LOCATION WASPO                   NV

Established Series
Rev. WED/TM/JBF
01/2023

WASPO SERIES

The Waspo series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in pedisediment and residuum derived from tuff. Waspo soils are on side slopes of pediments and uplands and have 2 to 50 percent slopes. The mean annual precipitation is about 250 mm and the mean annual temperature is 11 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Aridic Haploxererts

TYPICAL PEDON: Waspo clay--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 18 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure, extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few medium and coarse roots, few medium and coarse pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); gradual wavy boundary. (15 to 25 cm thick)

A2--18 to 61 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few medium and coarse roots, few medium and coarse pores; many intersecting slickensides; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid; (pH 6.5); gradual wavy boundary. (36 to 86 cm)

Cr--61 cm; light gray weathered tuff.

TYPE LOCATION: Washoe County, Nevada; about 6 miles west of Reno; in the southeast 1/4 of southwest 1/4 of section 10, T. 19 N., R. 18 E.; USGS Verdi 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 39 degrees 31 minutes 13 seconds N and longitude 119 degrees 56 minutes 52 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 39.5213889 latitude, -119.9541667 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: aridic soil moisture regime bordering on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 11 to 12 degrees C.
Depth to the paralithic contact: 50 to 100 cm.
Profile reaction: Commonly slightly acid or neutral, but are slightly alkaline in the lower part above the bedrock in some pedons.
Cracks: 1 to 2 cm wide that remain open in most years from June to November; closed the rest of the year and in most years the cracks extend to the weathered rock.
Other features: The stoniness classes range up through class 2. Some pedons have a thin pale brown clay C horizon above the weathered bedrock. The weathered bedrock is usually tuff but unrelated very soft sandstone is in some pedons.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 45 to 60 percent clay.
Rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent, mainly tuffaceous gravel are throughout the profile.

A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, and 3 or 4 moist
Structure: medium or coarse prismatic structure, but the immediate surface is fine granular in some pedons.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Brubeck, Doten, Gerlach, Getrail, Horsecamp, Manogue and Moroni series.

Brubeck soils have a lithic contact within 100 cm. Doten, Gerlach, Getrail, Horsecamp, Manogue, and Moroni soils lack bedrock within 100 cm.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Waspo soils are on side slopes of pediments and hills at elevations of 1,040 to 1,800 meters. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent. The soils formed in pedisediment and residuum derived from tuff. The climate is semiarid, with hot dry summers and cold moist winters. The mean annual temperature is 9 to 11 degrees C. The mean annual precipitation is 200 to 300 mm. The average frost-free season is about 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chalco and Reno soils. Chalco soils have an argillic horizon and weathered bedrock within 50 cm. Reno soils have an argillic horizon and a duripan.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; very slow permeability; low saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most of these soils are used for wildlife habitat and some livestock grazing. Vegetation is principally rabbitbrush, big sagebrush, horsebrush, cheatgrass, and some bitterbrush. Some of these soils are now being used for urban development.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Nevada and southern Oregon. These soils are inextensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Washoe County (South Part), Nevada, 1980.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 18 cm (A1 and part of the A2 horizons).
Paralithic contact - The boundary at 61 cm to underlying, soft weathered bedrock (Cr layer).
Particle size control section - The zone from 25 to 61 cm (part of the A2 horizon).

ADDITIONAL DATA: User Pedon ID: 2006NV031141.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.