LOCATION COLEHARBOR ND
Established Series
PFS, MGU
12/2013
COLEHARBOR SERIES
The Coleharbor series consists of very deep, well drained soils on surface mined areas. These soils formed in materials that have been excavated and reclaimed during surface mining operations. Slopes range from 0 to 9 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 4 degrees C, and mean annual precipitation is about 360 millimeters.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, nonacid, frigid Haplic Ustarents
TYPICAL PEDON: Coleharbor loam - with a 2 percent convex slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 18 centimeters; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium and course subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; friable, moderately hard; slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; few fine and very fine low-continuity tubular pores; noneffervescent; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.
A--18 to 28 centimeters; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; friable, moderately hard; slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots throughout; few fine and very fine low-continuity tubular pores; noneffervescent; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (Ap and A horizon 23 to 38 centimeters thick)
2C/B--28 to 86 centimeters; mixed light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) and light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) clay loam, mixed olive brown (2.5Y 4/2) and dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; 2 percent fine prominent irregular light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) relict concentrations; moderate medium and coarse cloddy structure; friable, moderately hard; moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; few very fine low-continuity tubular pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; 10 percent soft masses of lime from original Bk horizon; abrupt smooth boundary. (2C/B horizon 38 to 76 centimeters thick)
3C-- 86 to 203 centimeters; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) and light brownish gray (2.5Y6/2) sandy loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) and grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; 2 percent fine and medium prominent irregular yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist and irregular strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) moist relict concentrations; friable, moderately hard; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; 2 percent lignite fragments.
TYPE LOCATION: McLean County, North Dakota; about 2 miles southwest of Underwood; 640 meters east and 244 meters north of the southwest corner of Sec. 22, T. 146 N., R. 82 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to carbonates ranges from 0 to 56 centimeters, but are typically found at a depth greater than 25 centimeters. The soil contains 1 to 10 percent rock fragments, but ranges up to 15 percent. The coarse fragments are dominantly gravel but a few cobbles and stones are present in most pedons and occur at random depth, spacing, and orientation. Shale fragment content ranges from 0 to 5 percent. The clay content in the control section averages between 20 to 34 percent clay. In Coleharbor soils the lower one third of the control section (3C horizons) typically average between 35 and 50 percent fine sand and coarser and 8 to 18 percent clay. Depth to 3C horizon (spoil material) ranges from 51 to 76 centimeters. In all pedons, soil fragments and isolated peds of relict genetic horizons of pre-mined soils are randomly distributed throughout, and are disordered relative to any plane in the profile. Some of the soil fragments have identifiable properties such as clay films, relict concentrations, or soft masses that are characteristic of their previous formation. The organic carbon content decreases irregularly with depth in most pedons because of mixing and because of the presence of flakes and fragments of coal or other carbonaceous material.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 moist, but can range from 1 to 3. It is loam or clay loam. It is neutral or slightly alkaline. Both a thick surface phase and a calcareous surface phase are recognized. Some pedons have an A/C horizon.
In the 2C/B horizon, the 2C material has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7 and 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4 moist. It is loam or clay loam, but thin individual layers can include sandy clay loam or silty clay loam. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. The 2B material has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 6 and 2 to 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4 moist. It is loam or clay loam, but thin individual layers can include sandy clay loam or silty clay loam. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Some 2C/B horizons have strata, pockets, or soil fragments that do not contain free carbonates. In some pedons, multiple 2C/B horizons can occur.
The 3C horizons have hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y, value of 3 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 6 moist. It is typically sandy loam or loamy sand, but thin individual layers can include sand, sandy clay loam, or loam. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. A sodic substratum phase is recognized with SAR's between 12 and 20. Some pedons contain one or more dense substratum layers. These layers restrict the movement of roots and water and have high bulk density and low available water capacity. A dense substratum phase is recognized.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Boxcut,
Square Butte, and
Kniferiver series in the same family. These soils are found on similar landscapes. Lignite soils do not have contrasting textures in the lower one third of the control section and have 3C horizons (spoil material) at depths between 51 to 76 centimeters. Square Butte and Kniferiver soils do not have contrasting textures in the lower one third of the control section and have 3C horizons (spoil material) at depths between 102 to 152 centimeters. In addition, Kniferiver soils have 3C horizons with an SAR greater than 15.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Coleharbor soils are on nearly level to strongly sloping summits and back slopes of reconstructed landscapes. Slope gradients commonly range from 0 to 9 percent. The soils formed in materials that were excavated and reclaimed during surface mining operations. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 1 to 7 degrees C, and mean annual precipitation from 300 to 480 millimeters.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing series:
Boxcut,
Square Butte, and
Kniferiver series in the same family and the
Bowbells,
Max,
Niobell,
Noonan,
Parnell,
Tonka,
Williams, and
Zahl soils on adjacent unmined landscapes. Bowbells soils are pachic. Niobell and Noonan soils have natric horizons. Tonka and Parnell soils are in depressions. They are poorly and very poorly drained, respectively. Williams soils have an argillic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately low.
USE AND VEGETATION: Coleharbor soils are used for growing small grains and row crops. Some areas are seeded to grass-legume mixtures for meadow or pasture.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and western North Dakota. Coleharbor soils are of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: McLean County, North Dakota, 2012.
REMARKS: These soils were formerly mapped as mine spoils, surface mines, loamy Orthents, or as other miscellaneous land types. They result from mining and reclamation procedures adopted around 1975. The top soil, subsoil, and spoil are removed in separate lifts and stockpiled. After the coal has been mined, the stockpiled materials are replaced. The spoil is laid down first, followed by the subsoil, and finally the top soil.
There are no diagnostic features recognized. These soils have organic carbon levels and colors that qualify as mollic epipedons, but because of the reclamation process they are no longer considered diagnostic.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Publication 1207. Climatic adjustments on reclaimed cropland yields for final bond release. Dr. Stephan A. Schroeder, 1992.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.