LOCATION ERAMOSH                 ND

Established Series
Rev. LLD-CJH
07/2015

ERAMOSH SERIES

The Eramosh series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils that formed in silty sediments overlain by organic materials. Permeability is moderate. These soils are in depressions on wooded glacial moraines and collapsed glacial lake plains. Slopes are 0 to 1 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 25 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 39 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, calcareous, frigid Histic Endoaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Eramosh mucky peat - in a level slough covered by sedge and cattail. (When described the soil was moist throughout. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Oe--0 to 4 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) mucky peat; 60 percent fiber, 30 percent rubbed; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many medium fine and very fine roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary.

Oa--4 to 8 inches; black (10YR 2/1) muck; 15 percent fiber, 2 percent rubbed; weak fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and very fine roots; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (Combined O horizons 8 to 16 inches thick)

A--8 to 16 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and few medium roots; common dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) stains on vertical faces of peds; slight effervescence; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (7 to 20 inches thick)

C1--16 to 25 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam, light gray (5Y 7/1) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) stains on vertical faces of peds; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

C2--25 to 53 inches; very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) silt loam, gray (5Y 6/1) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) stains on faces of peds; 10 percent snail shells; strong effervescence; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

C3--53 to 60 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) silt loam, gray (5Y 6/1) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 10 percent snail shells; strong effervescence; slightly alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Bottineau County, North Dakota; about 10.6 miles north and 0.5 mile west of Bottineau; 2,800 feet east and 1,900 feet south of the northwest corner, sec. 36, T. 164 N., R. 76 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The histic epipedon ranges from 8 to 16 inches thick.

The Oe horizon contains many partially decomposed stems and leaves. It has chroma of 1 or 2. Some pedons have a thin Oi horizon at the surface. The Oa horizon has chroma of 1 or 2. They are neutral to moderately alkaline.

The A horizon has value of 3. It is silt loam, mucky silt loam, silty clay loam, or mucky silty clay loam. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

The C horizon has 2.5Y or 5Y hue, value of 3 to 5 and chroma of 1 or 2. It, typically, is silt loam or silty clay loam, but strata of silty clay occur in some pedons. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Iron stains and 10 to 15 percent snail shells are common.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Eramosh soils are in deep depressions on glacial moraines and collapsed glacial lake plains. Slope gradients are 0 to 1 percent. The Eramosh soils formed in silty water-sorted sediments overlain by organic materials. These organic materials consist of moderately decomposed slough sedge, bullrushes, cattails, and leaves from surrounding aspen trees. The mean annual temperature ranges from 35 to 39 degrees F and the mean annual precipitation ranges from 16 to 26 inches, most of which falls in the spring and summer.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bottineau, Kelvin, Metigoshe and Rolla soils. These soils do not have a histic epipedon. In addition, Bottineau and Kelvin soils contain more sand and formed in glacial till on adjacent slopes. Metigoshe soils have gravelly C horizons and formed in glacial outwash. Rolla soils contain more clay and formed in clayey lacustrine sediments on nearby uplands. The Bottineau, Kelvin and Metigoshe soils are well drained. The Rolla soils are moderately well drained.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained. Runoff is ponded. Permeability is moderately rapid in the organic portion and moderate in the underlying mineral portion. A seasonal high water table is at a depth of 2.0 feet above the surface to 1.0 foot below the surface at some time during the period of November through July. It is at a depth of up to 5.0 feet above the surface in the ponded phase.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for hayland with some areas used for pasture. Native vegetation is mostly slough sedges and rivergrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central North Dakota. The series is of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bottineau County, North Dakota, 1981.

REMARKS: Revised 2/94.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: histic epipedon - 0 to 8 inches (Oe and Oa horizons); mollic epipedon - 8 to 16 inches (A horizon); characteristic associated with wetness - histic epipedon (Oe and Oa horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data is available S77ND-009- 086(1-6), National Soil Survey Laboratory.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.