LOCATION MORITZ SDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Aeric Calciaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Moritz loam - on a slope of less than 1 percent in a cultivated field. When described, the soil was moist throughout. A water table was at 45 inches. (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 9 inches; black (10YR 2/1) loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak medium and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; strong effervescence (10 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 15 inches thick)
ABk--9 to 13 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) and grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common fine vesicular and tubular pores; many medium and coarse soft accumulations of carbonate; violent effervescence (30 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline; abrupt irregular boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
Bk1--13 to 26 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; many fine vesicular and tubular pores; many fine soft accumulations of carbonate; violent effervescence (30 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
Bk2--26 to 44 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) mottles; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine vesicular and tubular pores; many fine soft accumulations of carbonate; violent effervescence (25 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Bk3--44 to 54 inches; olive (5Y 5/3) loam, light olive gray (5Y 6/2) dry; common fine distinct olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) mottles; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable; common fine vesicular and tubular pores; many fine soft accumulations of carbonate; violent effervescence (15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bk horizons is 5 to 50 inches.)
C--54 to 63 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) stratified loam and sandy loam; light olive gray (5Y 6/2) dry; common fine prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) mottles; massive; slightly hard, very friable; few fine vesicular and tubular pores; common fine accumulations of carbonate; strong effervescence (10 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.
2Ab--63 to 70 inches; very dark gray (5Y 3/1) silty clay loam, dark gray (5Y 4/1) dry; common fine prominent olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) mottles; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to fine and medium subangular blocky; hard, firm; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine vesicular pores; few fine accumulations of carbonate; strong effervescence (5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
2C--70 to 87 inches; olive gray (5Y 4/2) silty clay loam, light olive gray (5Y 6/2) dry; common fine prominent olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) mottles; massive; hard, friable; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine vesicular and tubular pores; few fine accumulations of carbonate; strong effervescence (10 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
TYPE LOCATION: Deuel County, South Dakota; 110 feet north and 100 feet west of the southeast corner, Sec. 30, T. 113 N., R. 50 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon ranges from 7 to 24 inches thick and extends into the Bk horizon of some pedons. The soil typically is calcareous throughout, but some pedons lack carbonates to a depth of 6 inches. The 10 to 40 inch control sections averages 18 to 30 percent clay and 15 to 30 percent fine sand or coarser. Calcium carbonate equivalent of the calcic horizon is from 15 to 30 percent. Saline phases are recognized where the electrical conductivity is up to 16 mmhos/cm.
The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR or is neutral, value of 2 or 3 and 3 or 4 dry, and chroma of 0 or 1. It typically is loam, but in some pedons is clay loam, silty clay loam, or silt loam. It is neutral to moderately alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y; value of 3 to 6 and 4 to 7 dry; and chroma of 1 to 3. It typically is loam, clay loam, or silt loam but strata of silty clay loam or sandy loam are in some pedons. It ranges from slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline.
Some pedons have BC horizons with color and textures of the Bk horizon.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 or 5 and 5 to 7 dry, and chroma of 2 to 4. It typically is stratified loam, and sandy loam, but is stratified silt loam, loamy sand, clay loam, or silty clay loam in some pedons. It ranges from slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline. Some pedons have gravelly material below a depth of 40 inches.
Some pedons do not have 2Ab or 2C horizons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Antler, Gilby, and Hamerly series. Antler soils have less than 15 percent fine sand and coarser in the upper horizons. Gilby soils have less than 18 percent clay in the particle size control section. Hamerly soils have more coarse fragments in the series control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Moritz soils are on nearly level flood plains. Surfaces are plane or slightly convex. Slopes are commonly less than 1 percent but range from 0 to 2 percent. Most areas have shallow meandering drainageways running through them. These drainageways carry only small amounts of sediments. They formed in alluvium. The mean annual air temperature ranges from 43 to 48 degrees and mean annual precipitation ranges from 20 to 24 inches. Growing season ranges from 125 to 135 days; average growing season precipitation ranges from 15 to 18 inches; and growing degree days are about 2500 to 2800.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Divide, Lamoure, and La Prairie series. Divide soils have sand and gravel within depths of 20 to 40 inches and are on similar landscapes. Lamoure soils do not have a calcic horizon within a depth of 16 inches and are fine silty. They are on similar landscapes. The moderately well drained La Prairie soils have mollic epipedons more than 24 inches thick and are nearer the stream channel.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Runoff is low. Permeability is moderate. Flooding is rare to occasional. A seasonal watertable is at a depth of 1 to 4 feet.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are in cropland. Main crops are corn, soybeans, small grain, and hay. Native grasses include big bluestem, indiangrass, little bluestem, prairie dropseed, needlegrass, sideoats grama, sedges, and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeast South Dakota and possibly west central Minnesota and southeastern North Dakota. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Deuel County, South Dakota, 1990.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of about 9 inches (Ap horizon); calcic horizon - the zone of carbonate accumulation from about 9 to 54 inches (ABk, Bk1, Bk2, and Bk3 horizons); aquic moisture regime.