LOCATION VADAHO                  NV

Established Series
Rev. MDD-TSB-RLB-JBF
12/2019

VADAHO SERIES

The Vadaho series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in a layer of loess influenced by volcanic ash overlying alluvium derived from volcanic rocks. The Vadaho soils are on fan piedmonts. Slopes are 2 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 280 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic, shallow Haploduridic Durixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Vadaho silt loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted)

A--0 to 15 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; few very fine tubular and common very fine interstitial pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 15 cm thick)

Bq--15 to 33 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; few very fine tubular pores; 20 percent weak durinodes; continuous weak brittle matrix ; 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 cm thick)

Bqk--33 to 46 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 30 percent weak durinodes; continuous weak brittle matrix; 5 percent gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4)abrupt wavy boundary. (13 to 18 cm thick)

Bqkm--46 to 48 cm; indurated duripan with a continuous 1 to 2 mm thick silica laminae; massive; violently effervescent; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 30 cm thick)

2Cqk--48 to 66 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 5 percent weak durinodes; continuous weak brittle matrix; 10 percent gravel size duripan fragments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 20 cm thick)

3Bqkm--66 to 97 cm; indurated duripan with a continuous 2 to 7 mm thick silica laminae; massive; violently effervescent; abrupt wavy boundary. (25 to 40 cm thick)

4Cqk--97 to 152 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine tubular pores; continuous brittle matrix; 50 percent gravel; moderately thick carbonate coats on gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).

TYPE LOCATION: Elko County, Nevada; approximately 9 miles east of Jackpot, Nevada; about 1,000 feet east and 2,000 feet south of the northwest corner of section 20, T. 47 N., R. 66 E.; USGS East of Jackpot 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 41 degrees 57 minutes 01 seconds N and longitude 114 degrees 30 minutes 36 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 41.9516667 latitude, -114.5172222 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry, moist in the winter and early spring, dry late June through October; aridic soil moisture regime bordering on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 11 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 18 to 36 cm.
Depth to duripan: 36 to 50 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 20 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 5 to 15 percent, mainly gravel.

A horizon
Chroma: 2 or 3.

Bq horizon
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Texture: Loam or silt loam.
Durinodes: 5 to 40 percent.

Bqk horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry.
Chroma: 2 through 4.
Texture: Loam or silt loam.
Durinodes: 5 to 40 percent.
Effervescence: Strongly effervescent or violently effervescent.

2Cqk horizon (when present)
Durinodes: 5 to 40 percent.
Duripan fragments: 5 to 25 percent, mostly gravel size.

3Cqk horizon
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Rock fragments: 40 to 60 percent, mainly gravel.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Blalock, Gorst, and Urmafot series.

Blalock soils have cambic horizons, lack Bq and Bqk horizons above the duripan and are 100 to 150 cm deep to shale. Gorst soils have cambic horizons and are noneffervescent throughout their profile. Urmafot soils contain 15 to 35 percent rock fragments and have no durinodes above the duripan.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Vadaho soils are on the summits of erosional fan remnants on the fan piedmont. These soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks with some influence from a surface mantle of loess and volcanic ash. Slopes are 2 to 30 percent. Elevations are 1,590 to 1,830 meters. The climate is cool, semiarid, with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 250 to 300 mm, the mean annual temperature is 7 to 9 degrees C, and the frost-free season is 100 to l20 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bancy and Chayson soils. Bancy soils have 40 to 50 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Chayson soils have a duripan that is 50 to 100 cm deep.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is mainly Wyoming big sagebrush, basin big sagebrush, lupine and Sandberg bluegrass.

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

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Elko County, Nevada, Northeast Part. 1986.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the surface to 33 cm (A and Bq horizons).
Indurated duripan - The zone from 46 to 48 cm (Bqkm horizon).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 46 cm (part of the Bq and Bqk horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.