LOCATION CARLSON KSEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Carlson silt loam - on a 2 percent east-facing slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 8 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; hard, friable; few fine roots; few open pores; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
BA--8 to 12 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm; few fine roots; few worm casts; few open pores; mildly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
Bt--12 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm; few fine roots; few open pores; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (4 to 14 inches thick)
2Bk--18 to 23 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm; few fine roots; few open pores; common carbonate concretions and soft masses of carbonates; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
2C--23 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; hard, friable; common open pores; few soft white masses of carbonates; violent effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Ellis County, Kansas; 1/2 mile west and 6 miles north of Ellis; 600 feet east and 2040 feet north of the southwest corner, sec. 8, T. 12 S., R. 20 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum ranges from 18 to 36 inches. Depth to free carbonates in the form of films, threads, or soft masses ranges from 12 to 24 inches. The mollic epipedon is 8 to 20 inches thick.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 or 2. It commonly is silt loam and less commonly loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam. It ranges from slightly acid to mildly alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 to 6 and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. This horizon is silty clay loam, clay loam, or silty clay. It is 35 to 45 percent clay. It ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline.
The 2Bk horizon contains 20 to 40 percent by volume of carbonates in the form of soft masses. The upper boundary of the 2Bk horizon is within 30 inches of the surface.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 to 8 and 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is silty clay loam, clay loam, or loam. In a few pedons it is loamy sand or sandy loam below a depth of 40 inches.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Beadle, Harney, Kirley, McClure, Mento, Peno, Raber, Reliance, and Spearville series in the same family and the Campus, Penden, and Wakeen soils. Beadle, Kirley, McClure, Peno, and Raber soils contain less carbonates in the C horizon. In addition, Beadle, Peno, and Raber soils formed in glacial till. Harney, Reliance, and Spearville soils formed in loess and lacked old alluvial sediment above depths of 40 inches. Mento soils have 5 to 15 percent exchangeable sodium in the B and C horizons. Campus, Penden, and Wakeen soils lack an argillic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Carlson soils are on uplands that have a plane or convex surface. The slope gradient ranges from 0 to 7 percent. The soils formed in loess over calcareous old alluvial deposits. Mean annual temperature ranges from 52 to 57 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation ranges from 18 to 25 inches. Thornthwaite Annual P-E Index ranges from 32 to 42.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Armo, Campus, Eltree, and Harney soils. Armo, Campus, and Eltree soils are on lower positions in the landscapes. Harney soils commonly are on slightly higher positions. Armo and Eltree are less clayey than Carlson soils and lack an argillic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is slow or medium. Permeability is moderately slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Carlson soils are cultivated. Winter wheat and grain sorghum are the principal crops. Some of the more sloping areas are in native range. Native vegetation is tall and mid grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Kansas. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Saline County, Kansas, 1952.