LOCATION HANTHO MN+WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Aquic Hapludolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Hantho silt loam with a plane slope of 1 percent on a silty mantled till plain in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silt loam; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.
A--8 to 12 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silt loam; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 10 to 24 inches thick)
AB--12 to 15 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; faint very dark gray (10YR 3/1) coatings on peds; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
(0 to 8 inches thick)
Bw1--15 to 20 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; friable; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
Bw2--20 to 24 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; friable; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bw horizons is 6 to 18 inches.)
Bk--24 to 29 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few faint light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) lime masses; few fine distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) Fe concentrations; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
Bkg1--29 to 46 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few faint light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) lime masses; many fine faint light gray (2.5Y 7/2) Fe depletions and many fine distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) Fe concentrations; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
Bkg2--46 to 65 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few faint light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) lime masses; many fine faint light gray (2.5Y 7/2) Fe depletions and many fine distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) Fe concentrations; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.
Cg--65 to 80 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam, massive; friable; many fine distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) Fe concentrations; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline;
TYPE LOCATION: Swift County, Minnesota; about 11 miles south and 8 miles west of Benson; 1,700 feet west, 60 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 36, T. 120 N., R. 41 W., USGS Gracelock NW, Minnesota quadrangle, lat. 45 degrees 09 minutes 57 seconds N., lon. 95 degrees 44 minutes 38 seconds W., NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to free carbonates ranges from 14 to 32 inches. The mollic epipedon, which may include part of the B horizon, ranges from 10 to 24 inches in thickness. These soils are generally free of rock fragments. The particle-size control section has 8 to 18 percent clay and less than 5 percent fine sand or coarser.
The A horizon has a hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is commonly silt loam but in some pedons it is very fine sandy loam or loam. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Bw horizon has 10YR or 2.5Y hue, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is silt loam or very fine sandy loam. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Bk horizons have hue of 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 6. The texture is dominantly silt loam or very fine sandy loam, but a few thin layers of loam or silty clay loam are in some pedons. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 10 to 25 percent and may qualify for a calcic horizon.
The Cg or C horizons have hue of 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 4. The texture is dominantly silt loam or very fine sandy loam, but a few thin layers of loam or silty clay loam are in some pedons. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 5 to 15 percent.
Some pedons have loam and clay loam 2C horizons in glacial till beginning at depths as shallow as 40 inches.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils have slightly concave or plane slopes with a gradient of 1 to 3 percent. They are on glacial lake plains and moraines. These soils formed in silty glacial lacustrine sediments. Typically these sediments overlie calcareous till with depth. The mean annual air temperature ranges from 38 to 45 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 20 to 29 inches. Frost-free days range from 120 to 160. Elevation above sea level ranges from 785 to 1950 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Perella, Quam, Rothsay and Zell soils which formed in similar sediments and are members of a drainage sequence with the Hantho soils. Poorly drained Perella soils are on adjacent flats. Very poorly drained Quam soils are in depressions. The well drained Rothsay and Zell soils are on higher lying or more sloping terrain.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Surface runoff is slow. Permeability is moderate. The apparent seasonal high water table is at 2.5 to 3.5 feet at some time during March to June in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Largely under cultivation; small grains, corn and soybeans are major crops. Native vegetation is tall grass prairie.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Minnesota. Inextensive.
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 are: mollic epipedon the zone from the surface to 20 inches (Ap, A and Bw1 horizons); cambic horizon: the zone from 20 to 24 inches (Bw2 horizon); Aquic moisture condition based on low chroma colors below the mollic epipedon.