LOCATION FORADA                  MN+WI

Established Series
Rev. DDM-AGG-KDS
02/2011

FORADA SERIES


The Forada series consists of very deep, poorly drained and very poorly drained soils formed in 20 to 40 inches of loamy sediments over sandy and gravelly material on plane or concave surfaces on outwash plains, stream terraces, and valley trains. These soils have moderate or moderately rapid permeability in the upper loamy sediments and rapid permeability in the underlying material. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 22 inches. Mean annual air temperature is about 42 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Endoaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Forada loam, on a plane level slope, on an outwash plain, in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 9 inches; black (10YR 2/1) loam; dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak very fine granular structure; friable; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.

A--9 to 16 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loam; gray (10YR 5/1) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of A horizons is 10 to 24 inches.)

Bg1--16 to 20 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) sandy loam; many fine distinct dark gray (10YR 4/1) Fe depletions and few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) Fe concentrations; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; about 5 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Bg2--20 to 28 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam; few fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) Fe concentrations; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; about 2 percent gravel; slightly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bg horizons is 5 to 25 inches.)

2Cg1--28 to 33 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) coarse sand; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) Fe concentrations; single grain; loose; about 5 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

2Cg2--33 to 60 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) coarse sand; single grain; loose; about 5 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Minnesota; about 4 miles east and 1/3 mile south of Forada; about 2,640 feet east and 2,450 feet south of the northwest corner of section 25, T. 127 N., R. 37 W.; USGS Forada topographic quadrangle; lat. 45 degrees 46 minutes 52 seconds N. and long. 95 degrees 16 minutes 23 seconds W., NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The loamy mantle thickness ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Depth to free carbonates ranges from 20 to 60 inches or more. Volume of rock fragments in the upper sediment ranges from 0 to 10 percent by volume and from 0 to 35 percent in the 2C horizon. The rock fragments are of mixed lithology, rounded, and mostly less than 5 cm in diameter. The thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 10 to 24 inches.

The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y or is neutral, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 0 to 2. Some pedons have redoximorphic features in the A horizon. It is loam, sandy loam or their mucky analogs. It is slightly acid to slightly alkaline.

The Bg horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1 or 2. It commonly has redoximorphic features throughout. Some pedons have chroma of 4 due to accumulations of iron. It is sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, fine sandy loam or loam but subhorizons in some pedons are sandy clay loam or even loamy sand or loamy coarse sand. It is slightly acid to slightly alkaline. Some pedons have a BC horizon.

The 2C horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 6. It commonly has redoximorphic features. It is sand, loamy sand, coarse sand or gravelly analogs. It is neutral to moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Runeberg soils. However, when previously classified as a Typic Haplaquoll, the competing series were: Adolph, Nokasippi, Parent, Prebish, Runeberg, and Tiffany series. Adolph, Nokasippi, Parent, and Prebish soils all have hues redder than 10YR in the lower part of the series control section and have firm or very firm sandy loam C horizons of glacial till. Tiffany and Runeberg soils do not have 2C horizons of sand or coarse sand within the series control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Forada soils are on plane or concave positions on outwash plains, stream terraces, and valley trains. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. They formed in a 20 to 40 inch thick mantle of loamy sediments over sandy and gravelly material. The sediments are late Wisconsinan in age. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 38 to 45 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 18 to 33 inches. Frost-free period ranges from 88 to 172 days. Elevation ranges from 670 to 2000 feet above sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: Forada is in a hydrosequence with the somewhat excessively drained Arvilla and the moderately well drained Osakis soils. The poorly drained Marysland soils, which have a calcic horizon, are associated in some places.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained and very poorly drained. An apparent water table is at depths ranging from .5 to 1.5 feet from October to June in normal years for the poorly drained phase and plus 1 to .5 feet for the depressional phase. Runoff is negligible or very low. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid in the upper part and rapid in the lower part.

USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly cultivated. The principal crops are corn, soybeans, small grains, and hay. Native vegetation was tall grass prairie and sedges.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western and northern Minnesota and eastern Wisconsin. Series is of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County, Minnesota, 1970.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include: mollic epipedon-zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 16 inches (Ap and A); cambic horizon-zone from 16 to 28 inches; aquic moisture regime - low chroma with redox features immediately below the mollic epipedon.

This series was previously classified as Typic Haplaquolls. 2/10/2011-TYPE LOCATION error was corrected.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to MAES Central File Code No. 948 for results of some laboratory analysis of the typifying pedon.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.