LOCATION ELMER KSEstablished Series
The Elmer series consists of very deep, moderately well drained, slowly permeable soils that formed in stratified calcareous loamy alluvium. These soils are on terraces in river valleys of the Great Bend Sand Plains (MLRA 79). Mean annual precipitation is 29 inches (74 centimeters), and mean annual temperature is 56 degrees F (13 degrees C).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Natrustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Elmer fine sandy loam in a cultivated field. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap1--0 to 6 inches (0 to 15 centimeters); brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; loose, loose, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots throughout; 11.0 percent clay; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.
Ap2--6 to 9 inches (15 to 23 centimeters); brown (10YR 4/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium platy structure parting to weak fine and medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots throughout; 14.7 percent clay; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness ranges from 8 to 15 inches thick; 20 to 38 centimeters thick)
AB--9 to 19 inches (23 to 48 centimeters); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout; 16.4 percent clay; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick; 0 to 25 centimeters thick)
Btn1--19 to 26 inches (48 to 66 centimeters); brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate very coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; very hard, firm, sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots between peds; 18.9 percent clay; few faint discontinuous very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), moist, clay films on faces of peds and few distinct discontinuous very dark gray (10YR 3/1), moist, organic coats on vertical faces of peds and few distinct discontinuous very dark gray (10YR 3/1), moist, organic coats in root channels and/or pores; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
Btn2--26 to 37 inches (66 to 94 centimeters); pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, firm, sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots between peds; 17.3 percent clay; very few distinct discontinuous dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), moist, clay films on vertical faces of peds and few distinct discontinuous very dark gray (10YR 3/1), moist, organic coats on vertical faces of peds and few distinct discontinuous very dark gray (10YR 3/1), moist, organic coats in root channels and/or pores; strongly alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Btnk1--37 to 43 inches (94 to 109 centimeters); brown (7.5YR 5/4) loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; few fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist irregular redoximorphic concentrations throughout and common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist irregular redoximorphic concentrations throughout; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate coarse subangular blocky; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots between peds; 24.5 percent clay; few distinct discontinuous brown (7.5YR 4/4), moist, clay films on faces of peds; common medium and coarse irregular soft masses of lime throughout; slightly effervescent on faces of peds and in pores (HCl, 1 normal); trace of subrounded mixed gravel; strongly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
Btnk2--43 to 51 inches (109 to 130 centimeters); brown (7.5YR 5/4) clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; common fine distinct dark red (2.5YR 3/6) moist irregular redoximorphic concentrations throughout; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots throughout; 27.7 percent clay; few distinct discontinuous brown (7.5YR 4/4), moist, clay films on vertical faces of peds; common fine and medium irregular soft masses of lime throughout; slightly effervescent on faces of peds and in pores (HCl, 1 normal); 1 percent subrounded mixed gravel; strongly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
Btnk3--51 to 61 inches (130 to 155 centimeters); brown (7.5YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist irregular redoximorphic concentrations throughout; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 19.9 percent clay; few faint discontinuous clay films on faces of peds; few medium and coarse irregular carbonate concretions throughout; very slightly effervescent on faces of peds and in pores (HCl, 1 normal); 2 percent subrounded mixed gravel; strongly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
B'tn1--61 to 72 inches (155 to 183 centimeters); brown (7.5YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; few medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist irregular redoximorphic concentrations throughout; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 14.4 percent clay; few faint discontinuous clay films on faces of peds; strongly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.
B'tn2--72 to 80 inches (183 to 203 centimeters); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist irregular redoximorphic concentrations throughout; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 14.4 percent clay; very few faint discontinuous clay films on faces of peds; strongly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness ranges from 35 to 60 inches; 89 to 152 centimeters thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Reno County, Kansas, 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) south of South Hutchinson, 915 feet (279 meters) south and 380 feet (116 meters) west of the northeast corner of sec. 36 T. 23 S. R. 6 W. (USGS Hutchinson topographic quadrangle; lat. 38 degrees 0 minutes 40.7 seconds N. and long. 97 degrees 55 minutes 22.0 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: ustic moisture regime bordering on udic
Soil temperature regime: mesic
Mean annual soil temperature: 56 to 58 degrees F (13 to 14 degrees C).
Particle-size control section: 17 to 25 percent clay
Depth to bedrock: greater than 80 inches (203 centimeters)
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 20 to 40 inches (50 to 102 centimeters)
Depth to salt accumulations: 15 to 25 inches (38 to 63 centimeters)
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 10 to 19 inches (25 to 49 centimeters)
Some pedons may contain BC or C horizons.
Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 (dry) 2 or 3 (moist)
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam or loam
SAR: 0 to 1
Reaction: Very strongly acid to neutral
Btn horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 or 6 (dry) 4 or 5 (moist)
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, sandy loam, loam, or clay loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent by volume
Redoximorphic features: 0 to 10 percent
SAR: 1 to 2
Reaction: slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: The Whitelake series is the only series competing. Whitelake soils have less mean annual precipitation and a lower mean annual temperature.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Elmer soils
Parent material: stratified calcareous loamy alluvium
Landform: terraces
Slopes: 0 to 2 percent
Elevation: 1450 to 1805 feet (442 to 550.2 meters)
Mean annual air temperature: 55 to 57 degrees F (13 to 14 degrees C).
Mean annual precipitation: 24 to 35 inches (61 to 89 centimeters)
Wettest months: Mar. - Oct.
Driest months: Nov. - Feb.
Frost-free period: 187 to 225 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Darlow and Punkin soils. The somewhat poorly drained Darlow soils do not have a mollic epipedon and the depth to the natric horizon is less than 15 inches (38 centimeters). The somewhat poorly drained Punkin soils have a fine particle size control section and are less than 15 inches (38 centimeters) to the natric horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Runoff is slow or very slow. Permeability is slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Almost all areas are used for cropland. Wheat, grain sorghum and alfalfa are the primary crops.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South Central Kansas. LRR H Great Plains Winter Wheat and Range, MLRA 79 Great Bend Sand Plains. The Elmer series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Reno County, Kansas, 1999
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 19 inches (0 to 48 centimeters) (Ap1, Ap2, AB) natric horizon: The zone from 19 to 80 inches (48 to 203 centimeters) (Btn1, Btn2, Btnk1, Btnk2, Btnk3, Btn1', Btn2')
Keys to Soil Taxonomy: Eighth edition, 1998
ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization data is available on this pedon. (91KS155007, NSSL lab pedon # 91P0787) Supporting pedon data: http://ssldata.sc.egov.usda.gov/rptExecute.asp?p=18209&r=1&submit1=Get+Report
ELMER SERIES
LRR=H
DATE: 06/06/95
First draft of the Elmer series using pedon # 91KS155007. RMM.
04/06/96 Edited permeabililty to reflect slow. Corrected runoff to low vs slow. PRF
03/30/99 Established series for FC
12/23/99 Added very strongly acid to the Ap horizon.