LOCATION DENT               MN
Established Series
Rev. DLA-AGG
10/2005

DENT SERIES


The Dent series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in lacustrine sediments on outwash plains, glacial lake plains, moraines and lake terraces. These soils have moderate permeability. Slopes range from 0 to 6 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 42 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 24 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Oxyaquic Argiudolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Dent silt loam, on a plane slope of 2 percent, on a lake terrace, in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

Ap--0 to 9 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silt loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.

A--9 to 12 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common discontinuous very fine sand and silt coatings on the faces of peds; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 7 to 16 inches.)

Bt1--12 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay loam; strong coarse prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; firm; many continuous distinct very dark brown (10YR 2/2) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)

Bt2--18 to 26 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; firm; common fine distinct grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) Fe depletions; common continuous distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 6 to 30 inches.)

Btk1--26 to 44 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silt loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) Fe concentrations and common fine prominent grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) Fe depletions; common discontinuous prominent dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) clay films in pores; common light gray (10YR 7/2) carbonate coatings on the faces of peds; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.

Btk2--44 to 54 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silt loam; weak coarse platy structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; friable; common medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) Fe concentrations and few fine prominent grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) Fe depletions; common discontinuous prominent dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) clay films in pores; common light gray (10YR 7/2) carbonate coatings on faces of peds; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Btk horizon is 6 to 36 inches.)

C--54 to 80 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) silt loam; massive parting to moderate coarse platy soil fragments; friable; common coarse prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) Fe concentrations and few fine faint grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) Fe depletions; few light gray (10YR 7/2) carbonate coatings on vertical fractures; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Otter Tail County, Minnesota; about 6 miles west and 4 miles south of the city of Dent; about 1,850 feet south and 250 feet east of the northwest corner of section 22, T. 135 N., R. 41 W.; USGS Phelps quadrangle; lat. 46 degrees 29 minutes 41 seconds N. and long. 95 degrees 50 minutes 31 seconds W., NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to free carbonates range from 15 to 40 inches. These soils have generally less than 3 percent rock fragments throughout the profile. The mollic epipedon ranges from 7 to 16 inches in thickness.

The A or Ap horizon has value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, loam, or silt loam. It is slightly acid or neutral.

Some pedons have an E horizon.

The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR, or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 3 or 4. It is silt loam, silty clay loam or clay loam with subhorizons of loam. It averages less than 15 percent fine or coarser with a clay content of 18 to 35 percent. It is moderately acid to neutral

The Btk horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 5 or 6 and chroma of 2 to 4. It typically is silt loam, very fine sandy loam, silt or loam, but includes thin subhorizons of fine sandy loam, loamy very fine sand or very fine sand. It averages less than 15 percent fine or coarser with a clay content of 18 to 35 percent. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

The C horizon has hue of 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 and chroma of 2 to 4. It typically is silt loam, silt, or loam, but included are very fine sandy loam, loamy very fine sand, or very fine sand. Also, it has thin coarser or finer textured layers in some pedons. It is mildly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Jadis (T) series. Jadis soils have over 40 percent clay in the lower third of the series control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Dent soils have linear to convex slopes on outwash plains, glacial lake plains, moraines and lake terraces. They formed in lacustrine sediments of Late Wisconsinan Age. Slopes range from 0 to 6 percent. The mean annual temperature is 38 to 45 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is 22 to 28 inches. Annual frost free days range from 90 to 140 days. The elevation above sea level ranges from 1000 to 1600 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Almora, Cathro, Lida, Lizzie, and Pinelake soils. The well drained Almora soils are on similar positions in the landscape and have loamy mantle 24 to 40 inches over the sandy outwash. The very poorly drained Cathro soils are in depressions and along the edges of lakes. The well drained Lida soils formed in outwash and are on convex positions in the more sloping parts of the landscape. The well drained Lizzie soils are on higher lying more convex positions in the landscape. The poorly drained Pinelake soils are in shallow depressions, swales and along the edges of depressions of organic soils.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Runoff is slow or medium. Permeability is moderate. The Dent soils have an apparent water table at depths of 2.5 to 4 feet during the months of March through July in normal years.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of this soil are cropped to corn, soybeans, small grain, and alfalfa hay. Some areas are forested or are in pasture. Native vegetation is tall grass prairie intermingled with mixed deciduous and coniferous forests.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: These soils are in west-central Minnesota and are minor in 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: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 12 inches (Ap and A horizons); argillic horizon - the zone from 12 to 26 inches (Bt horizons); aquic subgroup - based on the 2 chroma redox depletions within the upper 40 inches.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record number MN0757.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.