphic features: Redox concentrations occur as few to many masses of iron accumulation, some horizons have zones of iron depletions.

COMPETING SERIES: Currently, there are no other series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Pheebs soils are on flood plains and stream terraces. These soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed sources. Slopes are 0 to 4 percent. Elevations range from 1,100 to 1,800 meters. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 150 to 400 mm, mean annual temperature is 8 to 11 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 90 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kimmerling, Ophir, Godecke, Trocken, and Truckee soils. Kimmerling, Ophir, and Truckee soils have mollic epipedons. Godecke soils have argillic and natric horizons. Trocken soils have identifiable secondary carbonates from 18 to 84 cm.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Poorly drained; low or medium surface runoff; moderately low saturated hydraulic conductivity. Endosaturation is present with an apparent seasonal high water table between 15 and 50 cm from December through June (very shallow and moderately deep free water occurrence classes). Cumulative annual duration classes are Common or Persistent. Water tables fluctuate with irrigation and to some extent with fluctuation in adjacent river channels. These soils are susceptible to occasional flooding for brief periods between December and May.

USE AND VEGETATION: Pheebs soils are used for pasture and improved irrigated meadows, as well as urban development. The vegetation is principally sedges, rushes, native clovers, and inland saltgrass. On areas used for irrigated improved meadows the vegetation is principally meadow hay and other grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 26.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Washoe County, NV 2017, MLRA 26 update.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 18 cm (A1 and part of the A2 horizons).
Aquic conditions - The conditions of endosaturation and reduction in horizons between 15 and 150 cm at certain times in normal years (parts of the A2, 2A, and 2C horizons).
Particle size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (parts of the A2 and 2A horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: User Pedon ID: 2014NV031022.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.