LOCATION BARBER             MN
Established Series
Rev. MAR-CWT-AGG
08/2005

BARBER SERIES


The Barber series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in sandy eolian and/or glacial lake sediments on glacial lake plains and outwash plains. Slopes range from 0 to 4 percent. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately rapid. Mean annual air temperature is about 39 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation is about 27 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Isotic, frigid Aquic Udipsamments

TYPICAL PEDON: Barber fine sandy loam on a 2 percent slope under an aspen stand on a glacial lake plain. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A-- 0 to 5 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sandy loam; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak medium granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 7 inches thick).

E-- 5 to 8 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam; light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; many fine and medium roots; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick).

Bw1-- 8 to 19 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loamy fine sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; few medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) Fe concentrations; common fine roots; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary.

Bw2-- 19 to 27 inches; brown (10YR 5/3); loamy fine sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; few fine roots; few medium faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) Fe concentrations and common medium distinct gray (10YR 6/1) Fe depletions; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 10 to 40 inches).

Bg-- 27 to 53 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2); fine sand; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; many medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) Fe concentrations and many medium faint gray (10YR 6/1) Fe depletions; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 36 inches thick).

Cg-- 53 to 80 inches; brown (10YR 5/3); fine sand; massive; very friable; few coarse prominent dark yellowish strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) Fe concentrations and few medium prominent gray (2.5Y 6/1) Fe depletions; moderately acid.

TYPE LOCATION: St. Louis County, Minnesota; about 11 miles south of Buhl; 1400 feet north and 1500 feet east of the southwest corner of Section 17, T. 56 N., R. 19 W., USGS Little Swan, Minnesota Quadrangle; latitude 47 degrees 19 minutes 50 seconds N., longitude 92 degrees 47 minutes 02 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The series control section contains up to 3 percent rock fragments. The depth to carbonates is greater than 80 inches. The particle-size control section has less than 25 percent medium sand or coarser.

Some pedons have an Oe or Oa horizon as much as 4 inches thick.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is fine sandy loam, loamy fine sand, loamy very fine sand or very fine sandy loam. Reaction is very strongly acid to moderately acid.

The E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is fine sandy loam, loamy fine sand, loamy very fine sand or very fine sandy loam. Reaction is very strongly acid to moderately acid.

The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 3 to 6. Texture is loamy fine sand or fine sand. Reaction is strongly acid to slightly acid.

The Bg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is loamy fine sand or fine sand. It typically has distinct to prominent Fe concentrations and depletions. Concentrations are weakly to moderately cemented in some pedons. Reaction is strongly acid to slightly acid.

The Cg horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 1 to 4. Texture is loamy fine sand or fine sand but subhorizons of loamy very fine sand, fine sandy loam or very fine sandy loam occur in some pedons. It typically has distinct to prominent Fe concentrations and depletions. Concentrations are weakly to moderately cemented in some pedons. Reaction is strongly acid to slightly acid.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Barber soils are on convex or linear surfaces of glacial lake plains and outwash plains. Slopes range from 0 to 4 percent. They formed in eolian and/or glaciolacustrine materials. Mean annual air temperature is 38 to 41 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation is 25 to 28 inches. The frost-free period is 95 to 125 days. Elevation above sea level is 1250 to 1425 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Anchorlake (T), Cathro, Kapla (T), Rifle, Vasso(T), Wabuse(T) and Westoo(T) soils. The poorly drained Anchorlake, very poorly drained Kapla and moderately well drained Westoo soils form a hydrosequence with the Barber soils. Somewhat poorly drained Vasso and poorly drained Wabuse soils have loamy texture within the particle-size control section. Cathro and Rifle soils occur in broad flats and in depressions and formed in organic materials.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Runoff is negligible to low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately rapid. Barber soils have seasonal high saturation at a depth of 1.5 to 2.5 feet at some time from April through June and October through November in normal years.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are forested. Some areas are used for hayland or pastureland. Principal trees are aspen, balsam fir, white spruce, black spruce, and jack pine. Native vegetation is mixed coniferous and deciduous forests.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA-88. Northeastern Minnesota. Small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: St. Louis County, 2005.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 8 inches (A and E horizons); Albic horizon - the zone from 5 to 8 inches; Aquic subgroup based on 2 chroma Fe depletions within 1 meter of the surface and aquic conditions for some time in normal years.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to NSSL numbers 02NO798 and 02NO800 for results from representative pedons.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.