LOCATION UNGENE                  NV

Established Series
Rev. PWB/TM/JBF
02/2012

UNGENE SERIES

The Ungene series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from granitic rocks. Ungene soils are on inset fans. Slopes are 2 to 8 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 230 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 8 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Xeric Haplocalcids

TYPICAL PEDON: Ungene gravelly loamy sand--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The surface is partially covered with approximately 15 percent gravel.

A1--0 to 3 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly loamy sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak thin platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and few fine and medium roots; many very fine vesicular pores; 20 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 8 cm thick)

A2--3 to 15 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loamy sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak thin platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and few medium roots; common very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 25 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 15 cm thick)

Bk1--15 to 36 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; common fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; many distinct secondary calcium carbonate coats on the bottom of rock fragments; 65 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (18 to 25 cm thick)

Bk2--36 to 76 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and common medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; many distinct secondary calcium carbonate coats on the bottom of rock fragments; 55 percent gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (38 to 50 cm thick)

C--76 to 132 cn thick; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive, soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and few medium roots; many very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 10 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (46 to 58 cm thick)

Ck--132 to 152 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loamy sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; few irregular threads of secondary calcium carbonate; 5 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8).

TYPE LOCATION: White Pine County, Nevada; approximately 7 miles southeast of Tippet Ranch; about 2000 feet west and 800 feet south of the northeast corner section 14 T. 22 N., R. 68 E.; latitude 39 degrees 47 minutes 13 seconds N and longitude 114 degrees 15 minutes 31 seconds W; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Moist in winter and spring, dry in summer and fall except for 10 to 20 days cumulative between July and October due to convection storms; aridic soil moisture regime bordering on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 11 degrees C.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 5 to 10 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 35 to 60 percent, mainly gravel.

A horizons
Value: 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Effervescence: Slightly effervescent or strongly effervescent.

Bk horizons
Value; 6 or 7 dry.
Texture: Loamy coarse sand or loamy sand.
Rock fragments: 50 to 70 percent; half or more of gravel are 2-5 mm in diameter.
Carbonates: 5 to 10 percent calcium carbonate equivalent. Many prominent secondary calcium carbonate coats on the bottom of rock fragments.

C and Ck horizons
Value: 6 or 7 dry
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Loamy coarse sand or loamy sand.
Rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent gravel, mainly 2 to 5 mm diameter.
Carbonates: 1 to 3 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Threesee and Tosser soils.

Threesee soils have Bw horizons with texture of loam or sandy loam and calcic horizons with 20 to 30 percent calcium carbonate equivalent. Tosser soils have accumulations of secondary silica in the calcic horizon and more than 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent in some part of the calcic horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ungene soils are on inset fans. These soils formed in alluvium derived from granitic rocks. Slopes are 2 to 8 percent. Elevations are 1,555 to 2,260 meters. The climate is cool, semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 200 to 250 mm, mean annual temperature is 7 to 10 degrees C, and the frost-free season is 100 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bienfait and Zafod soils. Bienfait soils have a cambic horizon. Zafod soils are moderately deep to a duripan.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat excessively drained; very low to low runoff; high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly Wyoming big sagebrush, Indian ricegrass and galleta.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Nevada. These soils are not extensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona

SERIES ESTABLISHED: White Pine County, Nevada, East Part, 2004.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the surface to 18 cm (A1, A2 and part of Bk1 horizons).
Calcic horizon - The zone from 15 to 76 cm (Bk1 and Bk2 horizons).
Particle size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm ( part of the Bk1 horizon, Bk2 and part of the C1 horizon).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.