LOCATION LODGEPOLE NE
Established Series
Rev. LGR, JCR, PTC
11/2021
LODGEPOLE SERIES
The Lodgepole series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils formed in loess and loamy sediments in upland depressions and playas. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 11 degrees C. (51 degrees F.) and mean annual precipitation is about 43 centimeters (17 inches) at the type location.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Vertic Argiaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Lodgepole silty clay loam on a concave slope of less than 1 percent in a cultivated field. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 13 centimeters (0 to 5 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) silty clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable; many very fine roots; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 20 centimeters (2 to 8 inches) thick)
Bt1--13 to 23 centimeters (5 to 9 inches); dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay, black (10YR 2/1) moist; strong fine and medium angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm; patchy clay films on ped faces; many very fine roots; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--23 to 61 centimeters (9 to 24 inches); dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay, black (10YR 2/1) moist; few, fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist iron masses in the soil matrix; strong coarse prismatic structure parting to strong fine subangular blocky; very hard, very firm; patchy clay films on ped faces; few very fine roots; slightly acid; diffuse wavy boundary.
Bt3--61 to 97 centimeters (24 to 38 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; common fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist iron masses in the soil matrix; strong coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and fine subangular blocky; very hard, very firm; patchy clay films on ped faces; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
Bt4--97 to 114 centimeters (38 to 45 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, firm; dark organic stains on ped faces; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 46 to 117 centimeters (18 to 46 inches) thick)
BC--114 to 137 centimeters (45 to 54 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable; dark organic stains on ped faces; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 46 centimeters (0 to 18 inches) thick)
C--137 to 203 centimeters (54 to 80 inches); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Dundy County, Nebraska; about 27.2 kilometers (17 miles) north and 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) east of Benkelman; 762 meters (2,500 feet) east and 229 meters (750 feet) north of the southwest corner of sec. 24, T. 4 N., R. 37 W. USGS topographic quadrangle, latitude 40 degrees, 17 minutes, 40 seconds North and longitude 101 degrees, 26 minutes, 46 seconds West.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mollic epipedon: 51 to 127 centimeters (20 to 50 inches) thick and extends through the Bt horizon.
Carbonates depth: below 102 centimeters (40 inches) but range from 76 to more than 152 centimeters (30 to 60 inches)
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: silt loam, loam or silty clay loam.
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline
Thickness: 5 to 20 centimeters
Pedons in undisturbed areas commonly have a thin E horizon.
Bt horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 5, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: silty clay, silty clay loam, clay and clay loam
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline
Thickness: 46 to 117 centimeters
Bk horizon: present in some pedons
BC horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: silty clay, silty clay loam, and clay loam (fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy very fine sand, loamy fine sand or loamy sand below a depth of 102 centimeters (40 inches) in some pedons)
Dark organic stains: common on faces of peds
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
Thickness: 0 to 46 centimeters
C horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 8, 4 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: silt loam, loam, or very fine sandy loam (fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy very fine sand, loamy fine sand or loamy sand below a depth of 102 centimeters (40 inches) in some pedons)
Coatings of carbonates: on cleavage planes in some pedons
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Butler,
Carbika,
Chancellor,
Clarinda,
Coatsburg,
Edinburg,
Fosterburg,
Haig,
Mazaska,
Minnetonka,
Sacville,
Sampsel,
Taintor,
Terrabella,
Virden and
Worthing soils.
Butler,
Carbika,
Coatsburg,
Edinburg,
Fosterburg,
Haig,
Mazaska,
Minnetonka,
Sacville,
Sampsel,
Taintor,
Terrabella and
Virden soils have a higher mean annual precipitation
Chancellor soils formed in alluvium
Clarinda soils formed in glacial till on side slopes and head slopes
Worthenton soils have mollic epipedons less than 51 centimeters (20 inches) thick and are calcareous throughout the series control section
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landscape: upland
Landform: depressions and playas
Slopes: 0 to 1 percent
Parent material: loess and loamy sediments
Precipitation: 36 to 46 centimeters (14 to 18 inches)
Mean annual air temperature: 8 to 12 degrees C. (47 to 54 degrees F.)
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Alliance,
Duroc,
Goshen,
Keith,
Kuma,
Rago,
Rosebud and
Satanta soils
Alliance,
Duroc,
Goshen,
Keith, and
Kuma soils are fine-silty.
Alliance and
Keith soils have a mollic epipedon less than 20 inches thick.
Kuma and
Rago soils have a buried paleosol in the series control section.
Richfield soils have a mollic epipedon less than 51 centimeters (20 inches) thick.
Rosebud and
Satanta soils are fine-loamy.
Rosebud soils have sandstone at depths between 20 and 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage: somewhat poorly
Saturated hydraulic conductivity: low
Runoff: very low or ponded
The surface layer is saturated for periods of long duration during March to July from a perched water table that ranges from +0.5 to 2.0 feet.
These soils typically pond water for short duration.
A ponded phase is recognized that ponds water for long duration in more than one-half the years.
The water table in the ponded phase ranges from +2.0 to 2.0 feet.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the acreage is cultivated.
Successful crop production depends upon the timeliness of precipitation and the length of time the soil is ponded.
Winter wheat is the main dryland crop.
Corn, alfalfa, and field beans are the main irrigated crops.
The ponded phase is mostly in native grass or weeds.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Nebraska and possibly eastern Wyoming, northeastern Colorado, southwestern South Dakota and northwestern Kansas. The series is of small extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Salina, Kansas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Banner County, Nebraska; 1989.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 114 centimeters (45 inches) (the Ap, Bt1, Bt2, Bt3 and Bt4 horizons)
Argillic horizon: 13 to 114 centimeters (5 to 45 inches) (the Bt horizons)
Aquic soil conditions/redox features: 23 to 97 centimeters (9 to 38 inches)
The Lodgepole soils need to be re-examined for possible inclusion in the "Vertic" subgroup. Lodgepole soils were previously mapped as variants of the Scott series. They are in a drier climate and typically pond for shorter duration than the Scott soils mapped in eastern and central Nebraska. The ponded phase is similar to the Scott soils but the profile classifies the same as Lodgepole. The ponded phase needs additional study to determine if a new series is needed.
Modified format by LRM in 10/2005 to include metric conversion and change permeability to saturated hydraulic conductivity.
11/2021 PTC: Added wetland vegetation for Nebraska to ADDITIONAL DATA. Updated SSRO statement. Added Thickness to Range in Characteristics.
ADDITIONAL DATA:
In Nebraska, the native vegetative cover is an herbaceous wetland community commonly inhabited with: shortbeak sedge (Carex brevior (Dewey) Mack.), woolly sedge (Carex pellita), ticklegrass(Agrostis hyemalis), bald spikerush (Eleocharis erythropoda), western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), and rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides). Plains coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria), western water clover, (Marsilea vestita), smartweeds (Persicaria spp.), docks (Rumex spp.), and prairie ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata). Source: Terrestrial Ecological Systems and Natural Communities of Nebraska, Version IV. S.B. Rolfsmeier and G. Steinauer. Nebraska Natural Heritage Program, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, 2010.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.