LOCATION DASSEL                  MN

Established Series
Rev. RJE-KDS-AGG
01/2011

DASSEL SERIES



The Dassel series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils that formed in stratified loamy and sandy glacial outwash sediments on outwash plains, stream terraces, valley trains, and deltas. These soils have moderately rapid permeability in the upper part and rapid in the substratum. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 28 inches. Mean annual air temperature is about 48 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Endoaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Dassel mucky fine sandy loam with a slightly concave slope of less than 1/2 percent in a shallow depression on a glacial outwash plain, with sedge and grass vegetation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 6 inches; black (N 2/0) mucky fine sandy loam, very dark gray (N 3/0) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; common fine prominent gray (5Y 6/1) iron depletions; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary.

A1--6 to 14 inches; black (N 2/0) very fine sandy loam, very dark gray (N 3/0) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; common fine prominent dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) iron concentrations; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary.

A2--14 to 23 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) very fine sandy loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of A horizons is 7 to 24 inches.)

Bg--23 to 31 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) loamy very fine sand; weak fine subangular blocky strucutre; very friable; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 30 inches thick.)

Cg--31 to 60 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) fine sand; single grain; loose; slightly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Meeker County, Minnesota; about 3 miles south and 3 miles east of Eden Valley; 2,425 feet north and 1,875 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 13, T. 121 N., R. 31 W., USGS Eden Valley quadrangle; lat. 45 degrees 17 minutes 23 seconds N., long. 94 degrees 31 minutes 08 seconds W.; NAD27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to free carbonates ranges from 18 to 80 inches or more. Coarse fragments of mixed lithology comprise 0 to 5 percent by volume in the A and B horizons to 0 to 15 percent in the C horizon. The content of clay decreases erratically with depth. Some pedons have an O
horizon as thick as 6 inches. The mollic epipedon is 7 to 24 inches in thickness.

The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y or neutral, value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 0 to 2. Redox features are not present in some pedons. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam or their mucky analogs. Reaction is moderately acid to neutral.

The Bg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1 or 2. Redox features are present in most subhorizons. It has distinct textural stratification. It has strata that are mostly fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy sand, and loamy fine sand, but it has coarser or finer textured strata or both in some pedons. It is moderately acid to neutral.

The Cg horizon typically has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 5 or 6, chroma of 1 or 2. Hues of 5GY, 5G, 5BG, and 5B are also within the range. It is coarse sand, sand, loamy coarse sand, or loamy sand, but thin discontinuous finer textured or gravelly strata are in some pedons. It is slightly acid to slightly alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Corunna, Darfur, Gilford, Hanska, Jubilee, Lyles, Overshue(T), Uniongrove, Toolesboro, and Zadog series. All of these soils except Darfur lack pronounced textural stratification in the B horizon. The Overshue(T) series is not presently in the OSD file.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils are in depressions and sluggish drainageways on glacial outwash plains, stream terraces, valley trains, and deltas. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent. They formed in stratified sandy and loamy outwash sediments of Late Wisconsin Age. Mean annual air temperature is 45 to 50 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation is 25 to 30 inches. Frost free days range from 125 to 165. Elevations above sea level range from 600 to 1600 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Lasa, Litchfield, Darfur, and Fieldon soils which are members of a hydrosequence with the Dassel soils. The Lasa soils are somewhat excessively drained and are on higher lying or more sloping terrain. The moderately well drained Litchfield soils are on nearby slightly higher lying terrain. The poorly drained Darfur and Fieldon soils are on nearby level areas. The Fieldon soils have free carbonates throughout.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained. Runoff is negligible. Permeability is moderately rapid in the upper part and rapid in the substratum. The apparent water table is at plus 1 to .5 feet during January to December in most years if undrained.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are idle or used for growing pasture. Some areas are drained and corn and soybeans are the principal crops. Native vegetation is grasses, sedges, and reeds.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Minnesota. Minor extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Hennepin County, Minnesota, 1969.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon-the zone from the surface to 23 inches(Ap,A1,A2 horizons); cambic horizon-the zone from 23 to 31 inches(Bg horizon). Aquic moisture regime. 1/20/2011-TYPE LOCATION error was corrected.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to MAES Central File Code No. 75 for results of some analysis of the typical pedon.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.