LOCATION BELFON KS+OK
Established Series
CEW-TCB-CLN-SLM
03/2016
BELFON SERIES
The Belfon series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in loamy, eolian loess deposits of Holocene age. These soils are on level to very gently sloping plains and interdunes of the Southern High Plains, Northern part (MLRA 77A). Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 460 mm (18 in) and mean annual air temperature is about 13 degrees C (55 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Belfon loam - on a 1 percent linear slope in cropland at approximately 1031 m (3383 ft) elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap1--0 to 8 cm (0 to 3 in); brown (10YR 4/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine platy structure parting to weak fine granular; slightly hard, very friable, sticky and plastic; many fine and medium roots; noneffervescent; neutral, pH 7.3; clear smooth boundary.
Ap2--8 to 20 cm (3 to 8 in); brown (10YR 4/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3), crushed, moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak medium granular; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many fine roots; noneffervescent; slightly alkaline, pH 7.4; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of Ap horizons: 13 to 28 cm [5 to 11 in])
Bt1--20 to 38 cm (8 to 15 in); brown (10YR 4/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many fine and medium roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; few faint very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay films on surfaces of peds; noneffervescent; neutral, pH 7.2; gradual smooth boundary.
Bt2--38 to 58 cm (15 to 23 in); pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many fine roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; few distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay films on surfaces of peds; noneffervescent; slightly alkaline, pH 7.5; gradual smooth boundary
Bt3--58 to 71 cm (23 to 28 in); pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine and weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common fine roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; few faint clay films on surfaces of peds; slightly effervescent (3 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline, pH 8.0; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bt horizons: 30 to 61 cm [12 to 24 in])
2Btk1--71 to 99 cm (28 to 39 in); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common fine roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; very few faint clay films on surfaces of peds; common fine and medium irregular masses of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent (5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline, pH 8.2; gradual wavy boundary.
2Btk2--99 to 119 cm (39 to 47 in); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; common fine roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; few distinct clay films on surfaces of peds; common fine and medium irregular masses of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent (4 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline, pH 8.2; gradual wavy boundary.
2Btk3--119 to 137 cm (47 to 54 in); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; common fine roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; few distinct clay films on surfaces of peds; very few distinct silt coats on surfaces of peds; common fine and medium irregular masses of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent (2 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline, pH 8.4; gradual smooth boundary
2Btk4--137 to 152 cm (54 to 60 in); pale brown (10YR 6/3) silty clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm; few fine roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; very few faint clay films on surfaces of peds; few fine and medium irregular carbonate threads and common fine and medium irregular masses of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent (12 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline, pH 8.4; gradual wavy boundary.
2Btk5--152 to 170 cm (60 to 67 in); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silty clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; very few faint clay films on surfaces of peds; common fine and medium irregular carbonate threads; violently effervescent (17 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline, pH 8.3; gradual wavy boundary.
2Btk6--170 to 183 cm (67 to 72 in); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; very few faint clay films on surfaces of peds; few medium and coarse irregular masses of calcium carbonate and few fine irregular calcium carbonate threads; strongly effervescent (14 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline, pH 8.4; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of 2Btk horizons: 0 to 132 cm [0 to 52 in])
3C--183 to 203 cm (72 to 80 in); yellow (10YR 7/6) fine sand, brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; slightly effervescent (1 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); strongly alkaline, pH 8.8.
TYPE LOCATION: Morton County, Kansas; about 6 miles south and 4 miles east of Rolla; 2300 ft (701 m) south 350 ft (107 m) west of the northeast corner of Section 9, Township 35S, Range 39W.
USGS topographic quadrangle: Rolla, KS
Latitude: 37 degrees, 1 minutes, 7 seconds N
Longitude: 101 degrees, 33 minutes, 24 seconds W
Datum: NAD83
Decimal Degrees
Latitude: 37.018611
Longitude: -101.556667
UTM Easting: 237627 m
UTM Northing: 4099993 m
UTM zone 14S
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Solum thickness: more than 203 cm (80 in)
Thickness of mollic epipedon: 25 to 48 cm (10 to 19 in)
Depth to discontinuity: 33 to 94 cm (13 to 37 in)
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 20 to 81 cm (8 to 32 in)
Depth to calcic horizon (where present): 150 to greater than 203 cm (60 to greater than 80 in)
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Silicate clay: 20 to 35 percent
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 to 5, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Effervescence: none
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Bt horizons:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 to 6, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, and clay loam
Effervescence: none or slight
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
2Btk horizons:
Hue: 7.5 YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 7, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: silt loam, clay loam, and silty clay loam
Visible calcium carbonate: 1 to 15 percent as coatings, masses, and nodules
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 20 percent
Effervescence: strong or violent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
3C horizons (where present):
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7, 4 or 6 moist
Chroma: 4 to 8
Texture: fine sand, loamy fine sandy, loamy sand, sandy loam, and fine sandy loam
Effervescence: slight or strong
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Ascalon (CO),
Bresser (CO),
Cedak (WY),
Charkiln (NV),
Critchell (CO),
Dagflat (UT),
Datil (NM),
Featherlegs (WY),
Forgan (OK),
Hargreave (WY),
Harlan (WY),
Hemingford (NE),
Hiarc (NM),
Kirtley (WY),
Lavate (UT),
Loarc (UT),
Moskee (WY),
Noden (WY),
Palmer Canyon (WY),
Recluse (WY),
Satanta (KS),
Shalona (CO),
Sitcan (CO),
Sugardee (WY),
Wages (CO), and
Wolf( WY) series.
