LOCATION FANU NVEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Torrifluventic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Fanu gravelly fine sandy loam - rangeland (Colors for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 9 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; few medium and coarse, and common fine and very fine roots; many fine and very fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
Bw1--9 to 14 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few medium and coarse, and common fine and very fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial, and many fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
Bw2--14 to 21 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, sticky, slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine interstitial, and many fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bk--21 to 27 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine, and few medium roots; common fine tubular pores; few vertical large cicata channels; violently effervescent, with few fine faint medium white (10YR 8/2) lime masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
C2--27 to 34 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine, and few medium roots; many very fine and common fine interstitial, and few very fine tubular pores; few large vertical cicata channels; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 14 inches thick)
2Ck--34 to 60 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) coarsely stratified sandy clay loam and sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable and very friable; sticky and nonsticky, plastic and nonplastic; few fine and common very fine roots; many very fine and common fine interstitial, and few very fine tubular pores; violently effervescent, with common fine distinct white (10YR 8/2) lime masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
Type Location: Lincoln County, Nevada; approximately 240 feet east and 1,080 feet south of the apparent west 1/4 corner of sec. 4, T.2N., R.70E.
Range in Characteristics: Solum thickness and depth to the 2Ck horizon are 17 to 28 inches.
The mean annual soil temperature is 44 to 47 F.
The soil has value of 4 through 6 dry and 2 through 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3.
The A1 horizon is 1 unit of value darker, moist or dry, than the Bw horizon or contains at least 1 percent or more organic matter.
The 10-to 40-inch control section is usually stratified, and includes fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam, and sandy clay loam. It averages 18 to 25 percent clay and contains up to 25 percent gravel.
The A1 horizon contains 1 to 4 percent organic matter. It has weak or moderate, fine to thick platy structure or is massive. This horizon is usually lime-free but can be slightly or strongly effervescent.
The Bw horizon has weak or moderate, fine or medium, subangular blocky or granular structure.
The Bw and C horizons are strongly or violently effervescent.
The 2Ck horizon has few to common, fine to medium soft lime segregations. pH in the calcareous parts ranges from 8.0 to 8.8, and in the noncalcareous parts from 6.8 to 7.6.
Competing Series and their Differentiae: These are the McCammon soils which have bedrock between 20 and 40 inches.
Setting: Fanu soils are on nearly level to moderately sloping (O to 8 percent slopes) narrow floodplains and low lying alluvial terraces at elevations of 5,800 to 6,800 feet. The soils formed in loamy alluvium from rhyodacitic ignimbrites, with admixtures of limestone. The climate is cool, semiarid. The mean annual temperature is 42 to 45 F. The frost-free season is about 70 to 80 days. The mean annual precipitation is 8 to 12 inches and falls mostly in the form of snow
Prinicipal Associated Soils: These are the Basket, Decathon, Holsine, Nevu, Poorma, and Usine soils. Basket, Decathon, and Nevu soils have argillic horlzons. Decathon and Nevu, in addition, have duripans. Holsine, Poorma, and Usine soils lack mollic epipedons.
Drainage and Permeability: Well-drained; slow or medium runoff; moderate permeablllty. These soils are subject to occasional overflow in localized areas along narrow floodplains and adjacent to stream channels.
Use and Vegetatlon: Grazing is the primary use. The principal vegetation is big sagebrush with an understory of Great Basin wildrye, bluestem wheatgrass, squirrel tail, and Indian ricegrass. Some bitterbrush and cliffrose occur at the upper elevations.
Distribution and Extent: East-central Nevada; Fanu soils are of small extent.
Series Established: Lincoln County (Meadow Valley Area), Nevada, 1971.
Remarks: Fanu soils were formerly classified as alluvial soils.
OSED scanned by NSSQA. Last revised by state on 9/71.