LOCATION KNUTE MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Oxyaquic Argiudolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Knute fine sandy loam with a 1 percent east facing convex slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; friable; common fine roots; few sand grains coat surfaces on peds; 3 percent gravel; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
Bt1--7 to 14 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) sandy clay loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; few fine roots; many faint very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
Bt2-- 14 to 18 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) sandy clay loam; common fine distinct grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) Fe depletions and few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) Fe concentrations; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; few fine roots; few distinct very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bt horizons is 6 to 40 inches.)
Bk--18 to 36 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) fine sandy loam; common medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) Fe concentrations; weak medium platy structure; friable; many fine light gray (10YR 7/2) carbonate filaments and masses in internal planes; 5 percent gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick).
C1--36 to 47 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) fine sandy loam; common medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) and few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) Fe concentrations; weak medium platy soil fragments; friable; common fine light gray (10YR 7/2) carbonate filaments and masses in internal planes; 5 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
C2--47 to 65 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) fine sandy loam; common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) Fe concentrations; weak thin platy soil fragments; friable; common fine white (10YR 8/1) irregularly shaped masses of carbonate; 5 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
C2--65 to 80 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) fine sandy loam; common fine and medium faint light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) Fe concentrations; weak thin platy soil fragments; friable; common fine white (10YR 8/1) irregularly shaped masses of carbonate; 5 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Polk County, Minnesota about 3 miles west and 2 miles south of Mentor, 170 feet east and 490 feet north of the southwest corner of Section 6, T.148 N., R.43 W.; USGS Mentor, MN topographic quadrangle; latitude 47 degrees 39 minutes 36 seconds N., and longitude 96 degrees 11 minutes 37 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the base of the argillic horizon typically ranges from 14 to 24 inches. The mollic epipedon ranges from 7 to 16 inches in thickness. The depth to the calcic horizon ranges from 16 to 30 inches. A thick solum phase is recognized where the depth to carbonates is 28 to 60 inches and the depth to the base of the argillic is more than 24 inches. Rock fragments of mixed lithology make up 2 to 10 percent by volume of the profile. The soil moisture control section is not dry in any part for as long as 45 consecutive days during the 120 days following the summer solstice. It is also not dry in any part for as long as 90 cumulative days per year in 6 out of 10 years.
The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 2. It is fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy loam. The clay content ranges from 10 to 20 percent, and the sand content ranges from 45 to 65 percent. The reaction is slightly acid or neutral. Some pedons have an A horizon below the Ap horizon.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. It typically has redoximorphic features. It is sandy clay loam, fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy loam. The argillic horizon is typically 6 to 16 inches thick, but in the thick solum phase it ranges from 16 to 28 inches thick. The clay content of the argillic horizon averages between 18 and 28 percent with 45 to 65 percent sand. The reaction ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline. The thick solum phase ranges from slightly acid to strongly acid.
Some pedons have a Btk horizon.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y , value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4 and has redoximorphic features. It is fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy loam. The non-carbonate clay content averages 10 to 18 percent with 45 to 65 percent sand. Carbonate filaments and masses are common to many. The reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Some pedons have a BC horizon.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 6 and has redoximorphic features. It is fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy loam. The non-carbonate clay content averages 10 to 18 percent with 45 to 65 percent sand. The reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. There are few carbonate filaments and masses.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Gonvick series. Gonvick soils have less than 45 percent sand in the argillic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils have plane to convex slopes on ground and end moraines and is generally associated with the Wadena Lobe of the Late Wisconsinan glaciation. Slope gradients range from 0 to 3 percent. Mean annual temperature ranges from 38 to 43 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 19 to 24 inches. Frost-free period ranges from 90 to 140 days. Elevation ranges from 785 to 1600 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Brandsvold, Chapett, Fram and Hedman soils. The well drained Chapett soils are on steeper more sloping areas. The somewhat poorly to moderately well drained Fram soils are on similar land forms but do not have an argillic B horizon. The poorly drained Brandsvold and Hedman soils are in concave swales and drainways.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Surface runoff is slow. Permeability is moderate. Depth to an apparent seasonal water table is 2.5 to 4 feet at some time from March to June in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cropped to small grain, corn, soybeans, and hay.Some areas are in woodland. Native vegetation is mixed hardwoods and prairie grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwest and West Central Minnesota. Inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Marshall County, Minnesota, 1994.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized are: Mollic epipedon - 0 to 7 inches (Ap); Argillic horizon - 7 to 18 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons); Calcic horizon - 18 to 36 inches (Bk); Aquic subgroup - based on low chroma mottles above 40 inches. Udic moisture regime
ADDITIONAL DATA: See MAES CFC No. 3764 and 3974 for analysis of representative pedons. Soil Interpretation Records: MN0574, thick solum phase MN0745.