LOCATION FELOR SD+NDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Felor loam - on a southwest-facing convex slope of 3 percent under native grass. When described the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 5 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak very coarse subangular blocky and weak fine and medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, and slightly plastic; few pebbles; many fine and medium roots; slightly acid; abrupt wavy boundary.
A--5 to 11 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak fine and medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, and slightly plastic; common fine roots; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 4 to 15 inches.)
Bt--11 to 28 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; hard, firm, slightly sticky, and plastic; few fine roots; few pebbles; shiny film on faces of peds; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 25 inches thick)
2Bw--28 to 34 inches; pale yellow (5Y 7/3) silty clay, pale olive (5Y 6/3) moist; strong fine and medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium blocky; hard, firm, sticky, and plastic; shiny film on faces of peds; few fine roots; slightly alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
2Bk--34 to 39 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) and pale yellow (5Y 7/3) silty clay, brown (7.5YR 5/4) and pale olive (5Y 6/3) moist; moderate fine and medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; hard, firm, sticky, and plastic; common fine and medium accumulations of carbonate; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
2C--39 to 60 inches; white (2.5Y 8/2) and light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) silty clay, reddish brown (5Y 5/3) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist; few fine distinct mottles of yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist; massive; laminated; hard, firm, sticky, and plastic; few fine accumulations of carbonate; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Perkins County, South Dakota; about 10 miles east and 1 mile south of Bison; 282 feet east and 72 feet south of the northwest corner, sec. 23, T. 18 N., R. 15 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to carbonates typically is 30 to 40 inches but ranges from 17 to 48 inches. The mollic epipedon is 7 to 15 inches thick. Depth to clayey sediments typically is between 20 and 35 inches. Pebbles are few or common in the upper solum and a pebble line typically is between the two sediments.
The A horizon has 10YR hue, value of 4 or 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam. It is slightly acid or neutral.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y; value of 4 to 7 and 3 to 6 moist; and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam averaging between 25 to 35 percent clay and 40 to 65 percent sand. It is slightly acid or neutral. Some pedons have a Bw or Bk horizon that have the color of the Bt horizon and are sandy clay loam or clay loam. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The 2Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 5Y, value of 5 to 8 and 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is clay, silty clay or silty clay loam averaging 35 to 50 percent clay. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The 2Bk and 2C horizons typically are multicolored and have hue of 5YR to 5Y, value of 5 to 8 and 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. They are clay, silty clay or silty clay loam and are slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Siltstone or sandstone is between depths of 40 and 60 inches in some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bookcliff, Bullflat, Dooley, Empedrado, Fairfield, Farnuf, Greenway, Gurney, Hangdo, Lefor, Lininger, Livona, Martinsdale, Moen, Reeder, Trag, Vida, Watrous, Wemple, Williams, and Yegen soils. All of these soils except Dooley, Greenway, and Livona soils do not have a loamy mantle over clayey sediments. In addition, Fairfield, Farnuf, Martinsdale, and Vida have carbonates at depths above 20 inches. Lefor, Lininger, Moen, Reeder, and Watrous soils have bedrock at depths between 20 and 40 inches. Trag soils do not have free carbonate, and Wemple soils are high in volcanic ash. Dooley, Greenway, and Livona soils all contain more sand and gravel within depths of 40 inches below the surface, having formed in loamy sediments over glacial till. In addition, Dooley and Livona contain less clay in the lower part of the soil.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Felor soils are on terraces and nearly level to rolling tablelands. Slope gradients typically are 2 to 6 percent but range from 0 to 15 percent. The soils formed in loamy sediment overlying clayey sediments of mixed origin. Climate is cool and semi-arid. Mean annual temperature is 39 to 45 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is 14 to 18 inches. Most precipitation comes in the spring and summer.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Farnuf, Lefor, Reeder, and Yegen soils and Arnegard, Belfield, Daglum, Morton, and Ridgeview soils. Farnuf, Lefor, Morton, Reeder, and Yegen are on similar landscapes. Arnegard soils are in swales, do not have argillic horizons, and have mollic epipedons greater than 16 inches thick. Belfield and Daglum soils are in swales and nearly level uplands that have microrelief and they have natric horizons. Morton soils have bedrock between a depth of 20 to 40 inches and are on similar landscapes. Ridgeview soils are on flats and are fine throughout the profile.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is low on 0 to 2 percent slopes and medium on 2 to 15 percent slopes. Permeability is moderate in the upper portion of the profile and slow in the lower portion.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are cultivated and the principal crops are wheat, oats, hay, and pasture. Native vegetation is western wheatgrass, green needlegrass, blue grama, needleandthread, and sedges.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwest South Dakota. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Perkins County, South Dakota, 1977.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of about 11 inches (Ap and A horizons); argillic horizon - the zone from a depth of about 11 to 28 inches (Bt horizon).