LOCATION KINGSRIVER NVEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Cumulic Endoaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Kingsriver loam, native hayland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine interstitial and common fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
A2--4 to 12 inches; variegated dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and gray (10YR 5/1) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist, many fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), few fine distinct black (10YR 2/1) and few fine distinct dark gray (N 4/0) mottles; strong fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine roots; many very fine interstitial and common fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; clean sand grains coat faces of ped ; common worm tunnels and casts; mildly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
A3--12 to 20 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist, common fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) mottles; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine, common fine, medium and coarse tubular pores; clean sand grains on faces of ped ; common worm tunnels and casts; 5 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
A4--20 to 29 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine and common fine, medium and coarse tubular pores; common worm tunnels and casts; few fine soft filaments of lime; strongly effervescent; 5 percent pebbles; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
2A5--29 to 43 inches; variegated gray (10YR 5/1) and grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist, few fine prominent black (N 2/0) mottles; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine, common fine and few medium interstitial and tubular pores; strongly effervescent; 5 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
3C--43 to 61 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) finely stratified sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist, few fine prominent black (N 2/0) mottles in the upper part; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine and common fine interstitial and tubular pores; few fine soft filaments of lime; violently effervescent; 10 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Humboldt County, Nevada; approximately 1.5 miles northeast of the Kings River Ranch headquarters; about 1950 feet east and 500 feet south of the Northwest corner, Section 22, T. 46 N., R. 33 E. Geographic coordinates are 41 degrees, 51 minutes, 32 seconds north latitude and 118 degrees, 15 minutes, 30 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Saturated at or near the surface for long periods in the spring and summer due to seasonal high water table. Drained phases are recognized.
Soil temperature - 47 to 52 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 30 to 60 inches
Depth to carbonates - 18 to 40 inches
Control Section - Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent, mainly fine pebbles.
A horizons - Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR or N
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 0 through 2
Reaction: Mildly alkaline through strongly alkaline; usually increases with depth.
Other features: Prominent or distinct redox concentration or gleying are present in the lower subhorizons.
C horizons - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 1 through 3
Texture: Sandy loam, loam or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent; mainly fine pebbles
Consistence: Soft or slightly hard, dry
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline
Other features: Distinct or prominent redox concentration are present in most pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Calkins, Gus(T)(NE), and Massack series. Series are expected to be reclassified to this family. Calkins soils have regular decreases in organic carbon, are noncalcareous throughout and have control section with more than 35 percent fine sand and coarser. Gus soils are slightly acid to mildly alkaline and receive 16 to 23 inches of precipitation. Massack soils have slightly acid or neutral soil reaction and are noncalcareous throughout.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kingsriver soils are on flood plains and stream terraces. These soils formed in alluvium from mixed rocks. Slopes are commonly 0 to 2 percent. Elevations are 4200 to 6000 feet. The climate is cool, semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 8 to 12 inches; mean annual temperature is 45 to 49 degrees F. The frost-free period is 80 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Rio King and Rodock series. These soils have aridic moisture regimes that border on xeric and have mollic epipedons that are less than 20 inches thick.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability. Seasonal water table is 1 to 3 feet.
USE AND VEGETATION: Irrigated hayland, rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly creeping wildrye, basin wildrye and baltic rush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwest Nevada. These soils are not extensive.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Reno, Nevada
SERIES PROPOSED: Humboldt County, Nevada, (East Part), 1987.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon--The zone from the soil surface to about 43 inches (A1, A2, A3, A4 and 2A5 horizons).
Particle-size control section--The zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the A2, the A3, A4 and part of the 2A5 horizon).
Classification was changed in 1992 from Haplaquolls to Endoaquolls.
The superactive cation exchange activity class was added in 03/2003 to the taxonomic classification by the National Soil Survey Center on request of the Reno MLRA office, without review of the soil series property data. The remainder of this document has not been updated.