LOCATION FLAMING MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, frigid Oxyaquic Hapludolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Flaming loamy fine sand with a slightly convex slope of 1 percent on a glacial lake plain in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; black (10YR 2/1) loamy fine sand, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary.
A--8 to 12 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loamy fine sand, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined horizons 10 to 16 inches thick)
BA--12 to 17 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sand, grading to brown (10YR 4/3) in the lower part; massive; very friable; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
Bw--17 to 27 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) fine sand; single grained; very friable; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 24 inches thick.)
C1--27 to 33 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sand; few fine faint light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) redoximorphic depletions; single grained; loose; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary.
C2--33 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) fine sand; many medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and few fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/8) redoximorphic concentrations; single grained; moderately acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Norman County, Minnesota; about 6 miles north of Gary, 1,785 feet east and 250 feet south of northwest corner of sec. 21, T. 146 N., R. 44 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of mollic epipedon ranges from 10 to 16 inches. The depth of mollic colors is less than 18 inches. The depth to carbonates typically is 40 to 60 inches or more but in some pedons is at depths as shallow as 20 inches. These soils do not have rock fragments to depths of 40 inches or more. Unless artificially drained, these soils are estimated to be saturated with water in the lower part of the 10- to 40-inch particle-size control section for significant periods in most years. The average texture in the particle-size control section is fine sand. The particle-size control section averages more than 45 percent fine and very fine sand, less than 35 percent medium and coarser sand and less than 15 percent coarse and very coarse sand. There are no rock fragments. The reaction ranges from moderately acid to neutral in the upper part and moderately acid to moderately alkaline in the lower part. The soil moisture control section is not dry in all parts for as long as 20 to 35 consecutive days for the 120 days following the summer solstice. It is also not dry in any part for as long as 90 cumulative days.
The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist and 3 to 5 dry and a chroma of 1 or 2 moist or dry. The A horizon is loamy fine sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or sand.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR in the upper part and 10YR or 2.5Y in the lower part, value 3 to 5 and chroma is 2 to 4. Value of 3 is restricted to the upper part. Some pedons have horizons with a value and chroma of 3.5 or less extending a few inches below depths of 16 inches, but such horizons contain less than 1 percent organic matter. Redoximorphic depletions with chroma of 2 or less or redoximorphic concentrations with higher chroma in a matrix with chroma of 2 or less are shallower than depths of 40 inches. The B horizon is fine sand, loamy fine sand, loamy sand or sand.
The matrix of the C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 1 to 4. It commonly has redox features, especially in the upper part. It commonly is fine sand but in some pedons sand is in the lower part. The C horizon ranges from moderately acid to moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Duelm, Falsen, Hecla, Osakis, Radium, Walum and Weeding series. Duelm soils have less than 40 percent fine sand and very fine sand. Falsen soils have less than 45 percent fine and very fine sand, more than 35 percent medium and coarse sand and more than 15 percent coarse and very coarse sand. Hecla soils have mollic colors to depths of more than 18 inches. Osakis soils have 10 to 70 percent rock fragments in the series control section. Radium soils have 10 to 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Walum soils have dominantly shale in the sand-sized fraction. Weeding soils occur at elevations of over 4,200 feet, contain carbonates at or near the surface and are in a drier climate.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils typically are on plane or slightly convex positions, but some are on slightly concave positions, and are on level or nearly level glacial lake plains, lake plains, and till plains. Slope gradients range from 0 to 3 percent. Flaming soils formed in deep sandy deposits of lacustrine and/or aeolian origin. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 37 to 43 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 20 to 26 inches. Frost-free days range from 90 to 130. Elevation is 785 feet to 1350 feet above sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: The Arveson, Fossum, Hamar, Maddock, Poppleton, Rosewood, and Ulen soils are the main ones. All of these soils developed in deep sandy deposits of similar texture. The Arveson, Fossum, Hamar, and Rosewood soils are poorly and somewhat poorly drained and are on lower lying positions. The well drained Maddock soils are on higher lying or more sloping positions. Poppleton soils have thinner dark colored surface horizons. The somewhat poorly and moderately well drained Ulen soils are on similar positions and have a calcic horizon within depths of 16 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Permeability is rapid. Runoff is negligible. Depth to an apparent seasonal high water table is 2.5 to 5.0 feet at some time from November to June in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cropped to small grains, hay, and corn being the main crops. Some areas of this soil are used for native hay or pasture. Some areas are in trees such as ash, bur oak, and quaking aspen. Native vegetation is tall grass prairie.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Minnesota, primarily in the eastern part of the Red River Valley. Moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Norman County, Minnesota, 1970.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to S67MINN-54-4 for results of some laboratory analysis of the typical pedon.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - from the surface to 17 inches (Ap, A1 and BA horizons); aquic subgroup - redoximorphic depletions and concentrations within 40 inches of the surface; udic moisture regime.