LOCATION MCKELVIE NE+SD WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, mesic Typic Ustipsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: McKelvie loamy fine sand, on a 42 percent concave, northeast-facing slope in native grass. When described the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated).
A--O to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loamy fine sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable; many fine and very fine roots; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
AC--6 to 15 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium and fine subangular blocky; soft, very friable; common fine and very fine roots; about 3 percent by volume of soft sandstone fragments ranging from 1/8 to 2 inches in size; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 18 inches thick)
C1--15 to 25 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loamy fine sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to massive; soft, very friable; about 5 percent by volume of soft sandstone fragments ranging from 1/8 to 2 inches in size; few fine and medium roots; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
C2--25 to 36 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) fine sand, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist;single grain; loose; few fine roots; about 5 percent by volume of soft calcareous sandstone fragments ranging from 1/8 to 2 inches in size; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
C3--36 to 80 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) sand, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist; single grain; loose; few fine foots; about 5 percent by volume of soft calcareous sandstone fragments ranging from 1/2 to 3 inches in size; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Cherry County, Nebraska; 9 1/2 miles south and 2 miles east of Kilgore; 1000 feet east and 700 feet south of northwest corner, sec. 36, T. 33 N., R. 31 W. USGS kilgore quadrangle, Latitude 42 degrees 47 minutes, 47 seconds North and longitude 100 degrees, 55 minutes, 19 seconds West.
RANGE OF CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to continuous carbonates in the soil matrix is typically 24 to 60 inches or more. Two to 15 percent by volume of soft to hard sandstone fragments that range dominantly from about 1/8 to 3 inches in size occur mostly throughout the lower part of the profile. The sandstone fragments are calcareous in some profiles and noncalcareous in others. In some pedons, both are present.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5 and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. Horizons having values of less than 5.5 dry and 3.5 moist are less than 10 inches thick. Texture is dominantly loamy fine sand but includes loamy sand, fine sand and sand. It is slightly acid through slightly alkaline.
The AC horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 through 6 and 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is loamy fine sand, loamy sand, fine sand or sand. It is neutral through moderately alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 through 8 and 5 through 7 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is loamy fine sand, loamy sand, fine sand or sand. It is neutral through moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Duda, Peji, Royosa, Simeon, Tonalea, and Valentine series in the same family. Duda Peji and Tonalea soils have bedrock at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Royosa and Tonalea soils are in an area with a drier climate(See Remarks). Royosa and Valentine soils formed in eolian materials and have fewer or no sandstone fragments in the pedon. Simeon soils average more than 35 percent medium and coarse sand in the control section and do not have sandstone fragments in the pedon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: McKelvie soils are on back slopes, foot slopes and toe slopes of valley sides. They are formed in sandy residuum weathered from sandstone with additions of eolian sand on foot slopes and toe slopes. Slopes range from 0 to 80 percent. The mean annual temperature ranges from 47 to 50 degrees F, and the mean annual precipitation ranges from 18 to 24 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Duda Fishberry, Ronson and Simeon soils. Duda, Ronson and Simeon soils are higher on the landscape than McKelvie soils. Duda and Ronson soils have sandstone at depths between 20 and 40 inches. Ronson soils also have a mollic epipedon and are coarse-loamy. Fishberry soils have sandstone at depths between 10 and 20 inches and are on shoulders.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained. Runoff is low to very high. Permeability is rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are in native grass and trees. The main grasses are sand bluestem, little bluestem, needleandthread, prairie sandreed, and blue grama. The trees are mostly ponderosa pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Nebraska and south-central South Dakota. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Brown County, Nebraska, 1987.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon are : ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of approximately 6 inches (A horizon) and typic-ustic moisture regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Pedon sampled for National Soil Survey Laboratory and Nebraska Department of Roads. Sample No. S84-NE-31-15 (1-5)