LOCATION MARYSLAND          MN+ND SD
Established Series
Rev. HRF-AGG
04/2000

MARYSLAND SERIES


The Marysland series consists of very deep, poorly and very poorly drained soils that formed in glacial lacustrine, alluvium or outwash sediments which consists of a 20 to 40 inch loamy mantle over sandy or sandy-skeletal sediments. These soils are on stream terraces, outwash channels, outwash plains, flood plains and lake plains. They have moderate permeability in the upper part and rapid permeability in the underlying material. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 43 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation is about 22 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Calciaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Marysland loam with a plane level slope on a glacial lake plain in a meadow. (Colors are for moist conditions unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 9 inches; black (10YR 2/1) loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; many roots; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)

Ak--9 to 12 inches; black (10YR 2/1) loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many roots; disseminated calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)

Bkg1--12 to 15 inches; olive gray (5Y 4/2) loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few roots; many fine faint olive gray (5Y 5/2) and dark gray (5Y 4/1) Fe depletions; disseminated calcium carbonate; strongly effervescet; moderately alkaline; clear irregular boundary.

Bkg2--15 to 20 inches; olive gray (5Y 4/2) loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; few dark brown (10YR 4/3) coatings in root channels; few fine prominent olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) Fe concentrations; few small soft lime masses; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.

Bkg3--20 to 27 inches; light olive gray (5Y 6/2) loam; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) root channel fillings; few fine prominent olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) Fe conmcentrations; few small lime and manganese masses; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bkg horizons is 6 to 32 inches.)

2Cg1--27 to 40 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sand; single grain; loose; many fine and medium faint light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) Fe depletions and common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) Fe concentrations; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

2Cg2--40 to 80 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sand; single grain; loose; many medium faint light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) Fe depletions and few medium prominent red (2.5YR 4/8) Fe concentrations; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Swift County, Minnesota, about 5 miles west of Benson; 900 feet east and 200 feet north of the southwest corner, Sec. 4, T. 121 N., R. 40 W., USGS Clontarf South quadrangle, latitude 45 degrees 18 minutes 42.17 seconds N., longitude 95 degrees 42 minutes 06.25 seconds N., NAD27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon ranges from 7 to 30 inches in thickness. The depth to the calcic horizon ranges from 0 to 16 inches. The loamy outwash material ranges from 20 to 40 inches in thickness. It typically does not have rock fragments, but it contains as much as 10 percent (by volume) mostly in the lower part in some pedons. The 2C horizon contains as much as 40 percent (by volume) of rock fragments. The rock fragments are of mixed lithology. The loamy surface horizons average between 18 and 30 percent clay and 20 to 50 percent of fine sand and coarser. The calcic horizon has calcium carbonate equivalent averaging between 15 and 35 percent. Free carbonates are in all parts of the control section. The soil is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y or is neutral; value of 2 or 3; and chroma of 0 or 1. It is loam, silt loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam. Some pedons have an ABkg horizon.

The Bkg horizon has hue of 5Y to 10YR or is neutral, value of 3 to 6, 4 to 8 dry; chroma of 0 to 2. It typically is mottled in all parts; however, in some pedons the part at about depths of 20 inches does not have mottles but has chroma of 1 or 0. It is loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam but the range includes fine sandy loam or sandy loam in the lower part. In some pedons, a transitional layer of gravelly sandy loam less than 5 inches thick is between the Bkg and 2Cg horizons. Some pedons have an Ab horizon or Cg horizon.

The 2Cg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 3 to 6 and chroma of 1 or 2. In some pedons, the coarse textured strata below 40 inches have chroma of 4 to 6. It is fine sand, sand, or coarse sand with as much as 40 percent gravel or are stratified with sand, coarse sand, loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, or their gravelly or very gravelly analogues. A 3Cg horizon of finer textured material begins at depths as shallow as 40 inches in a few pedons.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Marysland soils have plane, slightly concave, or slightly convex slopes. They formed in glacial lacustrine, alluvium or outwash with a 20 to 40 inch upper loamy mantle over sandy and gravelly sediment in drainageways and flats on glacial stream terraces, outwash channels, outwash plains, outwash plains, flood plains and lake plains. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual air temperature ranges from about 38 to 45 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 18 to 24 inches. Frost-free days range from 100 to 150. Elevation above sea level ranges from 800 to 2350 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Renshaw, Fordville, Spottswood, and Divide soils which are members of a hydrosequence with the Marysland soils. The Renshaw and Fordville soils are well drained and are on higher lying or more sloping terrain. The Spottswood and Divide soils are moderately well and somewhat poorly drained. The Spottswood soils have plane or slightly concave slopes and lack a calcic horizon at shallow depths. The Divide soils have plane or slightly convex slopes.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly and very poorly drained. Runoff is slow. Permeability is moderate in the upper loamy mantle and rapid in the 2C horizon. Depth to an apparent seasonal high water table is as high as .5 to 1.5 feet at some time from November through July in most years for the poorly drained phase. The very poorly drained phase has an apparent high water table at depths of +1.0 to 1.0 feet during January to December in most years.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas have been drained and are cultivated to corn, soybeans, and small grains. Undrained areas are in pasture or wild hay. The native vegetation is tall grass prairie.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Minnesota and eastern North Dakota and South Dakota. Series is of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Swift County, Minnesota, 1970.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 12 inches (A and Ak horizons); calcic horizon - the zone from 9 to 27 inches (Ak and Bkg horizons); aquic condition.

ADDITIONAL DATA:: Refer to MN Agr. Exp. Sta. Central File Code No. 29 for results of some laboratory analysis of a representative pedon of the series. Soil Interpretation Record numbers MN0103 and MN0320-depressional.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.