LOCATION HARNEY KS+NEEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Harney silt loam-in a nearly level cultivated field. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 9 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable; many fine roots; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 14 inches thick)
AB--9 to 12 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable; many fine roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--12 to 18 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; few fine roots; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--18 to 28 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; few fine roots; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 10 to 26 inches)
BCk--28 to 35 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm; few fine roots; many soft accumulations of carbonates; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 16 inches thick)
Ck--35 to 47 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable; common soft accumulations of carbonates; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
C--47 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Pawnee County, Kansas; about 1 1/2 miles north of Garfield; 1,840 feet east and 100 feet south of the northwest corner of sec. 36, T. 22 S., R. 18 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum ranges from 26 to 50 inches. Depth to free carbonates ranges from 18 to 30 inches. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 20 inches thick and includes the upper part of the argillic horizon in some pedons.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is silt loam or silty clay loam and ranges from medium acid to mildly alkaline.
The Bt horizon below the mollic epipedon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6 and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is silty clay loam or silty clay; the upper 20 inches averages from 35 to 42 percent clay. Maximum clay content of any subhorizon within the Bt horizon does not exceed 45 percent. This horizon ranges from slightly acid to moderately alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 to 7 and 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is silt loam or silty clay loam and is mildly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Beadle, Carlson, Kirley, McClure, Mento, Peno, Raber, Reliance, and Spearville series in the same family and Crete, Detroit, Hastings, Holdrege, Longford, and Richfield series. Beadle, Peno, and Raber soils contain more sand and are formed in glacial till. Carlson soils contain more carbonates in the C horizon and formed in highly calcareous residuum or old alluvium. Kirley, McClure, and Reliance soils have mean annual temperatures lower than 52 degrees F. In addition, Kirley soils have more sand in the solum and formed in alluvium; and McClure soils are slowly permeable in the underlying materials. Mento and Spearville soils have an abrupt or clear boundary between the A and Bt horizon. In addition, Mento soils have B and C horizons containing 5 to 15 percent exchangeable sodium and Spearville soils have more than 42 percent clay in the argillic horizon. Crete and Detroit soils have thicker mollic epipedons. Hastings soils lack carbonates within a depth of 36 inches. Holdrege soils are fine-silty. Longford soils have redder hues. In addition, Longford soils lack carbonates within a depth of 36 inches. Richfield soils are drier and depth to carbonates is shallower.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Harney soils are on uplands that have slightly concave to convex surfaces. The slope gradient commonly is 0 to 3 percent, but the range is 0 to 8 percent. The soils formed in loess usually several feet thick. The mean annual temperature varies from 52 to 57 degrees F, and the mean annual precipitation varies from 19 to 27 inches. Thornthwaite Annual P-E Index ranges from 32 to 46.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Crete, Holdrege, and Spearville soils and the Ness, Penden, and Uly soils. Crete and Spearville soils are on more level ridgetops. Holdrege soils are on steeper slopes. Ness soils are more clayey and are in depressions. Penden and Uly soils lack argillic horizons and are on steeper lower slopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is slow or medium. Permeability is moderately slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly cultivated; wheat and sorghums are the principal crops. Native vegetation is mixed short, mid, and tall grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West-central Kansas. The series is of large extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ford County, Kansas, 1962.