LOCATION GOLDSMITH SDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Hapludolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Goldsmith silty clay loam, on a nearly level outwash plain, under cultivated cropland. When described the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 20 centimeters (0 to 8 inches); black (10YR 2/1) silty clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; strongly acid (pH 5.2); abrupt smooth boundary.
A--20 to 58 centimeters (8 to 23 inches); black (10YR 2/1) silty clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine and medium granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine pores and many very fine pores; common medium worm casts; slightly acid; (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the A horizon is 18 to 61 centimeters (7 to 24 inches).]
Bw1--58 to 84 centimeters (23 to 33 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine pores; common faint continuous black (10YR 2/1) organic coats; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear wavy boundary.
Bw2--84 to 122 centimeters (33 to 48 inches); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) silt loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) dry; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) redoximorphic concentrations; common fine faint light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) redoximorphic depletions; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine pores and common very fine pores; common prominent patchy very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) organic coats; neutral (pH 7.3); abrupt wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 41 to 84 centimeters (16 to 33 inches).]
2Bk--122 to 150 centimeters (48 to 59 inches); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) gravelly loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) dry; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) redoximorphic concentrations; common fine faint light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) redoximorphic depletions; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common carbonate coats on rock fragments; common fine soft masses of carbonate; 15 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); abrupt wavy boundary.
2C1--150 to 168 centimeters (59 to 66 inches); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) gravelly loamy sand, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) dry; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations; common fine distinct light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) redoximorphic depletions; single grain; loose, few carbonate coats on rock fragments; 34 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary.
2C2--168 to 203 centimeters (66 to 80 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly sand, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; common fine distinct light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) redoximorphic depletions; single grain; loose; few carbonate coats on rock fragments; 37 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Brookings County, South Dakota; located about 686 meters (2250 feet) north and 404 meters (1325 feet) west of the southeast corner of section 15, T. 110 N., R. 51 W.; VOLGA, S. DAK topographic quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees 19 minutes 56.35 seconds N. and long. 96 degrees 55 minutes 0.14 seconds W., NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 41 to 89 centimeters (16 to 35 inches) and extends into the upper part of the Bw horizon. Depth to free carbonates ranges from 41 to more than 152 centimeters (16 to more than 60 inches). Depth to sand or gravel is 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches). The particle-size control section averages 20 to 35 percent clay and less than 15 percent fine sand and coarser.
The A horizon has a hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3 and 3 or 4 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is silt loam or silty clay loam. It ranges from strongly acid to neutral.
The Bw horizon has a hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 or 4 and 3 to 5 dry, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is silt loam or silty clay loam. It is moderately acid to neutral.
Some pedons have a Bk horizon.
The 2Bk horizon has a hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 and 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is gravelly loam or gravelly sandy loam. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The 2C horizon has a hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6 and 5 to 8 dry, and chroma of 2 to 6. It is loamy sand, sand or their gravelly or very gravelly analogues and contains up to 65 percent gravel. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Beotia, Brookings, Graceland, Overly, and Waubay series. Beotia and Overly soils are varved with thin layers of sand to clay at a depth of 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches). Varves range from 1 mm to 10 mm in thickness. Brookings soils have glacial till within a depth of 102 centimeters (40 inches) Graceland and Waubay soils have glacial till at a depth greater than 102 centimeters (40 inches). The Waubay soils also have strata in the horizon above the glacial till. Strata ranges in texture from loam to silty clay loam and are 10 mm to 50 mm in thickness.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Goldsmith soils are on level to nearly level footslopes and swales on outwash plains. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. They formed in loess over sand and gravel. Elevations above sea level ranges from 305 to 716 meters (1000 to 2350 feet). Mean annual precipitation is 485 to 735 millimeters (19 to 29 inches). The frost-free period is 120 to 160 days. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 4 to 7 degrees C (38 to 45 degrees F).
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Brandt and Estelline soils. The well drained Brandt and Estelline soils are on summits and backslopes.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained. Surface runoff is low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity, measured in cm per hour, is 1.52 to 5.10 (.6 to 2.0 inches) in the upper mantle and 51 to 254 (20 to 99.9 inches) in the underlying sand and gravel. It has seasonal high saturation at depths of 1 to 1.5 meters (3 to 5 feet) at some time during the period of April through June in normal years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated, the principal crops are corn, soybeans, small grain and hay. Native grasses are big bluestem, switchgrass, little bluestem, sedges, and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA-102A. North-central South Dakota. This series is of minor extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Brookings County, South Dakota, 1995.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 84 centimeters (33 inches) (Ap, A, Bw1 horizons); cambic horizon - the zone from 84 to 122 centimeters (33 to 48 inches) (Bw2 horizon).
As of this revision date, the classification of the Goldsmith series was changed from Aquic Cumulic Hapudolls to Pachic Hapudolls due to changes in the ninth edition of Keys to Soil Taxonomy.