LOCATION CEDARPAN ND

Established Series
TMC-ARG-CJH
01/2023

CEDARPAN SERIES

The Cedarpan series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in alluvium. Permeability is very slow. These soils are on upland drainage divides and have slopes ranging from 0 to 35 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 42 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 15 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, smectitic, frigid, shallow Natric Durustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Cedarpan loam - on a 1 percent northeast facing plane slope in rangeland (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)

A--0 to 4 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky and weak medium granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots throughout; 18 percent clay; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)

BE--4 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine platy; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout; 18 percent clay; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 7 inches thick)

Btn--9 to 15 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong medium columnar structure parting to strong fine angular blocky; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine roots throughout; common very fine low continuity tubular pores; 44 percent clay; many prominent continuous clay films throughout; slightly alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)

2Bqm--15 to 26 inches; indurated silicrete; slightly alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary; fine-earth fraction is grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; this fraction makes up about 5 percent of the horizon; roots are in fissures. (6 to 15 inches)

3Btn--26 to 35 inches; gray (2.5Y 5/1) silty clay, dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) moist; strong fine angular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many prominent continuous clay films throughout; common irregular medium masses of silica; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

3Btny--35 to 45 inches; gray (2.5Y 6/1) silty clay, gray (2.5Y 5/1) moist; strong fine angular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common continuous prominent clay films throughout; common medium irregular masses of silica pedogenic throughout; common coarse rounded nests of gypsum pedogenic throughout; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined 3Btn horizons 15 to 50 inches thick)

3BC--45 to 54 inches; gray (2.5Y 6/1) silty clay, gray (2.5Y 5/1) moist; massive; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common medium irregular masses of silica pedogenic throughout; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)

3Cy--54 to 80 inches; gray (2.5Y 6/1) silty clay, gray (2.5Y 5/1) moist; massive; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common fine rounded nests of gypsum pedogenic throughout; common medium irregular masses of silica pedogenic throughout; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Billings County, North Dakota; 1,500 feet east and 550 feet south of the northwest corner, sec. 27, T. 143 N., R. 99 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Mollic thickness - 7 to 16 inches

Depth to Bqm - 10 to 20 inches

A horizon - Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR

Value: 4 or 5 (3 moist)

Chroma: 2 or 3

Texture: silt loam or loam

Clay content: 15 to 25 percent

Reaction - slightly acid or neutral

BE horizon - Hue 10YR

Value: 5 or 6 (3 to 5 moist)

Chroma: 2 or 3

Texture: silt loam or loam

Clay content: 15 to 27 percent

Reaction - slightly acid or neutral

Some pedons have an E or AE horizon.

Btn horizon - Hue 7.5YR 10YR or 2.5Y

Value: 4 to 7 (3 to 6 moist)

Chroma: 2 to 4

Texture: silty clay, clay, clay loam or silty clay loam

Clay content: 35 to 45 percent

Reaction - slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

Some pedons have a Btkn or Btkny horizon.

2Bqm horizon

Percent fine earth fraction: 1 to 10

Fine earth fraction:
Hue 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 (3 or 4 moist)
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: silty clay or silty clay loam

Reaction - slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

3Btn horizon - Hue 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y or neutral

Value: 5 to 8 (4 to 7 moist)

Chroma: 0 to 3

Texture: silty clay, silty clay loam or clay

Reaction - slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

Some pedons have a 3Btkn or 3Btkny horizon.

3BC horizon - Hue 2.5Y, 5Y or neutral

Value: 6 to 8 (5 to 7 moist)

Chroma: 0 to 2

Texture - silty clay

Reaction - slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

Some pedons have a 3BCy horizon.

3Cy horizon: Hue 2.5Y, 5Y or neutral

Value: 6 to 8 (5 to 7 moist)

Chroma: 0 to 3

Texture: silty clay or silty clay loam

Reaction - slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

The horizon does not have gypsum in some pedons.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:

Landform - upland drainage divides

Elevation - 2,000 to 3,000 feet

Slope - 0 to 35 percent

Parent material - alluvium

Climate - cool, with long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers

Mean annual precipitation - 14 to 16 inches.

Mean annual air temperature - 40 to 45 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Arnegard, Amor, Cabba, Daglum, Dogtooth, Farfeld, Farnuf, Janesburg, Lefor, Parshall, Reeder, Regent, Wyola, Tally, Vebar and Wayden soils. Arnegard and Parshall soils are in swales. They do not have a natric horizon and are very deep. Amor, Tally and Vebar soils are on side slopes. They do not have a natric horizon. Cabba and Wayden soils are on knobs and ridges. They have soft bedrock at depths of 10 to 20 inches and do not have a natric horizon. Daglum, Dogtooth, Janesburg and Farfeld soils are intermixed with the Cedarpan soil. Daglum, Janesburg and Dogtooth soils have soft bedrock below a depth of 20 inches. Farfeld soils do not have a natric horizon. Farnuf, Lefor, Reeder, Regent and Wyola soils are on fans. They do not have a natric horizon and do not have a duripan within 20 inches of the surface.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is very slow.

USE AND VEGETATION: Cedarpan soils are used for rangeland. The potential native vegetation is mainly western wheatgrass and blue grama.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern North Dakota. Cedarpan soils are of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Salina, Kansas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Billings County, North Dakota, 1998.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 15 inches (A, BE and Btn horizons); natric horizon - the zone from 9 to 15 inches (Btn horizon); duripan - the zone from 15 to 26 inches (Bqm horizon); particle-size control section - the zone from 9 to 15 inches (Btn horizon).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.