LOCATION SILVERSTATE             NV

Established Series
BKP/MM/MPC
09/2021

SILVERSTATE SERIES

The Silverstate series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in alluvium and derived from mixed sources. Silverstate soils are on stream terraces, inset fans, and valley floors. Slopes range from 2 to 20 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 400 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Oxyaquic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Silverstate silty clay loam-- rangeland. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 10 cm; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; moderate fine and medium roots; 5 percent gravel; noneffervescent, slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 15 cm thick)

Bt1--10 to 25 cm; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine and medium roots; few very fine pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; noneffervescent, neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 30 cm thick)

Bt2--25 to 70 cm; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; strong medium columnar structure; very hard, extremely firm, very sticky and very plastic; many prominent clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; noneffervescent, neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (20 to 60 cm thick)

C1--70 to 85 cm; gray (10YR 6/1) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; 40 percent gravel; noneffervescent, neutral (pH 7.1); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 70 cm thick)

C2--85 to 107 cm; gray (10YR 6/1) clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; massive; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; distinct masses of oxidized iron; 5 percent gravel; noneffervescent, neutral (pH 7.1); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 70 cm thick)

TYPE LOCATION: Elko County, Nevada; about 1 mile northwest of Iron Mountain; about 1300 feet south and 500 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 19, T. 47 N., R. 54 E.; USGS Winter Ridge 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 41 degrees 57 minutes 5.6 seconds N longitude 115 degrees 56 minutes 21.2 seconds W; UTM Zone 11, 587918e, 4644939n; WGS 84 latitude 41.95154, longitude -115.93922.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in the moisture control section; moist fall, winter and spring; usually dry July through early October; xeric moisture regime. Saturated for periods within a depth of 40 to 100 cm during spring and early summer.
Mean annual soil temperature: 6 to 9 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: Greater than 50 cm.
Reaction: slightly acid through slightly alkaline.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 35 to 55 percent clay, 0 to 15 percent rock fragments.

A horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 1 to 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 to 3.
Structure: moderate or strong, granular or subangular blocky.

Bt horizons
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 to 3.
Texture: clay, clay loam, silty clay loam, silty clay.
Clay content: 35 to 55 percent.
Rock fragments: less than 15 percent gravel
Structure: moderate or strong, subangular blocky, columnar, or prismatic.

C horizons
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y.
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist.
Chroma: 1 to 4.
Texture: gravelly or very gravelly sandy clay, sandy clay loam, sandy loam, loam, clay, clay loam, silty clay loam, silt loam, or silty clay.
Clay content: Averages 10 to 45 percent.
Rock fragments: Average 5 to 60 percent, mainly gravel.
Some pedons may have up to 75 percent rock fragments in lower subhorizons below 90 cm, but these are not consistent or continuous.
Structure: Subangular or angular blocky or massive.
Other features: These horizons typically have distinct redoximorphic depletions and concentrations.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Silverstate soils are on stream terraces, inset fans, valley floors, and flood plains. These soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed sources. Slopes are 2 to 20 percent. Elevations are 1700 to 2100 meters. The climate is cool-semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 300 to 500 mm; mean annual temperature is 4.5 to 8 degrees C, and the freeze-free period is 50 to 80 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Crooked Creek, Chug, Welch, and Bendastik series. Crooked Creek and Welch soils are poorly drained. Chug soils lack argillic horizons. Bendastik soils have less than 35 percent clay.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: moderately well drained, low surface runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity. Silverstate soils are saturated within 100cm of the surface for more than 20 consecutive days per year, and subject to rare flooding March through June.

USE AND VEGETATION: rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly silver sagebrush, Indian paintbrush, and beardless wildrye.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeast Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 25.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Elko County, Nevada, Humboldt National Forest, Nevada, North Part, 2019.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the surface to 70 cm (A, Bt1, and Bt2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 10 to 70 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 60 cm (Bt1 and part of the Bt2 horizons).
Oxyaquic conditions - The zone from 40 to 100 cm (C1 and C2 horizons and part of the Bt2 horizon).

Silverstate was established in Elko County, NV on the NV764 survey.

ADDITIONAL DATA: User Pedon ID: 2014NV007204.

---

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.