LOCATION CLONTARF MN+NDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Hapludolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Clontarf sandy loam, on a plane slope of 1 percent, on a glacial lake plain, in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; black (10YR 2/1) sandy loam; dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak fine granular structure; friable; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.
A--7 to 15 inches; black (10YR 2/1) sandy loam; dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of A horizons is 16 to 34 inches.)
Bw1--15 to 22 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) crushed and dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) coats on ped faces; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
Bw2--22 to 25 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) sandy loam; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine distinct grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) Fe depletions and light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) Fe concentrations; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 6 to 30 inches thick)
2C1--25 to 40 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) sand; single grain; loose; common fine distinct grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) Fe depletions and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) Fe concentrations; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
2C2--40 to 80 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) sand; single grain; loose; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) Fe concentrations and pale brown (10YR 6/3) Fe depletions; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Swift County, Minnesota; 3 miles northwest of Benson; 600 feet south and 150 feet west of the northeast corner of section 25, T. 122 N., R. 41 W.; USGS Clontarf South quadrangle; lat. 45 degrees 21 minutes 11 seconds N. and long. 95 degrees 44 minutes 55 seconds W., NAD83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to free carbonates is 40 to 80 inches. The mollic epipedon ranges from 16 to 34 inches in thickness. The depth to loamy fine sand or coarser is over 25 inches. These soils typically lack coarse fragments but some pedons have up to 15 percent in the 2C horizons.
The Ap and A horizons have hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 1 or 2. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam or loam. It is slightly acid or neutral.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 through 3. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam or loam. It is slightly acid through slightly alkaline.
A 2Bw horizon with sandy particle size is in some pedons. It is as thick as 10 inches.
The 2C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 through 6, and chroma of 2 through 6. It typically is sand but fine sand, loamy sand, and loamy fine sand are within the range. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Embden, Emrick, and Swenoda series.. Embden soils have textures of loamy fine sand or coarser greater than 40 inches. Emrick soils are loamy throughout the series control section. Swenoda soils are loamy in the lower part of the control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Clontarf soils have plane or slightly concave slopes with gradient of 0 to 3 percent on glacial lake plains. They formed in loamy or in loamy and sandy glaciolacustrine or outwash sediments of Late Wisconsinan age. The mean annual air temperature ranges from about 38 to 45 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 22 to 29 inches. Frost free days range from 120 to 160. Elevation above sea level ranges from 990 to 1950 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Arveson, Malachy, and Sverdrup soils which are members of a drainage sequence with Clontarf soils. Poorly drained Arveson soils are on nearby flats and depressions and are calcareous throughout. Moderately well and somewhat poorly drained Malachy soils are on low convex knolls. Well drained Sverdrup soils are on higher lying or more sloping terrain.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained. Runoff is low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately rapid in the upper part and rapid in the underlying material. Soil saturation occurs between depths of 20 to 40 inches during the months of April to June in normal years.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are mostly cropped to corn, soybeans, and small grain. The native vegetation is tall grass prairie.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 55A, 55B, 56. 57, and 102A. Western Minnesota and eastern North Dakota. Moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Swift County, Minnesota, 1970.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 22 inches (Ap, A, and Bw1 horizons); cambic horizon - the zone from 22 to 25 inches (Bw2); Pachic subgroup based on 22 inches of mollic surface.
This soil can be challenged for an Aquic Pachic subgroup, but the Bw2 is only 3 inches thick.