LOCATION SURPASS NV+CA
Established Series
Rev. EWB-JVC-JBF
06/2017
SURPASS SERIES
The Surpass series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from mixed igneous rocks. Surpass soils are on alluvial fans and fan remnants. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 250 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 9 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Surpass loamy sand--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is covered with 5 percent gravel.
A1--0 to 20 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loamy sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 10 percent 2 to 5 mm diameter gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 25 cm thick)
A2--20 to 36 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; 15 percent 2 to 5 mm diameter gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (13 to 25 cm thick)
Bw--36 to 66 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 20 percent 2 to 5 mm diameter gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual smooth boundary. (25 to 36 cm thick)
C1--66 to 94 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 20 percent 2 to 5 mm diameter gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual smooth boundary. (20 to 36 cm thick)
C2--94 to 168 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) stratified gravelly loamy sand to sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 15 percent 2 to 76 mm diameter gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Washoe County, Nevada; in the southeast end of Washoe Valley; approximately 274 meters north and 762 meters west of the southeast corner of section 17, T. 16 N., R. 20 E.; USGS Carson City 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 39 degrees 14 minutes 50 seconds N and longitude 119 degrees 45 minutes 37 seconds W; WGS84 39.24723 latitude, -119.76028 longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in the moisture control section during winter and spring; usually dry during summer and fall; aridic moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 9 to 12 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 25 to 41 cm.
Depth to base of cambic horizon: 50 to 76 cm.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 10 to 18 percent;
Rock fragments: Averages 15 to 35 percent, mainly gravel. Lithology of rock fragments are mixed igneous rocks such as granite and andesite.
A horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
Bw horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Clay content: 12 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
C horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Gravelly sandy loam or gravelly loamy sand.
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Burch,
Calpine,
Cashmere,
Cashmont,
Rio King,
Roloff,
Roosevelt, and
Snake Hollow series.
Burch,
Calpine,
Cashmere,
Rio King, and
Snake Hollow series have less than 15 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
Cashmont soils average 6 to 12 percent clay in the particle-size control section and have frost-free periods of 140 to 190 days.
Roloff and
Roosevelt soils are moderately deep to lithic contacts at depths of 50 to 100 cm.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Surpass soils are on alluvial fans and fan remnants. They typically occur on summit positions. They formed in alluvium derived from mixed igneous rocks such as granite and andesite. Slopes are 0 to 8 percent. Elevations range from 1,300 to 1,950 meters. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 200 to 350 mm, the mean annual temperature is 8 to 11 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 90 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Haybourne and
Mottsville soils. Haybourne soils have an ochric epipedon. Mottsville soils are sandy and do not have cambic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; very low or low surface runoff; moderately rapid permeability; high saturated hydraulic conductivity.
USE AND VEGETATION: Surpass soils are used for livestock grazing, hayland, recreation, watershed, urban development, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is mainly Wyoming big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, Indian ricegrass, and Thurber's needlegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Nevada and eastern California. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 26.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Washoe County, Nevada, South Part, 2010.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 36 cm (A1 and A2 horizons).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 36 to 66 cm (Bw horizon).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (Bw and C1 horizons and parts of the A2 and C2 horizons).
ADDITIONAL DATA: User Pedon ID: 2006NV031122.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.