LOCATION BOWBELLS ND+MT SDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Bowbells loam - on a south-facing concave 3 percent slope in native grass. (Colors for dry soil unless otherwise stated. Where described the soil was moist throughout.)
A--0 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium prismatic and moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to strong fine granular; slightly hard, friable; many roots; many fine pores; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (5 to l5 inches thick)
Bt1--6 to 14 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; hard, friable; common fine roots; many fine pores; faint very dark brown (10YR 2/2 moist) clay films on faces of peds; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt2--14 to 23 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; hard, friable; common fine roots; common fine pores; faint clay films on faces of prisms and blocks; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (Combined Bt horizons 6 to 28 inches thick)
Bk--23 to 36 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable; few fine roots; common fine masses of carbonates; violent effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (7 to 30 inches thick)
C--36 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; massive but fractures into weak laminar and fine subangular blocks characteristic of glacial till; hard, firm; few fine masses of carbonates; few stones; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Ward County, North Dakota; about 3 miles west of Douglas; 2,040 feet south and 365 feet west of the northeast corner, sec. 32, T. 151 N., R. 85 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soil commonly has 1 to 10 percent rock fragments. The mollic epipedon typically is more than 20 inches thick. A flooded phase is recognized.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma greater than 1.5. It is loam, silt loam, or clay loam. It is slightly acid to neutral.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 6 and 2 to 4 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. Faint or distinct redox features are in the lower part of the Bt horizon in some pedons. It typically is clay loam, but some is loam. It is slightly acid to slightly alkaline. The Bt horizon has strong or moderate prismatic structure parting to moderate or strong medium and fine blocky. Faces of peds have faint or distinct clay films and organic stains. Some pedons have a Bw horizon below the Bt horizon.
The Bk horizon has masses of carbonates and 10 to 20 percent calcium carbonate equivalent. It occurs at depths of 18 to over 36 inches. It has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7 and 3 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam or clay loam. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. It is mottled in some pedons. Some pedons have a BCk horizon.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7 and 3 to 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam or clay loam glacial till which is massive or has weak blocky and laminar structure. It has coarser textures below 40 inches in some pedons. Segregated carbonates, gypsum crystals, and iron and lignite spots are in the C horizon in many pedons. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Center Creek, Detra, Flaxton, Hereford, Hesperus and Schauson series. Center Creek soils have very gravelly 2C horizons. Detra soils have hues redder than 10YR. Flaxton soils have less than 18 percent clay in the upper part of the profile. Hereford soils are dry for at least 15 consecutive days during the spring and early summer. Hesperus and Schauson soils do not have Bk horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bowbells soils are on level to moderately sloping, slightly concave position on glacial till plains and moraines. Slope gradients commonly are less than 2 percent but range from 0 to 9 percent. The soils formed in calcareous glacial till and local alluvium from till. The climate is cool, semiarid with long cold winters and short warm summers. The mean annual temperature ranges from 38 to 45 degrees F, and the mean annual precipitation ranges from l2 to 19 inches, most of which falls in the spring and summer.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Arnegard, Grail, Hamerly, Max, Niobell, Noonan, Parnell, Tonka, Williams and Zahl soils. Arnegard and Grail soils are in swales and concave positions adjacent to Bowbells soils. Arnegard soils do not have argillic horizons and Grail soils have fine textured Bt horizons. Hamerly soils are near edges of basins and have calcic horizons within 16 inches of the surface. Max and Zahl soils commonly are on steeper slopes and do not have argillic horizons. Niobell and Noonan soils are on nearby till plains and have natric horizons. Parnell and Tonka soils are in basins and have fine textured Bt horizons. Williams soils are on convex positions of the till plain and have a mollic epipedon less than 16 inches thick.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well and moderately well drained. Runoff isnegligible to medium depending on slope. Moderate permeability in the upper part and moderately slow or slow permeability in the substratum. The nearly level areas are subject to some overflow from surrounding slopes.
USE AND VEGETATION: Soils are cropped to small grains. Some is used for hay and pasture. Native vegetation was green needlegrass, western wheatgrass, porcupinegrass, bearded wheatgrass and big bluestem.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. The series is extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ward County, North Dakota, 1972.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 23 inches (A, Bt1, and Bt2 horizons); argillic horizon - zone from 6 to 23 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory sample numbers 48-ND-7-3, S58ND-7-6 and SU72ND-28-2.