LOCATION GRALEY NVEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, frigid Lithic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Graley very gravelly sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The surface is partially covered by approximately 30 percent pebbles and 5 percent cobbles.
A1--0 to 1 inch; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 40 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 7 inches thick)
A2--1 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 30 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
Bt--7 to 14 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; many very fine roots; many fine and medium interstitial and common very fine tubular pores; 40 percent pebbles and 15 percent cobbles; common distinct clay films on faces of ped, lining pores, and on rock fragments; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 11 inches thick)
R--14 inches; unweathered, fractured chert.
TYPE LOCATION: Lander County, Nevada; about 30 miles southeast of Battle Mountain; approximately 1,500 feet east and 2,100 feet south of the northwest corner of section 14, T. 30 N., R. 46 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Usually moist in winter and spring, dry mid-July through late October; aridic moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 12 inches, does not include the Bt horizon.
Depth to bedrock - 14 to 20 inches to a lithic contact.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 35 to 45 percent; Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent, mainly pebbles.
Reaction - Neutral or slightly alkaline.
A horizons - Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Consistence: Nonplastic or slightly plastic wet.
Organic matter content: 1 to 4 percent.
Bt horizon - Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Very gravelly clay loam or very gravelly clay.
Structure: Fine or medium angular blocky or subangular blocky.
Consistence: Very hard or hard, dry; friable to firm moist, moderately sticky or very sticky moist; moderately plastic or very plastic wet.
Clay films: Common to many, faint or distinct.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ateron, Camool (T), Canest (T), Chen, Douhide, Harlow, Itca, Vennob, and Wallsburg series.
Ateron soils have xeric moisture regimes bordering on aridic, have abrupt boundaries between the AB and Bt horizons, and have mollic epipedons that include the Bt horizon. Camool soils have xeric moisture regimes that border on aridic and have surface and subsurface horizons with vitrandic intergrade properties. Canest soils are 5 to 10 inches deep to lithic contacts and horizon textures are dominated by cobbles. Chen soils have an abrupt boundary between the A and Bt horizons and the mollic epipedon includes the upper part of the argillic horizon. Douhide soils have predominantly prismatic structure and are dominated by cobbles in the particle-size control section. Harlow soils have xeric moisture regime and have argillic horizons dominated by cobbles. Itca soils have xeric moisture regime and have abrupt boundaries between the A and Bt horizons. Vennob soils have xeric moisture regime and have mollic epipedons that include part of the argillic horizon. Wallsburg soils have mollic epipedons that include all or part of the argillic horizon and are dominated by cobbles and stones in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Graley soils are on hills, mountains, and plateaus. They typically occur on all slope positions. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from mixed rocks including quartzite, argillite, andesite, shale, slate, chert, and rhyolite. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent. Elevations range from 5,500 to 9,100 feet. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 10 to 16 inches, mean annual temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F., and the frost-free period is 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bregar, Cleavage, Loncan, and Slaven soils. Bregar and Cleavage soils are loamy-skeletal. Loncan soils are loamy-skeletal and are moderately deep to lithic contacts. Slaven soils are moderately deep to lithic contacts.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very high surface runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Graley soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, Thurber's needlegrass, basin wildrye, mountain big sagebrush, and antelope bitterbrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Nevada. These soils are moderately extensive. The series type location is in MLRA 24, while the main acreage occurs in MLRAs 25 and 28B.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Reno, Nevada.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Humboldt County (Northwest Part), Nevada, 1974.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 7 inches (A1 and A2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 7 to 14 inches (Bt horizon).
Lithic contact - The boundary at 14 inches to hard, unweathered bedrock (R layer).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 7 to 14 inches (Bt horizon).