LOCATION BELFORE NEEstablished Series
The Belfore series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in loess on uplands and stream terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 4 percent. The mean annual precipitation is
about 28 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 50 degrees F at the type location.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Udic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Belfore silty clay loam with a slope of less than 2 percent in a cultivated field. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine and very fine granular structure; soft, friable; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary.
A--7 to 14 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine and medium granular; slightly hard, friable; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined A horizon is 10 to 20 inches thick.)
Bt1--14 to 19 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky; hard, firm; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 11 inches thick)
Bt2--19 to 25 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, firm; thin continuous coatings on faces of peds; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
Bw-- 25 to 39 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silty clay loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist and light gray (10YR 7/2) moist mottles; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; hard, firm; thin continuous coatings on faces of peds; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
BC--39 to 48 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) silty clay loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist, and light gray (10YR 7/2) moist, mottles; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate coarse subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)
C1--48 to 55 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) silty clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; few medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist and light gray (10YR 7/2) moist mottles; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
C2--55 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) silty clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; few medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist and light gray (10YR 7/2) moist mottles; massive; slightly hard, friable; slightly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Cuming County, Nebraska; about 8 miles north and 3 miles east of West Point; 1050 feet east and 100 feet north of the southwest corner, Sec. 17, T. 23 N., R. 7 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Ustic moisture regime bordering on udic.
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 50 to >60 inches
Depth to cambic horizon: 10 to 20 inches
Thickness of the solum: 33 to 60 inches
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 10 to 20 inches
Particle-size control section (weighted average): silty clay loam to silty clay
Clay content: 35 to 43 percent
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 or 4 (dry) 2 or 3 (moist)
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: silty clay loam, but ranges to include silt loam
Clay content: 24 to 39 percent
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
Bt horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 (dry) 4 or 5 (moist)
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: silty clay, but ranges to include silty clay loam
Clay content: 35 to 43 percent
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
Bw and BC horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6 (dry) 4 or 5 (moist)
Chroma: 3 or 4
Redoximorphic features: hue 10YR, value 5 or 6 chroma 2 or 6
Note: Mottles are not indicative of present wetness conditions.
Texture: silty clay loam, but ranges to include silt loam
Clay content: 35 to 43 percent
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
C horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: of 6 or 7 (dry) 5 or 6 (moist)
Chroma: 2 to 4
Redoximorphic features: hue 10YR, value 5 or 6 chroma 2 or 6
Texture: silty clay loam or silt loam
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline
Note: Some pedons contain fine, dark brown or black concretions.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Belfore soils
Parent material: loess
Landform: Upland interfluves and loess covered stream terraces
Slopes: 0 to 4 percent
Elevation: 1000 to 2000 feet
Mean annual temperature: 49 to 52 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 24 to 30 inches
Frost-free period: 140 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Moody soils are fine-silty and on similar landscapes and side slopes.
Nora soils are fine silty and on side slopes.
Crofton soils are fine-silty, on side slopes and do not have a mollic epipedon.
Fillmore soils are in depressions and have an E horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage: Well drained
Permeability: Moderately slow
Surface runoff: Slow or medium
USE AND VEGETATION: Belfore soils are mostly cropped to corn, soybeans, and alfalfa. Small grains and sorghum account for a small acreage.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Belfore soils occur in northeast Nebraska; LRR M Central Feed Grains and Livestock Region, MLRA 102B Loess Uplands and Till Plains; they are of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Nance County, Nebraska, 1958.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
mollic epipedon--the zone from 0 to 14 inches (Ap and A horizons);
cambic horizon--the zone from 14 to 39 inches (the Bt1, Bt2 and Bw horizons).
Note: The classification of these soils is in question and need further study. Some
believe they would better classify as Argiustolls, possibly in the Udertic subgroup.
Added Frost Free Period to Geographic Setting.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data are available for the typical pedon and are recorded as sample S55NE20-1 in Soil Survey Laboratory Data and Descriptions for Some Soils in Nebraska, (Soil Survey Investigations Report No. 5, pages 10 and 11).