LOCATION LEEN MN

Established Series
Rev. KDM-AGG
01/2011

LEEN SERIES

The Leen series consists of very deep, poorly drained calcareous soils that formed in a silty mantle of glacial lacustrine sediments or loess overlying loamy glacial till on glacial lake plains and moraines. Permeability is moderate. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 46 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation is about 24 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Calciaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Leen silty clay loam with a 1 percent plane slope on a ground moraine in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 9 inches; black (N 2/0) silty clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (7 to 10 inches thick)

Ak1--9 to 15 inches; black (N 2/0) silty clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; carbonates disseminated throughout; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Ak2--15 to 20 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; carbonates disseminated throughout; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Ak horizon is 0 to 18 inches)

Bkg--20 to 25 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) Fe concentrations; few fine roots; carbonates disseminated throughout; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 16 inches thick)

Cg1--25 to 30 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam; massive; friable; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) Fe concentrations; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Cg2--30 to 38 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam; massive; friable; common fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) Fe concentrations and few fine faint light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) Fe depletions; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.
(Combined thickness of the Cg horizon is 6 to 20 inches)

2Cg3--38 to 80 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam; massive; friable; many medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) and common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) Fe concentrations; 4 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Renville County, Minnesota; 3 miles south of Renville; about 2,575 feet north and 200 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 20, T. 115 N., R. 36 W.; USGS Renville quadrangle, latitude 44 degrees 45 minutes 08 seconds N. and latitude 95 degrees 13 minutes 07 seconds W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 12 to 24 inches. The thickness of the silty mantle ranges from 24 to 40 inches. The upper sediment typically does not have coarse fragments, but in some pedons it contains up to 2 percent, by volume, at the contact with the lower till. The underlying glacial till contains 2 to 10 percent, by volume, of coarse fragments of mixed lithology. The reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline throughout. The calcic horizon is within depths of 16 inches and has 15 to 40 percent calcium carbonate equivalent. The series control section has 18 to 35 percent clay. Concentrations of gypsum crystals are in some pedons, but they are not diagnostic for the series. The soil moisture control section is dry for 20 to 35 consecutive days during the 120 days that follow the summer solstice.

The A, Ap and Ak horizons have hue of 10YR to 5Y or are neutral, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 0 through 2. They are silty clay loam or silt loam.

The Bkg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 through 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Pedons with chroma of 2 have distinct or prominent Fe concentrations. It is silt loam or silty clay loam. Carbonates generally are typically disseminated throughout the matrix, but some pedons have a few threads or masses.

The Cg and 2Cg horizons have hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 through 3. The Cg horizon is silt loam and may have thin strata of very fine sandy loam or loamy very fine sand. The 2Cg horizon is loam or clay loam.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Chipman, Harpster, Logan, Prophetstown, and Provo Bay series. The Chipman, Logan and Provo Bay soils have a soil moisture control section that is dry for more than 35 consecutive days during the 120 days that follow the summer solstice. Harpster and Prophetstown soils have a soil moisture control section that is dry for less than 20 consecutive days during the 120 days that follow the summer solstice in most years.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils have plane or slightly concave slopes with gradient of 0 to 2 percent on glacial till plains or ground moraines. The Leen soils formed in 24 to 40 inches of silty lacustrine sediments or loess overlying calcareous loam or clay loam glacial till. The sediments are Late Wisconsinan in age. Mean annual air temperature is 45 to 48 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is 22 to 26 inches. Frost free days range from 120 to 160. Elevation above sea level is 1000 to 1500 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Crooksford, Louris and Okoboji soils which formed in similar sediments and the Swanlake soils which formed entirely in glacial till. They are members of the same hydrosequence with the Leen soils. The Crooks and Swanlake soils are well drained and are on more sloping positions. The Louris soils are somewhat poorly drained and are on slightly higher positions. Okoboji soils are very poorly drained and are in depressions

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Permeability is moderate. Surface runoff is low. Depth to the seasonal high water table is at 0.5 foot to 1.5 feet at some time during November to May in most years.

USE AND VEGETATION: Nearly all of these soils are cultivated. Small grains, corn, and soybeans are the principal crops. Native vegetation is tall grass prairie.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South Central Minnesota. Moderately extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Renville County, Minnesota, 1995.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and properties recognized in this pedon are: Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 20 inches (Ap and Ak horizons); Calcic horizon - the zone from 9 to 25 inches (Ak and Bk horizons). 1/20/2011-TYPE LOCATION error was corrected.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record MN0828.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.