LOCATION CLITHERALL MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Oxyaquic Argiudolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Clitherall coarse sandy loam on a convex slope of 2 percent in a cultivated field on a till plain. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 11 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) coarse sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common very fine and fine roots, about 5 percent gravel; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
Bt1--11 to 16 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) coarse sandy loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common continuous faint brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds and few discontinuous distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; common discontinuous very pale brown (10YR 7/3) fine sand and silt coatings on faces on peds; few very fine and fine roots; about 10 percent gravel; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--16 to 23 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) gravelly loamy coarse sand; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; many very thick continuous distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) and many continuous faint dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films between and on sand grains and gravel; few very fine and fine roots; about 17 percent gravel; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bt3--23 to 30 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) gravelly coarse sandy loam; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; many continuous faint very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay films on faces of peds; about 16 percent gravel; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 10 to 30 inches)
Bw--30 to 45 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) gravelly sand; single grain; loose; common coarse distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) Fe depletions and common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) Fe concentrations; about 18 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
2Btk--45 to 52 inches; olive (5Y 5/3) loam; strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine and medium distinct dark gray (5Y 4/1) Fe depletions and common fine prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) Fe concentrations; few patchy prominent very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) clay films in root channels and pores; common calcium carbonate coatings on ped faces; about 5 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
2Bk--52 to 64 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) sandy loam; strong medium and thick platy structure parting to weak fine subangular; friable; patchy prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) Fe stains on faces of peds; few fine prominent dark gray (5Y 4/1) Fe depletions; common calcium carbonate coatings on faces of peds; about 5 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 24 inches thick)
2C--64 to 80 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) sandy loam; massive parting to strong medium and coarse platy like soil aggregates; friable; patchy prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) Fe stains on faces of peds; few fine distinct grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) Fe depletions; few calcium carbonate coatings on faces of peds; about 5 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Otter Tail County, Minnesota; about 7 miles north and 1 mile west of New York Mills; 325 feet south and 2,700 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 6, T. 136 N., R. 37 W., USGS New York Mills NW quadrangle; latitude 46 degrees 37 minutes 42 seconds N. and longitude 95 degrees 23 minutes 48 seconds W., NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon ranges from 8 to 16 inches thick. Depth to free carbonates ranges from 24 to 40 inches. Thickness of the upper outwash sediments ranges from 40 to 60 inches. The soil moisture control section is not dry in any part for as long as 90 cumulative days in most years.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 1 or 2. It is typically sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or coarse sandy loam but includes loam, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand. Rock fragments make up 1 to 10 percent, by volume, mostly of gravel size. The reaction is moderately acid to neutral. Some pedons have an E horizon as much as 6 inches thick. It has hue of 10YR, value of 3 through 5 and chroma of 2 or 3. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand. The reaction is moderately acid to neutral.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 through 5 and chroma of 3 through 6. It is typically sandy loam, fine sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, or their gravelly analogues. Included are subhorizons that are sandy clay loam, loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, loam, or their gravelly analogues. The Bt horizon averages between 8 to 18 percent clay and 55 to 75 sand. Rock fragments make up 5 to 35 percent, by volume, mostly gravel in size. The reaction is moderately acid to neutral.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, sand, coarse sand, or their gravelly analogues. Rock fragments make up 10 to 35 percent, by volume, mostly gravel in size. The reaction is slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
Some pedons have a Bk horizon,
The 2Btk or 2Bk horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam or loam. Rock fragments make up 1 to 10 percent, by volume, mostly gravel in size. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The 2C horizons have hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam. Rock fragments make up 1 to 10 percent, by volume, mostly gravel in size. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Langola, Linveldt, Nereson, and Oylen series. Langola soils have dense till in the lower third of the series control section with a bulk density exceeding 1.80 g/cc. Linveldt soils are underlain by glacial till that averages more than 18 percent clay. Nereson soils do not have sandy textures in the series control section. Oylen soils do not have loamy textures in the lower third of the series control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Clitherall soils are on sideslopes, toeslopes, headslopes, or in swales on till plains and glacial lake terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. They formed in 40 to 60 inches of outwash sediments and underlying loamy glacial till. These materials are of Late Wisconsinan age. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 38 to 42 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 22 to 28 inches. Frost-free days range from 90 to 140 days. Elevation is 1200 to 1550 feet above sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Brandsvold, Dorset, Kandota, Knute, Nitche, Oylen, and Verndale soils. Brandsvold soils are poorly drained and are in deeper concave positions. Dorset and Verndale soils are well drained and are not underlain by glacial till on similar positions in the landscape. Kandota and Knute soils formed entirely in glacial till. Nitche soils are higher lying and are well drained. Oylen soils have similar positions but do not have loamy glacial till underlying material.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Runoff is slow. Permeability is moderately rapid to rapid in the outwash mantle and moderate in the glacial till. The depth to an apparent water table ranges from 2.5 to 4 feet from October through March in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Commonly cropped to small grains, corn, or hay. Native vegetation is tall prairie grasses and scattered forests of oak and quaking aspen.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West central Minnesota. This series is of minor extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Otter Tail County, Minnesota, 1996.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the soil surface to 11 inches (Ap horizon); argillic horizon - the zone from 11 to 30 inches (Bt horizons); aquic subgroup - bases upon the 2 chroma or less redox depletions within the upper 40 inches; udic moisture regime.
In the past this soil was mapped as Oylen, till substratum.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record Number MN00761