LOCATION JEFFERS MN

Established Series
Rev. RER-TCJ-AGG
01/2011

JEFFERS SERIES

The Jeffers series consists of deep, poorly drained calcareous soils that formed in loamy glacial till or drift on glacial moraines and till plains. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual air temperature is about 8 degrees C (46 degrees F). The mean annual precipitation is about 66 centimeters (26 inches).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Typic Endoaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Jeffers clay loam with a west-facing slightly convex slope of 2 percent on a till plain in a cultivated field at an elevation of 1,470 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 25 centimeters (0 to 10 inches); black (2.5Y 2/1) clay loam, dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine gypsum crystal in root channels; about 1 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.

A--25 to 46 centimeters (10 to 18 inches); very dark gray (2.5Y 3/1) clay loam, gray (2.5Y 5/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few fine gypsum crystal in root channels; about 1 percent gravel; violently effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. [(Combined thickness of the A horizons is 20 to 61 centimeters (8 to 24 inches thick).]

BA--46 to 56 centimeters (18 to 22 inches); dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) clay loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common distinct olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) and very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) worm casts; few fine gypsum crystals in root channels; few fine faint dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) Fe depletions; about 2 percent gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.[ ( 0 to 20 centimeters (0 to 8 inches thick) .]

Bkg1--56 to 76 centimeters (22 to 30 inches); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine calcium carbonates masses; many fine gypsum threads; few fine oxide stains; common fine distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) Fe depletions; about 5 percent gravel; violently effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary.

Bk--76 to 89 centimeters (30 to 35 inches); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) clay loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine calcium carbonates masses; many fine gypsum threads; few fine oxide stains; common fine distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) Fe depletions; about 5 percent gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.[ (Combined thickness of Bk horizons is 10 to 64 centimeters( 4 to 25 inches thick).]

2C1--89 to 119 centimeters (35 to 47 inches); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) clay loam; firm; many fine calcium carbonates masses; few fine oxide stains; many large prominent yellowish brown distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6)Fe concentrations; about 8 percent gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

2C2--119 to 152 centimeters (47 to 60 inches); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) clay loam; firm; many fine calcium carbonates masses; few fine oxide stains; common large prominent olive gray (5Y 5/2) Fe depletions; about 8 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

TYPE LOCATION: Murray County, Minnesota; about 8 miles north and 2.5 miles east of Dovray; about 660 meters (2,200 feet ) east and 320 meters (1,050 feet ) south of the northwest corner of sec. 26, T. 108 N., R. 39 W.; USGS Walnut Grove quadrangle, lat. 44 degrees 08 minutes 06 seconds N., Long. 95 degrees 29 minutes 39 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Range in depth to firm 2B or 2C horizon is 20 to 40 inches. Solum thickness is 26 to 40 inches. The mollic epipedon is 14 to 24 inches thick. Rock fragments comprise 0 to l0 percent of the volume of the sola and 3 to 15 percent of the C horizon. The average calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 10 to 20 percent in the solum and C horizon. These soils commonly have a calcic horizon, but it begins below depths of 16 inches. Carbonates are disseminated in the upper part of the sola, and both disseminated and in 5 to 10 mm diameter soft masses in the lower part of the sola and in the C horizon. The average content of gypsum in the sola is 2 to 5 percent. It occurs throughout the sola in powder form as coats on faces of peds or as 1 to 5 mm diameter crystals and few 5 to 10 mm diameter nests of crystals, or both. The C horizon lacks or has a trace of gypsum.

The A horizon has 2.5Y hue, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1. It is slightly or moderately alkaline.

The BG, Bkg, and Bk horizons have 2.5Y hue, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1 or 2 in the upper part and 1 through 4 in the lower part. It is commonly clay loam and less commonly loam. It is slightly or moderately alkaline.

The 2C horizon has 2.5Y hue or 5Y hue, value of 4 or 5, and chrome of 2 through 4. It is commonly loam and less commonly clay loam or sandy clay loam. It is slightly or moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: COMPETING SERIES: These are the Canisteo, Hetz, Hooppole, Kish, and Tilfer series. All these soils, except the Tilfer soils, average less than 75 percent sand in the lower part of the series control section. Tilfer soils have a lithic contact between depths of 51 to 102 centimeters (20 and 40 inches).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Jeffers soils have slightly convex slopes on rims of depressions on glacial moraines and till plains. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. These soils formed in loamy calcareous glacial till or drift which mantles a firm calcareous glacial till at depths as shallow as 76 centimeters (30 inches) in a few pedons. These sediments are Late Wisconsin Age. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 7 to 10 C (45 to 50 degrees F), and mean annual precipitation ranges from 61 to 71 centimeters (24 to 28 inches). Annual frost free days are 125 to 170. Elevation ranges from 267 to 480 meters (890 to 1,600
feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: The main ones are the Pell Creek (T), Walnut Grove (T), Annton (T), and Romnell soils which are members of a drainage sequence with Jeffers soils. Poorly drained Pell Creek soils are on broad flats, lack gypsum in the sola and are not calcareous in all parts. Poorly drained and very poorly Romnell soils are in slightly concave, flat, and depressional areas and are not calcareous in all parts Walnut Grove soils are in similar position but are leached in the upper third of the profile.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Poorly drained. Surface runoff is negligible or low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high in the upper part and moderately high in the firm glacial till. The apparent seasonal high saturation is at a depth of 0 to 30 centimeters (0 to 1 feet) during the wettest parts of normal years.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are cultivated. Corn and soybeans are the principal crops. Native vegetation is tall grass prairie.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern and west-central Minnesota. The series is inextensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cottonwood County, Minnesota, 1978.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and properties recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 43 centimeters (18 inches) (Ap, A and AB horizons), cambic horizon - the zone from 43 to 89 centimeters (18 to 35 inches) (BA and Bkg and Bk horizons), Aquic moisture regime.

These soils formerly were included in the mapping units of the Canisteo soils among others. These soils are marginal to having a gypsic horizon.

The OSD was moved to this location as of this revision to better fit the concept of firm till. 1/21/2011-TYPE LOCATION error was corrected.

ADDITIONAL DATA: For results of some laboratory analyses refer to MN. Agr. Exp. Sta. Central File Code Nos. 2115, 2116, and 2117 for similar pedons.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.