LOCATION BOTTINEAU ND

Established Series
CJH
07/2015

BOTTINEAU SERIES

The Bottineau series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately slowly permeable soils that formed in loamy glacial till. These soils are on uplands and have slopes ranging from 0 to 25 percent. Mean annual temperature is 40 degrees F, and the mean annual precipitation is 18 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Alfic Argiudolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Bottineau loam - under mixed deciduous trees and grass vegetation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated)

0i--0 to 2 inches; undecomposed leaves and twigs; clear smooth boundary.

A--2 to 9 inches; black (10YR 2/1) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine and medium granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common uncoated sand grains on faces of peds; slightly acid; clear irregular boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)

Bt1--9 to 15 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; strong fine and medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common faint clay films on faces of peds; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic coatings; many uncoated sand grains on faces of peds; slightly acid; clear irregular boundary.

Bt2--15 to 20 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak medium prismatic structure parting to strong fine and medium angular blocky; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic coatings; common uncoated sand grains on faces of peds; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Bt3--20 to 27 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to strong fine and medium angular blocky; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; common uncoated sand grains on faces of peds; about 2 percent gravel; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (Combined Bt horizons 7 to 24 inches thick)

Btk--27 to 45 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) clay loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; weak very coarse prismatic structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common faint clay films on faces of peds; about 5 percent gravel; common fine irregularly shaped soft masses of carbonates; violent effervescence; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 24 inches thick)

C--45 to 60 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) clay loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; massive; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; about 7 percent gravel; common fine irregularly shaped soft masses of carbonates; strong effervescence; slightly alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Rolette County, North Dakota; about 4 miles east and 0.4 miles north of San Haven; 1,900 feet north and 50 feet east of the southwest corner, sec. 14, T. 162 N., R. 72 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon ranges from 7 to 16 inches in thickness and typically includes the upper part of the argillic horizon. The soil contains up to 10 percent by volume of coarse fragments throughout. Depth to carbonates is greater than 10 inches. Uncoated sand grains are on faces of peds in the Bt horizon and commonly the A horizon.

The Oi horizon is less than 3 inches thick. In some pedons it is not present due to removal of trees and cultivation.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3 and 3 or 4 dry, and chroma of 1. It is loam or clay loam. It is slightly acid or moderately acid. Some pedons have a BE horizon.

The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 to 5 and 4 to 6 dry, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is loam or clay loam averaging between 22 and 35 percent clay. It is slightly acid or slightly alkaline. Some pedons have a Bw horizon.

The Btk horizon has hue of 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 and 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam or clay loam. Soft masses and threads of carbonates are common. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Some pedons have Bk or BCk horizons.

The C horizon has colors and textures similar to the Btk horizon. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Chapett series. The Chapett series has less than 18 percent clay throughout.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bottineau soils are on level to hilly uplands. Slopes range from 0 to 25 percent. The soils formed in loamy glacial till. The climate is subhumid with warm summer and long cold winters. Mean annual temperature ranges from 37 to 45 degrees F, and the mean annual precipitation ranges from 17 to 23 inches. Frost-free period ranges from 100 to 120 days and elevation ranges from 1000 to 2500 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Aastad, Buse, Eramosh, Kelvin, Parnell, Rolla, and Tonka soils. Aastad soils have a mollic epipedon greater than 16 inches thick. Buse soils do not have an argillic horizon and have carbonates within a depth of 7 inches. Buse soils are higher and Aastad soils are lower on the landscape than the Bottineau soils. Rolla soils are on nearby collapsed lake plains and are clayey. Eramosh soils are in fens and Parnell and Tonka soils are in potholes; all three soils are ponded during part of the growing season.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is negligible to high depending on slope. Moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: The soils are primarily used for woodland pasture or wildlife habitat. Some areas are used for the production of timber. Native vegetation is bur oak, American elm, green ash, and quaking aspen with numerous shrubs and a nearly continuous grass cover. A few areas have been cleared and used for small grains, alfalfa or native hay.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern North Dakota. The soil is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bottineau County, North Dakota, 1960.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 13 inches (A and Bt1 horizons); argillic horizon - the zone from 7 to 25 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons); alfic subgroup criteria - clean sand grains on ped faces in upper argillic horizon (Bt1 horizon).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.