LOCATION NOSLO NVEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Noslo bouldery sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is covered with 30 percent boulders, 5 percent stones, 5 percent cobbles, and 10 percent gravel.
A1--0 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) bouldery sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky parting to fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine interstitial and tubular pores; 10 percent boulders, 2 percent cobbles, and 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.3); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
A2--8 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) bouldery sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium granular structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 10 percent boulders and 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.3); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Bt--13 to 30 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films bridging mineral grains and lining pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.3); abrupt wavy boundary. (12 to 20 inches thick)
Cr--30 inches; weathered granitic rock.
TYPE LOCATION: Washoe County, Nevada; in the Granite Range about 7 miles north-northeast of Gerlach; approximately 1,800 feet north and 2,000 feet west of the southeast corner of section 11, T. 33 N., R. 23 E.; USGS Hualapai Flat South 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 40 degrees 45 minutes 17 seconds north latitude and 119 degrees 20 minutes 14 seconds west longitude, NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Usually moist in winter, spring, and early summer, dry from mid-July through mid-October; Aridic moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature - 47 to 52 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 8 to 14 inches; does not include the Bt horizon.
Depth to bedrock - 20 to 40 inches to a paralithic contact. The paralithic materials below the contact are weathered granitic rock.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 25 to 35 percent;
Sand content: 50 to 70 percent;
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent, dominated by fine (2 to 5 millimeter diameter) gravel. Lithology of fragments are granitic rock such as granite or granodiorite.
A horizons
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.
Bt horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Structure: Subangular blocky or massive.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bissell, Bjork, Cowiche, Dodes, Fernpoint, Indiano, Jerusalem, Margerum, Orr, Pahrange, Quailridge (T), Quiero, Ralls, Shoebend, Simcoe, Springmeyer, Truax, Uhaldi, and Wenatchee series.
Bissell, Cowiche, Fernpoint, Jerusalem, Margerum, Orr, Quailridge, Ralls, Springmeyer, Truax, and Wenatchee soils are greater than 40 inches to bedrock. Bjork soils are not dominated by 2 to 5 millimeter diameter gravel, have slightly alkaline argillic horizons, and have moderate or strong prismatic structure. Dodes soils have 10 to 30 percent pararock fragments of diatomite and do not have weathered granitic rock in the series control section. Indiano and Pahrange soils have 15 to 35 percent gravel in the argillic horizon and are moderately deep to lithic contacts. Quiero soils are moderately deep to lithic contacts. Shoebend soils have mean annual soil temperature of 52 to 54 degrees F. and have frost-free periods of 140 to 155 days. Simcoe soils have less than 50 percent sand in the particle-size control section and have clay loam, silt loam, or silty clay loam texture in the argillic horizon. Uhaldi soils have 15 to 35 percent rock fragments and less than 50 percent sand in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Noslo soils are on mountains. They typically occur on backslope positions. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from granitic rocks with additions of eolian materials. Slopes are 30 to 50 percent. Elevations range from 4,400 to 6,300 feet. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 10 to 12 inches, the mean annual temperature is 44 to 49 degrees F., and the frost-free period is 70 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the Berit soil. Berit soils are shallow to paralithic contacts and have ochric epipedons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium surface runoff; moderately slow permeability (moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity).
USE AND VEGETATION: Noslo soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, Lahontan sagebrush, Sandberg's bluegrass, and Thurber's needlegrass with scattered Utah juniper.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Nevada. These soils are not extensive with about 1,900 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 23.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Reno, Nevada.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Washoe County, Nevada, Central Part, 1990. The name is coined.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 13 inches (A1 and A2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 13 to 30 inches (Bt horizon).
Paralithic contact - The boundary at 30 inches to underlying weathered bedrock (Cr layer).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 13 to 30 inches (Bt horizon).