LOCATION KREM NDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Paleustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Krem loamy fine sand - on a west-facing plane slope of 2 percent in alfalfa. Where described, the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loamy fine sand, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine and medium granular structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, medium and coarse roots; very few pebbles; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
A1--7 to 15 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loamy fine sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; very few pebbles; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
A2--15 to 25 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loamy fine sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; very few pebbles; krotovina 3 inches in diameter; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined A horizons 12 to 39 inches thick)
BA--25 to 30 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and medium tubular pores; about 5 percent coarse fragments; slightly alkaline; abrupt irregular boundary. (Combined BA and Bw horizons 5 to 15 inches thick)
2Bt--30 to 38 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; common fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; strong coarse prismatic structure parting to strong angular blocky; sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; many moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and surface of pores; sandy coatings up to 1/4 inch thick between prisms; about 3 percent coarse fragments; some are coated with carbonates; slightly alkaline; clear irregular boundary.
2Btk--38 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; common fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; strong very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse angular blocky; sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine roots along faces of prisms; many very fine tubular pores; many moderately thick dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist clay films on faces of peds and surfaces of pores; sandy coatings up to 1/4 inch thick between prisms; about 3 percent coarse fragments and one larger weathered sandstone fragment; many irregular shaped masses of carbonates; violent effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Mercer County, North Dakota; about 6 1/2 miles east of Hazen; 1850 feet east and 135 feet south of the northwest corner, sec. 17, T. 144 N., R. 85 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the sandy sediments and depth to loamy glacial till ranges from 20 to 40 inches. The soil contains up to 10 percent by volume of gravel, mainly in the loamy glacial till. A thin stone line is at the boundary between the sandy and loamy materials in some pedons. The mollic epipedon commonly is more than 20 inches thick. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for 90 or more cumulative days per year in 6 out of 10 years. The particle-size control section has more than 15 percent fine sand and coarser sand and 18 to 35 percent clay.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is loamy fine sand, fine sand or loamy sand. It is slightly acid or neutral.
The BA and Bw horizons have hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6 and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. They are loamy sand or loamy fine sand. They are neutral or slightly alkaline.
The 2Bt horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 4 to 6 and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It commonly is clay loam, sandy clay loam or loam. It typically averages between 25 to 35 percent clay but ranges from 18 to 35 percent clay. In some pedons this horizon does not have carbonates. In some pedons this horizon has thin sand lenses. It is neutral to moderately alkaline. Some pedons have 2Bk, 2BC or 2C horizons.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in the same family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Krem soils are on level to rolling sand mantled uplands. Slopes are complex concave and convex. Slope gradients typically are 1 to 6 percent but range from 0 to 15 percent. The soils formed in eolian sands and underlying loam or clay loam glacial till. Mean annual temperature ranges from 38 to 48 degrees F, and the mean annual precipitation ranges from 14 to 17 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Flaxton, Lihen, Livona, Parshall, Seroco, Telfer and Williams soils. Flaxton, Livona and Williams soils are on nearby uplands. Lihen and Parshall soils are on nearby swales and terraces. Seroco, Lihen and Telfer soils are on nearby sand plains. Flaxton, Livona and Williams soils do not have sandy upper horizons. In addition, Flaxton soils are pachic. Lihen, Parshall, Seroco and Telfer soils do not have an argillic horizon. In addition, Lihen, Seroco and Telfer soils have sand textures throughout the 10-to 40-inch control sections and Parshall soils are coarse-loamy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Slow or medium runoff. Rapid permeability in the upper part and moderately slow permeability in the lower part formed in glacial till.
USE AND VEGETATION: Soils mainly are used for range, hay, and pasture. Some are cropped to small grains, alfalfa, and corn. Native vegetation is prairie sandreed, needleandthread, and western wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West-central North Dakota, mainly adjacent to glacial outwash areas in the Missouri River watershed. The soil is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: McLean County, North Dakota, 1974.
REMARKS: Revised 11/92.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 25 inches (Ap, A1, and A2 horizons); argillic horizon - the zone from 30 to 60 inches (2Bt and 2Btk horizons). Mottles with chroma of 2 or less within a depth of less than 40 inches are not considered as evidence of wetness in this soil.