LOCATION FOSSUM MN+ND SD
Established Series
RTD-HRF-CJH
07/2016
FOSSUM SERIES
The Fossum series consists of very deep, poorly and very poorly drained soils that formed in calcareous sandy glaciolacustrine or outwash sediments on lake and outwash plains. These soils have rapid permeability. They have slopes of 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 20 inches. Mean annual air temperature is about 42 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, frigid Typic Endoaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Fossum sandy loam with a slightly concave slope of less than 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) sandy loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)
A1--8 to 13 inches; very dark gray (N 3/) loamy sand; dark gray (N 4/) dry; massive; very friable; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
A2--13 to 21 inches; very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) sand, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) dry; common fine faint gray (5Y 5/1) redoximorphic depletions and common fine distinct brown (10YR 5/3) redoximorphic concentrations; single grain; loose; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
Cg1--21 to 26 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) fine sand; common medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations; single grain; loose strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Cg2--26 to 60 inches; light olive gray (5Y 6/2) fine sand; common coarse prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) redoximorphic concentrations; single grain; loose strong effervescence in upper part and slight effervescence in lower part; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Cg3--60 to 80 inches; light olive gray (5Y 6/2) fine sand; single grain; loose; common coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations; slight effervescence; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Swift County, Minnesota; about 1.5 miles south and 0.75 miles east of Clontarf; 1100 feet east and 160 feet south of the northwest corner, sec. 25, T. 122 N., R. 40 W.; USGS Hancock SW Minnesota Quadrangle, latitude 45 degrees, 21 minutes, 15 seconds north, longitude 95 degrees, 38 minutes, 20 seconds west, NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon ranges from 10 to 24 inches thick. The depth to loamy fine sand or coarser sediments is less than 20 inches. The average texture in the particle-size control section has greater than 55 percent fine sand and very fine sand, less than 30 percent medium sand and coarser, and less than 15 percent silt plus clay. These soils typically have carbonates in all parts, except the upper 10 inches of the A horizon in some pedons. A slight accumulation of carbonates commonly is in the A horizon or Bk horizon or both, but the maximum content of carbonates is less than 15 percent. Typically they are nonsaline, but some areas range to 15 mmhos/cm. They typically do not have rock fragments, but a few pedons contain as much as 5 percent by volume of rock fragments or very fine gravel, in the lower part of the C horizon. The soil is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline throughout.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y or is neutral, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 2 or less. It commonly has redoximorphic features in some part. It is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam or loam. Coarser textures of sand and fine sand are in the lower part of some pedons. Some pedons have a Bk horizon.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and typically a chroma of 1 or 2. However, part of the C horizon in some pedons has chroma of 3. The C horizon has few to many redoximorphic features. It is sand, fine sand, loamy sand or loamy fine sand. Sandy loam or fine sandy loam is in the upper part of some pedons.
2C horizons of loamy glacial till or with up to 35 percent gravel are as shallow as 40 inches in some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the
Verendrye series. The Verendrye soils have more than 30 percent medium sand and coarser in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils have plane or concave slopes with gradient of 2 percent or less on glacial lake and outwash plains. They formed in calcareous sandy glaciolacustrine or outwash sediments of late Wisconsin Age. Mean annual precipitation is 15 to 24 inches. Mean annual air temperature is 36 to 48 degrees F. Frost-free period ranges from 105 to 140 days. Elevation above sea level ranges from 650 to 2350 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Flaming,
Hecla,
Hamar,
Maddock,
Ulen and
Venlo soils which formed in sediments similar to those of Fossum soils. The Flaming, Hecla and Ulen soils are somewhat poorly and moderately well drained and are on slightly higher lying terrain. The Maddock soils are well drained and are on higher lying terrain. The poorly drained Hamar soils are on flats. The very poorly drained Venlo soils are in depressions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly and very poorly drained. Runoff is negligible. Permeability is rapid. The soil has a wet soil moisture status at a depth of 0.5 to 1.5 feet.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly cropped to small grains, corn, and soybeans. Some areas are used for growing hay or pasture. Native vegetation was a wet site community of the tall grass prairie.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Minnesota and eastern North Dakota. Moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Swift County, Minnesota, 1970.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 21 inches (Ap, A1 and A2 horizons); aquic moisture regime - low chroma and redoximorphic features below the A horizon.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.