LOCATION SUAK NV
Established Series
Rev. JBF/TM
12/2022
SUAK SERIES
The Suak series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in residuum and colluvium derived from quartzite, shale, sandstone, and mixed volcanic rocks. Suak soils are on mountain side slopes. Slopes are 8 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 460 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 6 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Suak very cobbly loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is partially covered with approximately 5 percent stones, 20 percent cobbles and 30 percent gravel.
A1--0 to 5 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very cobbly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 30 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles and 3 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 cm thick)
A2--5 to 15 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very cobbly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; 25 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 22 cm thick)
Bt1--15 to 33 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely cobbly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and medium roots; common very fine interstitial pores; 15 percent gravel and 50 percent cobbles; common faint clay films on all faces of peds and lining pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 30 cm thick)
Bt2--33 to 64 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely cobbly loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 10 percent gravel and 60 percent cobbles; many faint clay films on all faces of peds and lining pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 31 cm thick)
R--64 cm; slightly fractured hard andesitic bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Nye County, Nevada; in the Antelope Range; 2,400 feet east and 2,100 feet north of the southwest corner of section 28 T.15N., R.51E.; USGS Cockalorum Spring 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 39 degrees 8 minutes 28 seconds N and longitude 116 degrees 14 minutes 3 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 39.1412222 latitude, -116.2341667 longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry, moist in winter and early spring and dry in summer and fall: xeric soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 6 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 20 to 45 cm; includes the upper part of the Bt horizon.
Depth to bedrock (lithic contact): 50 to 100 cm.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 20 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: 60 to 85 percent.
A horizon - Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.
Bt horizons - Value: 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Extremely cobbly loam or extremely gravelly loam.
Consistence: Soft or slightly hard, dry; very friable to friable moist; slightly sticky to moderately sticky and slightly plastic to moderately plastic, wet.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Clanalpine,
Devaul,
Elaero,
Heechee,
Heenlake,
Holmes,
Horrocks,
Hoskin,
Howcan,
Longday,
Pequop,
Moreypeak,
Valmar,
Vitale and
Wambolt series.
Devaul, Heeche,
Holmes,
Howcan,
Horrocks,
Longday,
Pequop and
Wambolt soils are all more than 100 cm deep to bedrock.
Elaero,
Heenlake,
Clanalpine and
Moreypeak soils have paralithic contacts at less than 100 cm and lack hard bedrock within 100 cm.
Hoskin soils have reddish argillic horizons with hues of 7.5YR, 5YR, or 2.5YR.
Valmar and
Vitale soils average less than 60 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. In addition Vitale soils have clay loam subhorizons horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Suak soils are on mountain backslopes. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum of quartzite, shale, sandstone and mixed volcanic rocks. Slopes are 8 to 75 percent. Elevations are 1,900 to 3,000 meters. The climate is cool, semiarid with warm dry summers and cool moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 300 to 400 mm, mean annual temperature is 4 to 7 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Foxvire,
Layview,
Packer and
Winu series. Foxvire and Packer soils are deeper than 100 cm. Layview soils are less than 36 cm deep. Winu soils have a fine-loamy particle-size control section.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; medium or high runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.
USE AND VEGETATION: Suak soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly curlleaf mountain mahogany, mountain big sagebrush, lupine, Indian ricegrass, bluegrass, and cheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East central Nevada. These soils are moderately extensive. MLRA 28B and 29.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Western White Pine County Area, Nevada. 1990.
REMARKS: The type location was moved 2/2008 to better reflect the series concept.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 33 cm (A1, A2 and Bt1 horizons)
Argillic horizon - The zone from 15 to 64 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
Lithic contact - The zone at 64 cm (R horizon).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 15 to 64 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
ADDITIONAL DATA: NASIS site and pedon id 86NV783Y017jbf.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.