LOCATION WHITMIRE NV

Established Series
Rev. EWB-JBF-TM-JVC
06/2017

WHITMIRE SERIES

The Whitmire series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks. Whitmire soils are on flood plains. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 230 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Aquic Cumulic Haploxerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Whitmire loam--pasture. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 18 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 cm thick)

A2--18 to 30 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; common fine and medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist, masses of iron accumulation; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 25 cm thick)

Ag--30 to 64 cm; gray (10YR 5/1) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; common medium prominent dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist, masses of iron accumulation; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (13 to 38 cm thick)

2Cg1--64 to 76 cm; gray (N 6/0) loamy coarse sand, dark gray (N 4/0) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; many coarse prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist, masses of iron accumulation; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (13 to 30 cm thick)

2Agb1--76 to 86 cm; gray (N 5/0) loam, very dark gray (N 3/0) moist; massive, slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 13 cm thick)

2Cg2--86 to 107 cm; gray (10YR 6/1) loamy coarse sand, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; many coarse distinct brown (10YR 4/3) moist, masses of iron accumulation; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 50 cm thick)

2Agb2--107 to 114 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many coarse distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist, masses of iron accumulation; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 15 cm thick)

2Cg3--114 to 152 cm; gray (10YR 6/1) finely stratified loamy coarse sand to loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine interstitial pores; many coarse faint dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist, masses of iron accumulation; neutral (pH 6.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Nevada; in Carson Valley near Walleys Hot Springs; about 100 feet north and 800 feet west of the southeast corner of section 15, T. 13 N., R. 19 E.; USGS Minden 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 38 degrees 59 minutes 00 seconds N and longitude 119 degrees 49 minutes 42 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 38.9833333 latitude, -119.8283333 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry in the moisture control section; moist in winter and spring; dry in summer and fall unless irrigated; aridic soil moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 9 to 12 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 50 to 76 cm.
Depth to strongly contrasting sandy material: 50 to 76 cm.
Depth to horizons with aquic conditions: 50 to 76 cm.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.
Redoximorphic features: Redox concentrations occur as masses of iron accumulation and/or zones of iron depletion within 46 cm of the soil surface.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 18 to 25 percent in the upper part of the profile and 3 to 10 percent in the contrasting lower part.
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent in the upper part of the profile and 0 to 5 percent in the contrasting lower part. Lithology of fragments is mixed.

A1 horizon
Hue: 10YR or N (neutral).
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry, 0 (when neutral) through 2 moist.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.

A2 horizon
Hue: 10YR or N (neutral).
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry, 0 (when neutral) through 2 moist.
Texture: Loam or fine sandy loam.
Clay content: Averages 18 to 25 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.

Ag horizon
Hue: 10YR or N (neutral).
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry, 0 (when neutral) through 2 moist.
Clay content: Averages 18 to 25 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.
Redoximorphic features: Redox concentrations occur as masses of iron accumulation; Redox depletion of iron has occurred in the matrix and is indicated by strong gleying.

2Cg horizons and 2Agb horizons (when present)
Hue: 10YR or N (neutral).
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry; 0 (when neutral) through 2 moist.
Texture: Stratified coarse sand to loam, averaging loamy coarse sand or loamy sand.
Clay content: Averages 3 to 10 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent
Redoximorphic features: Redox concentrations occur as masses of iron accumulation; Redox depletion of iron has occurred in the matrix and is indicated by strong gleying.
Other features: Some pedons do not have loamy 2Agb horizons.

COMPETING SERIES: At present, there are no other series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Whitmire soils are on flood plains. These soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks but with a strong influence from granitic rocks. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevations range from 1,420 to 1,460 meters. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 200 to 250 mm, 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 Heidtman, Settlemeyer, and Voltaire soils. These soils are fine-loamy and do not have strongly contrasting sandy material within the particle-size control section.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained; low surface runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity. Endosaturation is present with an apparent seasonal high water table between 50 and 76 cm (moderately deep free water occurrence class) from May through June and 90 to 150 cm (moderately deep and deep free water occurrence classes) in July. Cumulative annual duration classes are Transitory or Common. These soils are susceptible to occasional flooding for brief periods between December and May.

USE AND VEGETATION: Whitmire soils are used for pasture, hayland, and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly grasses, sedges, and rush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 26.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Douglas County, Nevada, 1999.

REMARKS: The taxonomic subgroup was revised from Cumulic Endoaquolls to Aquic Cumulic Haploxerolls.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 64 cm (A1, A2, and Ag horizons).
Major lithologic discontinuity - The clear change to sandy material with the boundary at 64 cm (between the Ag and 2Cg1 horizons).
Aquic conditions - The conditions of endosaturation, reduction, and redoximorphic features between 50 and 152 cm at certain times during normal years (parts of the Ag, 2Cg1, 2Agb1, 2Cg2, 2Agb2, and 2Cg3 horizons).
Particle size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (Ag, 2Cg1, and 2Agb1 horizons and parts of the A2 and 2Cg2 horizons).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.