LOCATION KAB MN

Established Series
GDN-JFG
12/2010

KAB SERIES

The Kab series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in calcareous glacial till on moraines. These soils have slow permeability. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 25 inches, and mean annual air temperature is about 38 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Typic Glossaqualfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Kab silt loam on a concave slope of 1 percent under mixed aspen forest. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 4 inches; black (2.5Y 2/1) silt loam, dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) dry; weak medium subangular blocky and weak fine granular structure; friable; many fine and medium roots; 1 percent gravel; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)

Eg--4 to 7 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam; moderate medium platy structure; friable; many fine and medium roots; common fine distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) Fe concentrations; 2 percent gravel; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)

B/E--7 to 13 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) (Bt horizon 70 percent) silty clay loam and grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) (E horizon 30 percent) silt loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine and medium roots; common fine distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) Fe concentrations; common very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 2 percent gravel; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (2 to 7 inches thick)

Btg1--13 to 21 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very firm; common fine and medium roots; common very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; common fine distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) Fe concentrations and few fine distinct olive gray (5Y 5/2) Fe depletions; 2 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Btg2--21 to 29 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very firm; common fine and medium roots; few very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; common medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) Fe concentrations and common medium distinct olive gray (5Y 5/2) Fe depletions; 3 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons are 9 to 34 inches)

Cg1--29 to 49 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay; massive; very firm; few medium and coarse roots; common medium distinct olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) Fe concentrations and common medium prominent dark gray (5Y 4/1) Fe depletions; 3 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

Cg2--49 to 80 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silty clay loam; massive; firm; few medium and coarse roots; common medium distinct olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) Fe concentrations and common medium prominent dark gray (5Y 4/1) Fe depletions; 4 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Koochiching County, Minnesota; about 3 miles southwest of International Falls, MN.; 2200 feet west and 1400 feet north of the southeast corner of section 19, T.70 N., R.24 W.; USGS International Falls quadrangle; latitude 48 degrees 32 minutes 16 seconds N. and longitude 93 degrees 28 minutes 18 seconds W., NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to free carbonates ranges from 20 to 44 inches. The series control section averages 35 to 60 percent clay. Rock fragments of mixed lithology range from 1 to 8 percent by volume.

Some pedons have an O horizon 1 to 3 inches thick. It is partially to well decomposed organic matter from remains of trees, shrubs, sedges, and forest floor flora. It has a hue of 10YR, 2.5Y or is neutral, value of 1 to 3, and chroma of 0 to 2.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y or is neutral, value of 2 or 3, chroma of 0 to 2. It is silt loam, silty clay loam or loam. It is strongly acid to neutral.

The E horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is silt loam, loam, sandy clay loam, silty clay loam, or very fine sandy loam. It is strongly acid to neutral.

The B/E horizon has characteristics similar to the E horizon and Bt horizon respectively. Some pedons have a E/B horizon.

The Btg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is silty clay, clay, or silty clay loam. It is slightly acid to slightly alkaline.

Some pedons have a BCg horizon.

The Cg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 4. It is clay, silty clay, or silty clay loam. Soft threads or rounded masses of calcium carbonate are in many pedons. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kab soils are on plane and slightly concave surfaces on ground moraines. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. They formed in calcareous glacial till. The materials are Late Wisconsin Age. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 23 to 28 inches, and mean annual air temperature ranges from 36 to 40 degrees F. The frost free period ranges from 90 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Haystore, Kooch, Ratroot and Dora soils. Moderately well drained Haystore soils on convex surfaces on higher positions. Somewhat poorly drained Kooch soils are on slightly convex to plane surfaces on slightly higher positions. Very poorly drained Ratroot soils are in lower lying concave positions. Very poorly drained Dora soils formed in organic material over clayey sediments and are in lower lying concave positions.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Surface runoff is very low. Permeability is slow. An apparent water table is at a depth of 0.5 to 1.5 feet sometime during the period October to July in most years.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most of this soil is forested. Aspen, Balm of Gilead, balsam fir and spruce are common species. Some areas are cleared and used for production of hay, small grains, and pasture.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North central Minnesota, MLRA-88, 93; Moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Koochiching County, Minnesota, 2010. The name comes from a lake in the county.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to 4 inches (A horizon); albic horizon - the zone from 4 to 7 inches (Eg horizon); glossic horizon - the zone from 7 to 13 inches (B/E horizon); argillic horizon - the zone from 7 to 29 inches (B/E and Btg horizons); aquic subgroup - low chroma colors in Btg horizon;

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.