LOCATION VETA NV+IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Xeric Haplocambids
TYPICAL PEDON: Veta extremely gravelly sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 6 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) extremely gravelly sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few medium and fine, and many very fine roots; many fine and very fine interstitial pores; 45 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 9 inches thick)
Bw--6 to 18 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few medium, common fine and very fine roots; many fine and very fine interstitial pores; 50 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (6 to l6 inches thick)
C--18 to 38 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) extremely gravelly coarse sandy loam; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few medium and common fine and very fine roots; many fine and very fine interstitial pores; 50 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 24 inches thick)
Ck--38 to 62 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) very gravelly sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few medium and fine, common very fine roots; many fine and very fine interstitial pores; 35 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; secondary carbonate coats on bottoms of rock fragments; neutral (pH 7.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Lyon County, Nevada; about 2 miles southwest of Artesia Lake and about 900 feet north of benchmark 4644; approximately 2,450 feet north and 600 feet west of the southeast corner of section 9, T. 12 N., R. 23 E.; USGS Pine Nut Valley 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 38 degrees 55 minutes 04 seconds north latitude and 119 degrees 24 minutes 12 seconds west longitude, NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Usually moist in winter and spring; dry mid-June through October; Aridic moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature - 50 to 55 degrees F.
Depth to base of cambic horizon - 12 to 20 inches.
Depth to secondary carbonates - 28 to 40 inches.
Reaction - Neutral through moderately alkaline.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 5 to 15 percent;
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent, mainly gravel. Lithology of fragments are mixed igneous rocks.
A horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Bw horizon
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Structure: Subangular blocky or is massive.
C and Ck horizons
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 3, through 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Very gravelly or extremely gravelly loam, sandy loam, or coarse sandy loam.
Effervescence: Noneffervescent to strongly effervescent in the Ck horizon.
Other features: Thin strata of loamy sand or loamy coarse sand common in lower subhorizons of some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cewat, Darkcanyon, Drinkwater, Felcher, Finley, Kiona, Minat, Nibbs, Veet, and Wifton (T) series.
Cewat, Darkcanyon, and Felcher soils are moderately deep to lithic contacts. Drinkwater soils have 20 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Finley soils have a sandy 2C horizon at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Kiona soils have mainly cobbles in the particle-size control section and a cambic horizon that directly overlies a Bk horizon. Minat soils have 18 to 27 percent clay in the particle-size control section and depth to the base of the cambic horizon is 20 to 30 inches. Nibbs soils have secondary carbonates within 15 inches and have a lithologic discontinuity within the control section. Veet soils are moistened intermittently from 10 to 20 days cumulative from June through September and the cambic horizon directly overlies a Bk horizon. Wifton soils are dominated by stones in the particle-size control section, have identifiable secondary carbonates at depths of 10 to 20 inches, and have mean annual soil temperature of 47 to 50 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Veta soils are on inset fans, alluvial fans, fan remnants, lake plains, and stream terraces. These soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed igneous rocks. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. Elevations are 4,000 to 6,000 feet but range down to 2,400 feet in Idaho. The mean annual precipitation is 8 to 10 inches, the mean annual temperature is 47 to 54 degrees F., and the frost-free period is 100 to 150 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Abgese, Fulstone, Haybourne, Reno, Saralegui, and Washoe soils. Abegese and Washoe soils have an argillic horizon. Fulstone and Reno soils have an argillic horizon and a duripan. Haybourne soils have less than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Saralegui soils have an argillic horizon and lack rock fragments.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very low or low surface runoff; moderately rapid permeability (high saturated hydraulic conductivity). These soils are susceptible to rare flooding for brief or very brief periods year-round or occasional flooding for very brief periods between February and July.
USE AND VEGETATION: Veta soils are mainly used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Some areas are used for irrigated cropland and urban development. The vegetation is principally Indian ricegrass, Wyoming big sagebrush, and spiny hopsage.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Nevada and southwestern Idaho. These soils are moderately extensive. The series concept and main acreage is in MLRA 26, while other acreage occurs in MLRAs 24 and 27 in Nevada and MLRA 25 in Idaho.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Reno, Nevada.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County Area, Nevada, 1981.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 7 inches (A horizon and part of the Bw horizon).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 6 to 18 inches (Bw horizon).
Identifiable secondary carbonates - The zone from 38 to 62 inches (Ck horizon).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 40 inches (C horizon and parts of the Bw and Ck horizons).