LOCATION GLENROSS SDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Natraqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Glenross fine sandy loam - on plane slope of less than 1 percent under native grass. Where described the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated).
E--0 to 1 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) fine sandy loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; massive; soft, very friable; common roots; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (1/2 to 2 inches thick)
Btn--1 to 6 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sandy clay loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; many medium faint mottles of light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6); moderate coarse and very coarse columnar structure; very hard, firm, sticky; common roots; strong effervescence; strongly alkaline; gradual boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
Bz--6 to 16 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) sandy clay loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) dry; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse subangular blocky; hard, firm, very sticky; few roots; common fine nests of salts; violent effervescence; very strongly alkaline; gradual boundary.
Bzg--16 to 42 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2); sandy clay loam, light olive gray (5Y 6/2) dry; many coarse prominent mottles of strong brown (7.5YR 5/6); weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky; few roots to 21 inches; common medium nests and striations of salt; violent effervescence; very strongly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (Combined Bz horizons is 7 to 43 inches thick.)
Cg--42 to 60 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5.6) and olive gray (5Y 5/2) loamy fine sand, olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) and light olive gray (5Y 6/2) dry; massive; hard, very friable; strong effervescence; very strongly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Dewey County, South Dakota; about 7 miles west and 3 miles south of Timberlake; 1160 feet north and 630 feet east of the southwest corner, sec. 31, T. 17 N., R. 24 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Exchangeable sodium exceeds 15 percent in the solum. Sandstone fragments as much as 2 inches in diameter are scattered throughout the solum and substrata in some pedons. Sandstone boulders up to 3 feet in diameter are in the substrata of some pedons.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5 and 5 to 7 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is fine sandy loam or loamy fine sand. It ranges from neutral to strongly alkaline.
The Btn horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 4 or 5 and 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2. Faint or distinct mottles are throughout the Bt horizon. Typically it is sandy clay loam, but is fine sandy loam or clay loam in some pedons. It averages between 18 and 35 percent clay and 40 to 65 percent sand coarser than very fine. It ranges from slightly alkaline to very strongly alkaline. Some pedons have a Btg horizon.
The Bz horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 5 or 6 and 5 to 7 dry, and chroma of 2 to 6. It is fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or loam. It has few to common fine nests and striations of gypsum and other salts. It ranges from moderately alkaline to very strongly alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5 or 5Y, value of 5 or 6 and 5 to 7 dry, and chroma of 2 to 6. It is fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, loam and typically grades to loamy fine sand or fine sand below 40 inches. It has few to common accumulations of gypsum and other salts, especially in the upper part. It ranges from moderately alkaline to very strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other soils in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Glenross soils are on nearly level, low-lying flood plains. Surfaces are plane, and slope gradients are less than one percent. The soil formed in loamy and sandy alluvium. The mean annual temperature is 39 to 45 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is about 13 to 20 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ekalaka, Parshall, and Vebar soils. These soils are adjacent and above the Glenross soils. Ekalaka soils have a mollic epipedon and have a coarse-loamy control section. Parshall and Vebar soils have a mollic epipedon and do not have a natric horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Runoff is low. Permeability is slow or very slow. The water table fluctuates between the surface and 12 inches.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for native rangeland. Dominant grasses are inland saltgrass, western wheatgrass, nuttall alkaligrass, cordgrass, and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central South Dakota. The Glenross series is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Dewey County, South Dakota, 1972.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric horizon - the zone from the surface to about 1 inch (E horizon); natric horizon - the zone from about 1 to 6 inches (Btn horizon).