LOCATION WRANGO NV UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Xeric Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Wrango fine sandy loam, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) 2 percent stones on the surface.
A--0 to 5 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine vesicular pores; 10 percent gravel and 2 percent stones; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 5 cm thick)
C--5 to 25 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) gravelly fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; 25 percent gravel; strongly effervescent in spots; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 30 cm thick)
2Ck1--25 to 51 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) very gravelly light loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; 45 percent gravel; thin lime coats on underside of gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear very wavy boundary. (10 to 30 cm thick)
2Ck2--51 to 152 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) extremely gravelly sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, few very fine roots; 75 percent gravel; lime coats on underside of gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Nye County, Nevada; approximately 0.7 mile east of mouth of Jett Canyon; 0.1 mile south and 0.1 mile east of north one-fourth corner of section 19, T. 10 N., R. 43 E. latitude 38 degrees 46 minutes 4 seconds N and longitude 117 degrees 11 minutes 28 seconds W; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Usually dry, moist in winter and spring, dry June through October; aridic soil moisture regime bordering on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature - 12 to 15 degrees C.
Particle-size control section:
Clay content: 0 to 8 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 60 to 75 percent.
A horizon:
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Effervescence: Noneffervescent to strongly effervescent.
C horizon (when present):
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Structure: Massive or subangular blocky.
Texture: Averages fine sandy loam, loamy coarse sand and sand.
Rock fragments: 15 to 55 percent, mainly gravel.
Consistence: Slightly sticky or nonsticky, slightly plastic or nonplastic.
2Ck horizons:
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline.
Effervescence: Slightly effervescent to violently effervescent.
Texture of fine earth: Loamy coarse sand, sand or loamy sand.
Rock fragments: Averages 60 to 75 percent; individual strata have 40 to 75 percent, mainly pebbles.
Structure: Massive or single grain.
Consistence: Soft, slightly hard or loose.
Other Features: The Wrango soils do not contain soft powdery secondary calcium carbonate that is 5 percent or more absolute higher than that of an underlying horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alderdale, Burbank, Crunkvar, Denio, Doowak, Sheeprock, Skaha and Ulymeyer series. Alderdale soils are moderately deep to a lithic contact. Burbank soils have dominantly loamy sand or loamy fine sand particle-size control sections. Crunkvar and Denio soils contain 35 to 60 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Doowak soils have soil temperature of 8 to 11 degrees C and is noneffervescent in the top 50 cm. Sheeprock soils lack a Bk horizon. Skaha soils are neutral and noncalcareous. Ulymeyer soils have particle-size control section that is dominated by cobbles and stones.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wrango soils are on alluvial fans, stream terraces and inset fans. These soils formed in alluvium from mixed rocks. Slopes are 0 to 8 percent. Elevations are 1,617 to 2,256 meters. The mean annual precipitation is about 200 to 250 mm; mean annual temperature is about 11 to 14 degrees C.; frost-free season is 100 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bluewing, Mazuma, Orovada, Vigus and Wardenot soils. Bluewing soils lack moisture regimes bordering on xeric. Mazuma soils are coarse-loamy. Orovada soils are coarse-loamy and have durinodes in a friable matrix. Vigus soils have an argillic horizon. Wardenot soils have Bqk a horizon and lack moisture regimes that border on xeric.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained, medium runoff; very rapid permeability; very high saturated hydraulic conductivity.
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is principally black sagebrush, bud sagebrush, King's desertgrass, sand dropseed, bottlebrush squirreltail and Indian ricegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Nevada, west Central Utah. These soils are moderately extensive, with 18,853 acres mapped in NV and about 175 acres in UT. MLRA 27, 28A, 28B, and 29.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Reno, Nevada
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Nye County (Big Smoky Valley Area), Nevada. 1972.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the surface to 18 cm (A and part of C horizon).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (C, 2Bk1 and part of 2Bk2 horizons).