LOCATION CARTHAGE SDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Pachic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Carthage sandy loam - on a plain slope of less than 1 percent in cultivated field. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 8 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) fine sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; slightly hard, friable; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
A2--8 to 20 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) fine sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; slightly hard, very friable; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined A horizons is 15 to 23 inches thick.)
Bw--20 to 27 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) fine sandy loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 27 inches thick)
C--27 to 32 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loamy fine sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; few fine faint dark brown (10YR 3/3) and dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) redox concentrations; single grained; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
2Ck--32 to 40 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; common fine and medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) and (10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; massive; slightly hard, friable; few fine dark concretions (Fe and Mn oxides); common fine accumulations of carbonate; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.
2C--40 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) and light gray (2.5Y 7/2) clay loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist; fine and medium prominent of yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) and (10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; massive; slightly hard, friable; few fine dark concretions (Fe and Mn oxides); few fine accumulations of carbonate; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Beadle County, South Dakota; about 3 miles north and 6.5 miles east of Huron; 405 feet south and 55 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 20, T. 111 N., R. 60 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the mollic epipedon and depth to carbonates ranges from 20 to 40 inches. These soils formed in loamy materials overlying loam or clay loam glacial drift or till at depths typically between 24 and 36 inches, but ranges from 20 to 40 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 through 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 or 2. It typically is fine sandy loam, but is loam or sandy loam in some pedons. It is slightly acid or neutral.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5 and 2 to 4 moist, and chroma of 1 to 4. It typically is fine sandy loam, but is sandy loam in some pedons. It is slightly acid or neutral.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6 and 3 to 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It typically is loamy fine sandy or loamy sand but is fine sandy loam or sandy loam in some pedons. It ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline. It has few or common, faint, or distinct redoxomorphic features and has carbonates in some pedons.
Some pedons have Bk or 2Bk horizons.
The 2C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7 and 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It typically is loam or clay loam but has thin layers of stratified loam to fine sand in some pedons. It is mildly or moderately alkaline. Redoxomorphic features range from few to many, and are faint to prominent. Most pedons have an accumulations of carbonate in the upper part of the 2C horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Blendon, Paoli, and Vetal soils. Blendon, Paoli, and Vetal soils lack loamy contrasting substrata within depths of 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Carthage soils are on nearly level to gently sloping glacial plains. Surfaces are plane or concave and slope gradients range from 0 to 9 percent. The soil formed in loamy sediments overlying loam or clay loam glacial till or drift. Mean annual air temperature is 45 to 50 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is 17 to 23 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Blendon soils and the Clarno, Doger, Elsmere, Fedora, Forestburg, Hand, and Houdek soils. Blendon, Doger, and Forestburg soils are in similar landscapes. Doger soils are sandy and Forestburg soils are sandy over loamy. The Clarno, Hand, and Houdek soils are fine-loamy and formed in glacial till or drift. They are on ridges and knobs in nearby landscapes. Elsmere soils are wetter and in lower positions. Fedora soils have calcic horizons and are in swales and drainageways.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Runoff is neglible to low depending on slope. Permeability is moderately rapid in the solum and moderately slow in the underlying material. A temporary water table is at depths of 3 to 4 feet in early spring of most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cropped to corn, small grain, and alfalfa. Native vegetation includes big bluestem, needleandthread, little bluestem, blue grama, prairie sandreed, sedges, and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central South Dakota. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Beadle County, South Dakota, 1976.