LOCATION PUNG NV

Established Series
Rev. DMC/GJS/JBF
02/2023

PUNG SERIES

The Pung series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from tertiary sediments. Pung soils are on terrace side slopes. Slopes are 8 to 30 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 250 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Vertic Palexerolls

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

A1--0 to 5 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very stony loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 25 percent gravel and 10 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 8 cm thick)

A2--5 to 15 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and few fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 25 cm thick)

Bt1--15 to 28 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine, few medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films coating and bridging sand grains; l0 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 23 cm thick)

Bt2--28 to 56 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist; strong coarse prismatic structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; many very fine and fine, common medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; continuous pressure faces; neutral (pH 7.2) clear wavy boundary (23 to 56 cm thick)

Bt3--56 to 76 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to strong coarse subangular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films on ped faces; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual wavy boundary. (18 to 53 cm thick)

Bq--76 to 102 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; strong fine angular blocky structure; hard, brittle, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; silica coating ped faces; 75 percent discontinuous weakly silica cemented; l0 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary. (20 to 58 cm thick)

Bqk--102 to 152 cm; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist; strong fine angular blocky structure; hard, brittle, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; very few tubular pores; 80 percent discontinuous weakly silica cemented; common fine soft carbonate masses on ped faces; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Nevada; 13 miles east and l mile north of Gardnerville; about 500 feet south and 400 feet west of northeast corner of Section 27, T. 13 N., R. 22 E.; USGS Pine Nut Valley 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 38 degrees 58 minutes 3 seconds N and longitude 119 degrees 29 minutes 34 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 38.9675000 latitude, -119.4927778 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry from mid-June through October; aridic soil moisture regime bordering on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 9 to 11 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 25 to 38 cm and includes the upper part of the argillic horizon.
Depth to secondary carbonates: 70 to 97 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 40 to 60 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to l5 percent mainly gravel.

A1 horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3.

A2 horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Clay content: 20 to 25 percent.

Bt1 horizon
Hue: l0YR or 7.5YR.
Clay content: 35 to 40 percent.

Bt2 and Bt3 horizons
Hue: l0YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry.
Chroma: 4 through 6.
Clay content: 40 to 60 percent.
Linear extensibility: Greater than 6.0 cm.

Bq and Bqk horizons
Value: 6 through 8 dry, 3 through 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 through 6.
Texture: Sandy loam or loam.
Clay content: l5 to 25 percent.
Rock fragment: 5 to l5 percent gravel.
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Simas and Steerlake series. Simas soils have more than 50 percent clay throughout the argillic horizon. Steerlake soils have slickensides, wedge-shaped aggregates, or vertical cracks in the argillic horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Pung soils are on side slopes and summit areas of terraces at elevations of 1,830 to 2,135 meters. Slopes are 8 to 30 percent. These soils formed in alluvium derived from tertiary sediments. The summers are hot and dry and the winters are cold and wet. Precipitation is mostly snow in winter months and rain in spring months. The mean annual precipitation is 250 to 300 cm; mean annual temperature is 8 to 10 degrees C; and the frost-free season is 90 to ll0 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chalco, Puett, Phing, Pulcan, Uhaldi, and Verdico soils. Chalco, Puett, Phing, and Verdico soils lack a mollic epipedon. In addition, Chalco soils are shallow; Puett soils are shallow and lack an argillic horizon; and Verdico soils are moderately deep. Pulcan soils have a very gravelly argillic horizon. Uhaldi have a fine-loamy argillic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; medium or rapid runoff; moderately low saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is mainly low sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, Thurbers needlegrass, Canby bluegrass, and bottlebrush squirreltail.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Nevada. These soils are inextensive. MLRA 26.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County Area, Nevada, 1981.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the surface to 28 cm (A1, A2 and Bt1 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 15 to 76 cm (Bt1, Bt2 and Bt3 horizons).
Vertic feature - The zone from 28 to 76 cm (Bt2 and Bt3 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 15 to 65 cm (Bt1, Bt2 and part of the Bt3 horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: User pedon ID: 2006NV005075.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.