LOCATION DRAGLINE                ND

Established Series
PFS, MGU
12/2013

DRAGLINE SERIES

The Dragline series consists of very deep, poorly and very poorly drained soils on surface mined areas. These soils formed in closed basins and depressions on materials that have been excavated and reclaimed during surface mining operations. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately slow. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 4 degrees C, and mean annual precipitation is about 360 millimeters.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, frigid Mollic Endoaquents

TYPICAL PEDON: Dragline loam - with a 1 percent concave slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 13 centimeters; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable, moderately hard; slightly sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine roots throughout; few very fine low-continuity tubular pores; noneffervescent; 1% of Bk material mixed in Ap horizon; abrupt smooth boundary.

A--13 to 36 centimeters; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable, moderately hard; slightly sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine roots throughout; few very fine low-continuity tubular pores; noneffervescent; 1% of Bk material mixed in A horizon; abrupt smooth boundary. (Ap and A horizon 23 to 51 centimeters thick)

2C/B--36 to 84 centimeters; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; 15 percent medium and coarse faint irregular grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) redoximorphic depletions; moderate medium and coarse cloddy structure; firm, moderately hard; moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; few very fine low-continuity tubular pores; strong effervescence; 10% soft masses of lime from original Bk horizon; abrupt smooth boundary. (2C/B horizon 25 to 102 centimeters thick)

3C-- 84 to 203 centimeters; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; 15 percent medium and coarse faint irregular light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) redoximorphic depletions; massive; firm, hard; moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots in cracks; slight effervescence; 2% lignite fragments.

TYPE LOCATION: McLean County, North Dakota; about 3 miles southwest of Underwood; 152 meters south and 700 meters east of the northwest corner of Sec. 36, T. 146 N., R. 83 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to carbonates ranges from 0 to 51 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 they 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 35 percent clay. Depth to 3C horizon (spoil material) ranges from 51 to 152 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 3 or 4 and 2 or 3 moist; and chroma 1 to 2 moist. It is loam or clay loam. It is neutral or slightly alkaline. Some pedons have an A/C horizon.

The 2C/B horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7 and 4 to 6 moist, and chroma 1 to 2 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 horizons have strata, pockets, or soil fragments that do not contain free carbonates. In some pedons, multiple 2C/B horizons can occur.

The 3C horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y, value of 3 to 6 moist, and chroma of 1 to 2 moist. It is loam or clay loam, but thin individual layers can include sandy clay loam, silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay. 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: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Dragline soils are in linear or slightly concave closed basins and depressions on reconstructed landscapes. Slope gradients commonly are 0 to 1 percent, but range from 0 to 2 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 30 to 48 centimeters.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Boxcut, Square Butte, and Kniferiver series in the same family. These soils are found on adjacent reconstructed landscapes. All of these soils are well drained and do not have low chroma redoximorphic features in the 2CB and 3C horizons. Boxcut soils have 3C horizons (spoil material) at depths between 51 to 76 centimeters. Square Butte and Kniferiver soils have 3C horizons (spoil material) at depths between 102 to 152 centimeters. In addition, Kniferiver soils have 3C horizons with an SAR greater than 12.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly and very poorly drained. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately slow. Depth to an apparent seasonal high water table is 0.15 to 0.46 meters at some time from April to July for the poorly drained phase and 0.15 to 0.30 meters from March to July for the very poorly drained phase.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils formed in closed basins and depressions on materials that have been excavated and reclaimed during surface mining operations. Native vegetation has been reestablished and includes water tolerant grasses, reeds, cattails, and sedges. Most areas are in native vegetation but some areas are cultivated or are used for hay land, meadow, or pasture.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and northwestern North Dakota. Dragline soils are of small extent.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: 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.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: 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.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.