LOCATION SOONAKER                NV

Established Series
Rev. TSB-RLB-JBF
11/2019

SOONAKER SERIES

The Soonaker series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in residuum and colluvium derived from tuffaceous sandstone, rhyolitic tuff and other tuffs. The Soonaker soils are on hills. Slopes are 2 to 8 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 360 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Mollic Haploxeralfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Soonaker, fine sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 8 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate thick platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 20 cm thick)

BA--8 to 18 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine, few medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 23 cm thick)

Bt1--18 to 30 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; common faint clay bridges between sand grains; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 23 cm thick)

Bt2--30 to 41 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine through coarse roots; few very fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films lining pores and many distinct clay bridges between sand grains; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 25 cm thick)

BC--41 to 61 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine through coarse roots; few very fine tubular pores; 25 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4). (15 to 30 cm thick)

2R--61 cm; fractured tuffaceous sandstone with some pockets of weathered tuff.

TYPE LOCATION: Elko County, Nevada; approximately 18 miles southwest of Owyhee about 50 feet south and 1000 feet west of the southeast corner of section 36, T. 46 N., R. 50 E.; USGS Sheep Creek Reservoir 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 41 degrees 50 minutes 09 seconds N and longitude 116 degrees 18 minutes 33 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 41.8358333 latitude, -116.3091667 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Moist in winter and spring, dry July through October; xeric soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 6 to 8 degrees C.
Depth to bedrock: 20 to 40 cm.
Profile reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.
Other features: Some pedons have a Bw horizons directly above the Bt horizons.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 18 to 25 percent.

A horizon
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist or dry.

Bt horizons
Chroma: 3 or 4 moist or dry.
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent, mainly gravel.

BC horizons
Value: 6 or 7 dry.
Chroma: 3 or 4 moist or dry.
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent, mainly gravel.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bullnel, Kilfoil, Soonahbe and Yainax series.

Bullnel soils have Bt horizons with 20 to 30 percent rock fragments and hue of 10YR, 2.5YR or 5YR. Kilfoil soils have Bk horizons and effervescent Bt horizons. Soonahbe soils are very deep to bedrock. Yainax have Bt horizons with 27 to 35 percent clay and are moderately deep to a paralithic contact.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Soonaker soils are on hills. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from tuffaceous sandstone, rhyolitic tuff and other tuffs. Slopes are 2 to 8 percent. Elevations are 1,590 to 1,710 meters. The climate is cool semiarid with cool moist winters and warmer dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 300 to 400 mm, mean annual temperature is 6 to 7 degrees C, and the frost-free season is 70 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bulake soils. Bulake soils are shallow to bedrock and have clay and gravelly clay textured Bt horizons.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained, medium runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly basin big sagebrush, Idaho Fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Central Nevada. MLRA 25, 24. These soils are not extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Northwestern Elko County, Nevada, Area 1986.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 18 cm (A and BA horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 18 to 41 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
Lithic contact - The boundary at 64 cm (2R layer).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 18 to 41 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.