LOCATION VENLO              ND+MN SD
Established Series
LEE-CJH
11/2002

VENLO SERIES


The Venlo series consists of very deep, very poorly drained, rapidly permeable soils that formed in glaciofluvial or glaciolacustrine deposits. These soils are in low, basins and swales on delta, outwash and lake plains and have slopes of 0 to 1 percent. The mean annual air temperature is 42 degrees F, and the mean annual precipitation is 20 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, frigid Typic Endoaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Venlo fine sandy loam - on a slightly concave slope of less than 1 percent in native grassland. When described the soil was wet throughout. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated)

A--0 to 13 inches; black (N 2/0) fine sandy loam, very dark gray (N 3/0) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak very fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)

Cg1--13 to 30 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) fine sand, light gray (5Y 7/2) dry; common distinct greenish gray (5GY 5/1) redoximorphic depletions; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

Cg2--30 to 60 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) fine sand, light gray (5Y 7/1) and white (5Y 8/1) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; slight effervescence; slightly alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Ransom County, North Dakota; about 3 1/2 miles north and 6 miles west of McLeod; 1000 feet north and 130 feet east of the southwest corner, sec. 1, T. 134 N., R. 54 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the mollic epipedon typically is 10 to 20 inches, but ranges to 24 inches. Some pedons have 0 horizons as much as 6 inches thick. Some pedons have Ab horizons.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y, or is neutral, value of 2 or 3 and 3 to 5 dry, and chroma of 1 or less. It is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sandy loam or fine sandy loam. It is slightly acid or neutral.

The Cg horizon has hue of 2.5Y, 5Y, 5GY, or is neutral, value of 4 to 6 and 5 to 8 dry, and chroma of 2 or less. Some pedons have chroma of 3. Those with chroma of 2 or 3 have common or many low chroma redoximorphic depletions. The Cg horizon is neutral to moderately alkaline. Some pedons have Cg horizons with low chroma and distinct or prominent redoximorphic concentrations with chroma of 3 or higher. The Cg horizon is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, fine sand, or sand.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Garborg, Hamar, Hangaard, Isan and Isanti series and the Medano series as previously classified. Garborg soils are somewhat poorly drained and do not have a water table within 1.5 feet of the soils surface during the period of November through July. Hamar soils are poorly drained. Hangaard soils are dominantly coarse sand and have 10 to 35 percent rock fragments. Isan and Isanti soils are acid throughout. Medano soils are calcareous in the upper part of the control section and noncalcareous in the lower part.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Venlo soils are in low basins and swales on delta, outwash and lake plains. Slopes are plane or slightly concave with gradients of 0 to 1 percent. The soils formed in glaciofluvial or glaciolacustrine deposits. Mean annual temperature ranges from 36 to 48 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation from 15 to 24 inches. Frost-free period ranges from 105 to 140 days. Elevation above sea level ranges from 650 to 2350 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Garborg and Hamar soils and Arveson, Fossum, Hecla, Maddock, Serden and Stirum soils. Garborg soils are on slightly higher positions on the landscape. Fossum, Arveson and Hamar soils occupy similar or slightly higher positions on the landscape. Arveson soils are coarse-loamy. Fossum soils are calcareous throughout. Hecla, Maddock and Serden soils are on nearby higher lying level to hilly areas. They are moderately well to excessively drained and do not have an aquic moisture regime. Stirum soils are calcareous throughout and have a natric horizon.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained. Runoff is negligible or ponded. A seasonal high water table is at depths of one foot above the surface to one foot below the surface at some time during the period of November through July. Rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for pasture and wildlife. Native vegetation is slough sedge, rivergrass, slim sedge, prairie cordgrass, rushes and other wetland sedges.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern and east-central North Dakota, western Minnesota and northeastern South Dakota. The soil is of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Richland County, North Dakota, 1970.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 13 inches (A horizon); characteristics associated with wetness - chroma of 1 or less in the lower part of the mollic epipedon (A horizons), and immediately below the mollic epipedon (Cg1 horizon) color value of 4 or more, hue of 5Y, distinct or prominent redoximorphic features, and chroma of 3 or less.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.