LOCATION BREIEN NDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, frigid Mollic Ustifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Breien fine sandy loam. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. Where described, the soil was moist to 10 inches.)
Ap--0 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
C1--6 to 10 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) stratified fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 1/2 inch to 1 1/4 inch thick strata of loam and loamy fine sand; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
C2--10 to 15 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) stratified fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inch thick strata of loam, very fine sandy loam and sandy loam; slightly alkaline; clear irregular boundary.
C3--15 to 22 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) stratified loamy fine sand, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to single grain; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; thin strata of sand; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
C4--22 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) stratified fine sand, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Grant County, North Dakota; one mile south of Shields; 1020 feet west and 380 feet south of the northeast corner, sec. 36, T. 132 N., R. 84 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to carbonates is more than 10 inches. The depth to sand or loamy fine sand is 14 to 20 inches. Some pedons contain one or more layers of very fine sand, loam, or finer materials. Some pedons have thin layers of gravel.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is fine sandy loam or loam. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 6 and 2 to 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. Values of 5 or less dry and 3 or less moist usually are in the upper part. The C horizon is fine sandy loam, fine sand, loamy fine sand, loamy sand or sand. Where fine sandy loam is present it is in the upper 4 to 15 inches only. The C horizon may also have strata of loam, very fine sandy loam or sandy loam. It is neutral to moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in the same family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Breien soils are on flood plains and low terraces. Slope gradients range from 0 to 3 percent, but are generally less than 2 percent. The soil formed in stratified sandy and loamy alluvium. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 38 degrees to 45 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation from 15 to 16 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Banks, Havrelon, Straw, Trembles and Velva soils. Banks soils are on levees next to the stream channel. Havrelon, Straw, Trembles and Velva soils are on adjoining flood plains. Banks soils do not have a dark colored surface layer more than 6 inches thick and have carbonates at depths of less than 10 inches. Havrelon and Trembles soils are fine-loamy and coarse-loamy respectively. Straw soils are fine-loamy. Velva soils are coarse-loamy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained, slow or very slow runoff. Moderately rapid over rapid permeability. Breien soils are flooded. Flooding is most common in the spring following rapid snowmelt. Some areas are protected from flooding.
USE AND VEGETATION: Soils are cropped to small grain, hay and corn. Some are irrigated. They are also used for range and pasture. Native vegetation is western wheatgrass, big bluestem, green needlegrass, forbs and sedges.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: On flood plains along major streams in central and western North Dakota. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Grant County, North Dakota, 1985.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: irregular decrease in organic-carbon with depth - stratifications throughout C horizon (see remark below); mollic subgroup criteria - Ap horizon with values of 3 moist and 4 dry.
Pedon S80ND037-83, the typical pedon, has an average of 48 percent fine and coarser sand in the 15 inches of loamy material. The 15 to 40 inch section has 72.1 percent fine sand and coarser and 75.2 percent in the 15 to 60 inch section. The typical pedon does not show an irregular decrease in organic-carbon as sampled, however, it is stratified and OC would be expected to vary if sampled in smaller increments.