LOCATION ALMORA MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Alfic Argiudolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Almora loam with a slope of 1 percent on a glacial outwash plain in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 11 inches; black (10YR 2/1) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic coatings on faces of peds; about 1 percent gravel; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick.)
BE--11 to 15 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) sandy loam; brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) organic and clay coatings on faces of peds; many continuous distinct light gray (10YR 7/2) very fine sand coatings on faces of peds; about 1 percent gravel; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick.)
Bt1--15 to 35 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy clay loam; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; common discontinuous faint dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; about 5 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--35 to 38 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly sandy clay loam; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; many continuous distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) clay films between sand grains and on faces of peds and in pores; about 20 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 6 to 25 inches)
2Bt3--38 to 46 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) gravelly loamy coarse sand; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; many discontinuous faint very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay films and clay bridging on sand and gravel; about 25 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
2C1--46 to 52 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly coarse sand; single grained; loose; about 35 percent gravel ; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
2C2--52 to 80 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly coarse sand; single grain; loose; about 50 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Otter Tail County, Minnesota; about 6 miles west of the city of Perham; about 1175 feet west and 1800 south of the northeast corner of section 16, T.136 N., R.40 W.; USGS Dent quadrangle, lat. 46 degrees 35 minutes 43 seconds N.; long. 95 degrees 43 minutes 31 seconds W., NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the loamy mantle ranges from 24 to 40 inches. Depth to free carbonates is 24 to 60 inches or more. The mollic epipedon is 8 to 16 inches thick. The soil moisture control section is moist in some or all parts throughout the year in 6 out of 10 years.
The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 through 3. It is loam, fine sandy loam or sandy loam. It has 0 to 10 percent rock fragments by volume. It is moderately acid to neutral.
The BE or EB horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 through 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam, fine sandy loam or sandy loam. It has 0 to 10 percent rock fragments by volume. It is moderately acid to neutral. Some pedons may have an E, B/E or E/B horizon. In cultivated areas the E horizon may be incorporated in to the Ap horizon.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam, or their gravelly analogues with subhorizons of fine sandy loam, sandy loam or silt loam in some pedons. It averages between 18 and 30 percent clay. It has 1 to 25 percent rock fragments by volume. It is moderately acid to neutral. Some pedons have a thin BC or 2BC horizons.
The 2Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 to 5. It is coarse sand, sand, loamy coarse sand, loamy sand, or their gravelly or very gravelly analogues. It has few to many clay coatings on sand grains or bridges between sand grains. Rock fragments comprise 1 to 55 percent by volume. It is moderately acid to slightly alkaline. Some pedons have a 2Bk horizon.
The 2C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is sand, coarse sand, or their gravelly or very gravelly analogues. Rock fragments comprise 1 to 55 percent, by volume. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Almora soils have slightly concave or plane slopes on outwash plains, moraines, stream terraces, and till plains. Slope gradients range from 0 to 18 percent. They formed in a 24 to 40 inch thick loamy mantle derived from loamy outwash or a thin layer of till and underlying sandy or gravelly outwash sediments. These sediments are Wisconsin age. Mean annual temperature is 38 to 45 degrees F. Average annual precipitation ranges from 22 to 30 inches. Frost free days range from 90 to 140. Elevation above sea level ranges from 1200 to 1600 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Clontarf, Dorset, Forada, Fordville, Leafriver, Lida, Oylen, and Verndale soils. The somewhat excessively drained Dorset and well drained Lida and Verndale soils are on slightly more convex slopes or on similar landscapes. The well drained Fordville soils are in depressions or drainageways. The moderately well drained Clontarf and Oylen and are on level and concave areas or toe slopes. The very poorly drained Forada and Leafriver soils are in depressions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is low to medium. Permeability is moderate in the upper part and rapid in the lower part.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of this soil are cultivated The principal crops are corn, soybeans, small grain, and hay. Some areas are forested or are in pasture. They are within an ecological transition zone between the prairie and forest. Native vegetation is tall grass prairie intermingled with oak openings.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West Central Minnesota. This soil is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Otter Tail County, Minnesota, 1996.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizon and features in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - from the soil surface to 15 inches. argillic horizon - zone from 11 to 46 inches, Boralfic subgroup based on very fine sand coatings on over half of ped faces in BE horizon, Udic moisture regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record number MN0624.