Ascalon soils: have a control section that has more than 35 percent fine sand or coarser and more than 50 percent total sand
Bresser,
Critchell,
Lavate and
Noden soils: do not have horizons containing secondary carbonates
Cedak,
Dagflat,
Hargreave,
Hemingford,
Hiarc, and
Kirtley soils: have a lithic or paralithic contact above a depth of 100 cm (40 in)
Charkiln,
Palmer Canyon, and
Wolf soils: formed in alluvium and have gravelly textures throughout the series control section
Datil soils: formed in alluvium from volcanic rock
Featherlegs soils: have loamy skeletal horizons at a depth of 100 cm (40 in)
Forgan soils: do not have a silty discontinuity within 100 cm (40 in)
Harlan soils: are 7.5YR and redder throughout
Loarc,
Moskee,
Recluse,
Shalona, and
Sitcan soils: have base of argillic horizon at less than 100 cm (40 in)
Satanta and
Sugardee soils: contain less than 35 percent fine or coarser sand and less than 50 percent total sand, in addition Satanta series: do not have 2Bt horizons above 100 cm (40 in)
Wages soils: formed in mixed alluvium and eolian material and have a solum which are less than 38 cm (15 in) thick
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: Loamy eolian sediments and silty loess of Holocene and late Pleistocene age
Landscape: Tableland
Landform: Plains and interdunes on sand sheets
Slope: 0 to 2 percent
Soil moisture: An ustic moisture regime bordering on aridic. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 180 but less than 205 days, cumulative, in normal years. July through August and December through February are the driest months. These soils are intermittently moist in September through November and March through June.
Mean annual air temperature: 12 to 14 degrees C (53 to 57 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 381 to 584 mm (15 to 23 in)
Frost-free period: 170 to 200 days
Elevation: 750 to 1430 m (2460 to 4700 ft)
Thornthwaite annual P-E Index Values: 25 to 36
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Bigbow,
Canina,
Dalhart,
Eva,
Forgan,
Hugoton,
Lautz,
Optima,
Vorhees, and
Zella soils.
Bigbow soils: are on similar positions and have an ochric epipedon
Canina soils: are on slightly higher positions, have a fine-silty particle-size class, and an ochric epipedon
Dalhart soils: are on slightly higher positions, have an ochric epipedon, and do not have a lithologic discontinuity
Eva soils: are on higher positions, have a coarse-loamy particle-size class, and an ochric epipedon
Forgan soils: are on similar positions and do not have a lithologic discontinuity
Hugoton soils: are on similar positions and have a fine-silty particle-size class
Lautz soils: are on lower positions, have a fine particle-size class, and is moist in control section for longer periods
Optima soils: are on higher positions and have a sandy particle-size control section
Vorhees soils: are on higher positions, have an ochric epipedon, and a calcic horizon within 100 cm (40 in) of the soil surface
Zella soils: are on similar positions, have a fine particle-size class with a COLE of 6.0 cm or more to a depth of 100 cm (40 in)
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage: Well drained
Permeability: moderate
Runoff: negligible on 0 to 1 percent slopes, and low on 1 to 2 percent slopes
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Belfon soils are cultivated. Some of the acreage is irrigated. Wheat and grain sorghum are the principal dryland crops. Where irrigated, the principal crops are wheat, grain sorghum, corn, and alfalfa. Native vegetation is short and mid prairie grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwest Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle (MLRA-77A in LRR H). This soil is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Morton County, KS, 1995.
REMARKS:
Series revised as part of the SDJR initiative, (SLM 02/2016)
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 38 cm (0 to 15 in) (Ap1, Ap2, and Bt1 horizons)
Argillic horizon: 20 to 183 cm (8 to 72 in) (Bt and 2Btk horizons)
Calcic horizon: 152 to 170 cm (60 to 67 in) (2Btk5 horizon)
Lithologic discontinuity: The zone from 71 to 203 cm (28 to 80 in) (2Btk and 3C horizons)
ADDITIONAL DATA: KSSL lab data available, S1993KS129002, S1993KS129008 (Morton County, KS); S1992OK139005 (Texas County, OK).
Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.