LOCATION QUOMUS NV
Established Series
Rev. TM-RLB-DD-JBF
03/2016
QUOMUS SERIES
The Quomus series consists of very deep, well drained soil that formed in loess and volcanic ash with minor amounts of colluvium derived from mixed rocks. The Quomus soils are on hills and mountain sideslopes. Slopes are 8 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 250 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 6 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Duridic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Quomus very fine sandy loam, 30 to 50 percent slopes-- rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 10 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate thin platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 20 cm thick)
A2--10 to 23 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 25 cm thick)
A3--23 to 33 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine, few medium roots; many very fine interstitial and common very fine and fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 38 cm thick)
Bw--33 to 61 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine, few medium roots; many very fine interstitial and common very fine and fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (18 to 38 cm thick)
Bq1--61 to 79 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly very fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine, few medium roots; many very fine interstitial and common very fine and fine tubular pores; 40 percent weakly silica-cemented nodules; 15 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 38 cm thick)
Bq2--79 to 137 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly very fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3 ) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine, few medium roots; many very fine interstitial and common fine and very fine tubular pores; 20 percent durinodes; 20 percent gravel; continuous brittle matrix; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (15 to 64 cm thick)
Bq3--137 to 155 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 25 percent gravel; continuous brittle matrix; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Humboldt County, Nevada, approximately 2.1 miles southwest of China Garden Spring in the Bloody Run Hills; about 1,650 feet east and 2,450 feet north of the southwest corner, section 19, T. 38 N., R. 38 E.; USGS China Garden 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 41 degrees 9 minutes 24 seconds N and longitude 117 degrees 44 minutes 49 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 41.1566667 latitude, -117.7469444 longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil moisture: Moist winter and spring, usually dry late June to October; aridic soil moisture regime bordering on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 25 to 48 cm.
Depth to secondary silica: 50 to 100 cm.
Other features: Thin buried Bt horizons are below 66 cm in some pedons.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 10 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: 5 to 25 percent, mainly gravel.
A horizon
Chroma: 2 or 3
Bw horizon
Value: 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4
Consistence: Soft or slightly hard, dry.
Bq horizons
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: Gravelly very fine sandy loam, gravelly silt loam, gravelly loam, very fine sandy loam or silt loam.
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 25 percent
Structure: Subangular blocky or is massive.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Cementation: 20 to 50 percent durinodes and continuous brittle matrix in some subhorizon.
COMPETING SERIES: There is no other series in this family at the present time.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Quomus soils are on hills and mountain sideslopes. These soils formed in loess and volcanic ash with minor amounts of colluvium derived from mixed rocks. Slopes are 8 to 50 percent. Elevations are 1,555 to 2,075 meters. The climate is cool, semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 250 to 300 mm, mean annual temperature is 6 to 7 degrees C. The frost-free season is 80 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Burrita,
Trunk and
Sumine soils. All have argillic horizons. Trunk and Sumine soils are moderately deep to hard bedrock. Burrita soils are shallow to hard bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly basin big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, Thurber needlegrass and Idaho fescue.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Nevada. Quomus soils are not extensive. MLRA 24.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Humboldt County, Nevada East Part; 1993.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon The zone from soil surface to about 33 cm (A1, A2 and A3 horizons).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 33 to 61 cm (Bw horizon).
Duric feature - The zone from about 61 to 155 cm (Bq1, Bq2 and Bq3 horizons).
Aridic feature - Moisture regime is aridic bordering on xeric.
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (A3, Bw, Bq1, and the upper part of the Bq2 horizon).
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.