LOCATION BECHYN MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Lithic Hapludolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Bechyn loam with a convex slope of 14 percent on a rock-cored terrace in a pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 9 inches; black (10YR 2/1) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; friable; common fine roots; 4 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 8 to 20 inches)
Bw--9 to 15 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam; brown (10YR 4/3) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; 8 percent gravel; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
2R--15 inches; granitic gneiss.
TYPE LOCATION: Renville County, Minnesota, about 3 miles west and 1/2 mile north of Beaver Falls; 2,600 feet south and 800 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 18, T. 113 N., R. 35 W.; USGS Redwood Falls Quadrangle, latitude 44 degrees 35 minutes 32 seconds N; longitude 95 degrees 6 minutes 46 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the mollic epipedon and depth to a lithic or paralithic contact ranges from 8 to 20 inches. Free carbonates typically are not present, but a small amount is in the lower part of some pedons. Rock fragments make up 0 to 10 percent, by volume, of the loamy mantle, mostly gravel in size. In places there is up to 5 percent cobbles near the contact with the bedrock. Rock fragments are igneous and metamorphic. The clay content of the particle size control section ranges from 10 to 27 percent.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, silt loam, or clay loam. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to neutral.
Some pedons have an AB horizon with hue of 10YR, value of 3, and chroma of 1 to 3. Textures are similar to the A horizon.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 1 to 4. It is loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, silt loam, or clay loam. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to slightly alkaline.
The 2R horizon is typically granite, gneiss, or quartzite bedrock. The boundary between the alluvial sediments and bedrock is typically abrupt. Some pedons have a 2Cr horizon up to 6 inches thick overlying the bedrock. The 2Cr horizon, when present, consists of disintegrated rock, discontinuous residuum, or kaolinitic material weathered from the underlying bedrock.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Copaston and Emeline series. Copaston soils and Emeline soils do not have igneous and metamorphic rock fragments in the upper loamy mantle and overlie limestone bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Bechyn soils are on level to very steep flats and side slopes on rock-cored terraces and upland moraines. Slopes range from 0 to 40 percent. These soils formed in a mantle of loamy material overlying fractured and unfractured granite, gneiss, or quartzite bedrock. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 45 to 48 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 25 to 30 inches. Frost-free days range from 124 to 160. Elevation above sea level ranges from 700 to 1100 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Calco, Cedarrock (T), Du Page, Millington, Minneiska, Nishna, and Terril soils. The poorly and very poorly drained Calco, poorly drained Cedarrock and Millington soils, and very poorly drained Nishna soils are on lower lying positions on flood plains. In addition, the Cedarrock soils have bedrock at depths of 20 to 40 inches. The moderately well drained Du Page and Minneiska soils are on lower lying natural levees. The moderately well drained Terril soils are on foot slopes of adjacent uplands.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained. Runoff is slow to rapid. Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of this soil is in pasture or wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is tall grass prairie.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Minnesota. The series is of minor extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Renville County, Minnesota, 1994.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - from the surface of the soil to a depth of 15 inches (A and Bw horizons); lithic subgroup - lithic contact at 15 inches; udic moisture regime.
This soil was previously included with the Copaston series.
Copaston has been revised to be associated with limestone bedrock.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record number MN0751.