LOCATION VETAGRANDE NV+CA
Established Series
Rev. EWB-TM-JVC-JBF
06/2017
VETAGRANDE SERIES
The Vetagrande series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium and residuum derived from volcanic rocks. Vetagrande soils are on mountains. Slopes are 15 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 380 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Vetagrande very gravelly sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is covered with about 45 percent gravel.
A1--0 to 8 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 55 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 13 cm thick)
A2--8 to 23 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, common medium and few coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; 55 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 18 cm thick)
Bt1--23 to 43 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine and common medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; common faint clay bridges between sand grains; 5 percent cobbles and 35 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 23 cm thick)
Bt2--43 to 64 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine, common fine and few medium roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; common faint and few distinct clay bridges between sand grains; 45 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (13 to 25 cm thick)
Bt3--64 to 86 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; common faint clay bridges between sand grains; 5 percent cobbles and 50 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 30 cm thick)
Bt4--86 to 150 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; few faint clay bridges on sand grains; 5 percent cobbles and 50 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Nevada; in the Pine Nut Mountains about 2.5 miles east of Carters Station; approximately 100 feet north and 900 feet east of the southwest corner of section 7, T. 11 N., R. 21 E.; USGS Double Spring 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 38 degrees 50 minutes 20 seconds N and longitude 119 degrees 35 minutes 00 second W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 38.8388889 latitude, -119.5833333 longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in winter and spring, dry from July through October; aridic moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 50 to 76 cm, includes the Bt1 and Bt2 horizons.
Depth to base of argillic horizon: More than 150 cm.
Depth to bedrock: 150 to 200 cm to a paralithic contact. The paralithic materials below the contact are weathered volcanic rocks such as andesitic tuff.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 18 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent, mainly medium and coarse gravel. Lithology of rock fragments are volcanic rocks such as rhyolite or andesite; Sand content: Less than 40 percent medium sand through very coarse sand.
A horizons
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Organic matter content: 2 or 3 percent.
Bt1 and Bt2 horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Texture: Very gravelly sandy clay loam or very gravelly sandy loam.
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent.
Consistence: Hard or very hard dry, very friable or friable moist.
Organic matter content: 1 or 2 percent.
Bt3 and Bt4 horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Very gravelly sandy clay loam or very gravelly sandy loam.
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent.
Structure: Subangular blocky but may be massive in some pedons.
Consistence: Hard or very hard dry, very friable or friable moist.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Bullump,
Bullvaro,
Burchflat,
Camelback,
Chrisflat,
Dogbed,
Dooh,
Erig,
Krenka,
Leroman,
Lockgate,
Murain,
Nutval,
Snyderville,
Softback,
Softscrabble,
Staberg, and
Vipont series.
Bullump,
Camelback,
Chrisflat,
Dogbed,
Krenka,
Murain,
Snyderville,
Softback, and
Softscrabble soils have a xeric moisture regime.
Bullvaro soils have mollic epipedons more than 76 cm thick, are strongly influenced by loess in the upper part of the profile, and have 60 to 75 percent rock fragments in the lower part of the argillic horizon.
Burchflat and
Vipont soils have a xeric moisture regime and are moderately deep to lithic contacts.
Dooh soils have 27 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
Erig soils have a xeric moisture regime and are deep to lithic contacts.
Leroman and
Staberg soils have a xeric moisture regime and are moderately deep to paralithic contacts.
Lockgate soils have a xeric moisture regime and are deep to paralithic contacts.
Nutval soils have more than 40 percent medium sand through very coarse sand in the particle-size control section and are dominated by gravel derived from granitic rock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Vetagrande soils are on mountains. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from volcanic rocks such as rhyolite or andesite. Slopes are 15 to 50 percent. Elevations range from 1,895 to 2,445 meters. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 300 to 400 mm, the mean annual temperature is 6 to 7 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 65 to 80 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Dab and
Pinenut soils. Dab soils have a cryic temperature regime. Pinenut soils are shallow to paralithic contacts and have mollic epipedons less than 50 cm thick.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; high surface runoff; moderately slow permeability; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.
USE AND VEGETATION: Vetagrande soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly antelope bitterbrush, mountain big sagebrush, snowberry, currant, western needlegrass, Letterman's needlegrass, and mountain brome.
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: Toiyabe National Forest Area, California, 2006. The series was proposed in Douglas County, Nevada, 1996. The name is from a nearby mine.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 64 cm (A1, A2, Bt1, and Bt2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 23 to 150 cm (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, and Bt4 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 23 to 73 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons and part of the Bt3 horizon).
ADDITIONAL DATA: User pedon ID 2006NV005008
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.