LOCATION BELFIELD ND+MT SD
Established Series
Rev. FWW-CJH
01/2023
BELFIELD SERIES
The Belfield series consists of deep and very deep, well or moderately well drained slowly permeable soils formed in alkaline, calcareous residuum or alluvium on uplands, flats, terraces and in swales. Slope ranges from 0 to 9 percent. Mean annual air temperature is 43 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is 15 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Glossic Natrustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Belfield silty clay loam with a 1 percent slope in native grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
A--0 to 9 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate very fine subangular blocky; very hard, friable; many roots; many very fine pores; common uncoated sand grains on faces of peds; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
E/B--9 to 12 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium platy which parts to strong very fine subangular blocky; very hard, friable; many roots; many very fine pores; thin light gray (10YR 7/1) uncoated sand grains on top of plates and discontinuous on bottom of plates; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined E, E/B, and B/E horizons 2 to 6 inches thick)
Btn1--12 to 17 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; strong medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium and fine angular blocky; extremely hard, friable; common roots; many very fine pores; faint continuous clay films on faces of peds; common uncoated sand grains in the upper part and few in the lower part; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
Btn2--17 to 24 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and fine subangular blocky; very hard, friable; few roots; many fine pores; faint clay films of olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (Combined Btn horizons 6 to 24 inches thick)
Bk1--24 to 31 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; very hard, friable; few roots; many fine and very fine pores; common threads and masses of carbonates; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Bk2--31 to 43 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) and pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, friable; many fine pores; many threads and masses of carbonates; violent effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined Bk horizons 0 to 36 inches thick)
C--43 to 60 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) clay loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; massive; very hard, friable; many fine pores; violent effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Stark County, North Dakota; 2320 feet east and 235 feet north of the southwest corner, sec. 36, T. 137 N., R. 98 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon ranges from 7 to 30 inches in thickness and in many pedons includes all or part of the Btn horizon. The depth to carbonates ranges from 15 to 55 inches. The substratum, below depths of 36 inches, typically is alkaline local alluvium or partially weathered soft siltstone, shale or sandstone. Saline phases are recognized.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It commonly is silt loam or silty clay loam, but some is loam or clay loam. It is slightly acid or neutral.
The E/B horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 3 to 7 and 2 to 5 moist, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is sandy loam to silty clay. It is neutral or slightly acid. Some pedons have E or B/E horizons with the same properties as the E/B horizon.
The Btn horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 7 and 2 to 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is silty clay, silty clay loam, clay or clay loam averaging 35 to 45 percent clay. Clay films are faint and distinct on faces of peds. It is neutral to moderately alkaline. Some pedons have Btkn horizons.
The Bk horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 5 to 8 and 4 to 7 moist, and chroma of 1 to 4. It is loam, clay loam, silty clay loam or silty clay. It is slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline. Some pedons have BCk or BC horizons. Some pedons have Bky or Bkz horizons below a depth of 20 inches.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 5 to 8 and 4 to 7 moist, and chroma of 1 to 4. It typically is silty clay loam or clay loam, but some are loam, clay, or silty clay. Some pedons are fine sandy loam below 40 inches. It is moderately or strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the
Lennep series. Lennep soils have Btn horizons that average 50 to 60 percent clay.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Belfield soils are on level and nearly level terraces, flats and upland swales and on nearly level to moderately sloping uplands. Slopes from 1 to 4 percent are most common, but slope ranges from 0 to 9 percent. The soils formed in alkaline, calcareous residuum, or alluvium mainly of tertiary origin. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 13 to 18 inches, and mean annual air temperature ranges from 39 to 45 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Amor,
Daglum,
Farland,
Grail,
Lawther,
Moreau,
Morton,
Regent,
Rhoades,
Wyola,
Sen and
Shambo soils. None of the associated soils, except Daglum and Rhoades soils, have natric horizons. Amor, Moreau, Morton, Regent and Sen soils are adjacent to Belfield soils on uplands. Farland, Wyola and Shambo soils are adjacent to Belfield soils on terraces. Grail and Lawther soils are adjacent to Belfield soils in upland swales. Daglum and Rhoades soils occupy similar positions as Belfield soils. They have strong columnar structure. In addition, Rhoades soils have visible salts or gypsum within a depth of 16 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well or moderately well drained. Runoff is negligible to medium depending on slope and surface texture. Permeability is slow. A seasonal high water table is at a depth of 3.5 to 5.0 feet at some time during the period of April through June in the moderately well drained phase. It is at a depth of 4 to more than 6 feet during the same period in the well drained phase.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cropped to small grains. Some are used for hay or pasture. Native vegetation is mid and short prairie grasses such as western wheatgrass, blue grama, and green needlegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern North Dakota, northwestern South Dakota, and eastern Montana. The soil is extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Salina, Kansas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Stark County, North Dakota, 1965.
REMARKS: Revised 4/95.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 9 inches (A horizon); glossic characteristics - E/B horizon and uncoated sand grains in upper Btn1 horizon; natric horizon - the zone from 12 to 24 inches (Btn1 and Btn2 horizons).
ADDITIONAL DATA: North Dakota Agricultural Station Laboratory Data Nos. S61ND-45-1, S61ND-45-4, S61ND-45-5, and S61ND-45-9.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.