LOCATION MAX ND+MT SDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Max loam - on an east-facing plane slope of 40 percent under native vegetation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated. Where described the soil was moist to 37 inches and dry below 37 inches.)
A--0 to 6 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium and fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine roots; about 2 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
Bw1--6 to 11 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many very fine and common fine roots; about 2 percent gravel; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
Bw2--11 to 16 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; about 2 percent gravel; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (Combined Bw horizons 4 to 16 inches thick)
Bk1--16 to 26 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) dry; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; about 5 percent gravel; disseminated carbonates throughout; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.
Bk2--26 to 37 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) dry; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; about 5 percent gravel; few fine irregularly shaped masses of carbonates; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined Bk horizons 6 to 30 inches thick)
C--37 to 60 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) dry; massive; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; about 5 percent gravel; few fine irregularly shaped masses of carbonates; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: McHenry County, North Dakota; about 3 miles west and 1 mile south of Velva, 2,350 feet north and 1,440 feet east of the southwest corner, sec. 29, T. 153 N., R. 80 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The 10- to 40-inch control section typically has 22 to 30 percent clay, but ranges from 18 to 35 percent clay. It contains 1 to 10 percent by volume rock fragments, and commonly a few boulders. Stony phases are recognized. The mollic epipedon ranges from 7 to 16 inches in thickness and may include all or part of the Bw horizon. Depth to carbonates typically ranges from 10 to 25 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is loam or clay loam. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6 and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam or clay loam. It is neutral or slightly alkaline. The lower part of the B horizon may contain some carbonates either disseminated or in masses.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7 and 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam or clay loam. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. It typically contains 15 to 25 percent calcium carbonate equivalent. Carbonates are disseminated or segregated. Some pedons have a BC or BCk horizon.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 5 to 7 and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. It is loam or clay loam glacial till. The C horizon has relict redoximorphic features or is multicolored in some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Amor, Azaar, Coulterg, Peerless, Quigley, Rottulee, Shambo, Tansem and Twin Creek series. Amor soils have a paralithic contact within a depth of 40 inches. Azaar soils have indurated sandstone at 20 to 40 inches. Coulterg soils do not have a cambic horizon. Peerless soils have more than 35 percent rock fragments within a depth of 40 inches. Quigley soils formed in loamy alluvium in intermountain valleys, and the C horizon contains 40 to 60 percent rock fragments. Rottulee soils have hue of 7.5YR to 10R and have shattered limestone within depths of 20 to 40 inches. Shambo soils formed in stratified alluvium. Tansem soils do not have rock fragments in the particle size-control section and formed in stream or lacustrine sediments. Twin Creek soils have hue of 7.5YR to 10R, and formed in red local alluvium.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Max soils are on level to very steep glacial till plains. Slope gradients commonly are 3 to 10 percent and range from 0 to 45 percent. The soils formed in calcareous loam or clay loam glacial till. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 34 to 45 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation from 12 to 17 inches. Most of the moisture falls in the spring and summer.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Arnegard, Bowbells, Parnell, Tonka, Williams and Zahl soils. Arnegard and Bowbells soils are in concave fans, swales, and lesser sloping areas. They have mollic epipedons more than 16 inches thick. In addition, Bowbells soils have argillic horizons. Parnell and Tonka soils are in kettles and depressions. They have a fine textured argillic horizon and are more poorly drained. Williams soils are on less sloping long convex and plane slopes. They have an argillic horizon. Zahl soils are on crests of hills and steep slopes, commonly at higher elevations on the landscape. They do not have a Bw horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is negligible to high depending on slope and surface texture. Permeability is moderate or moderately slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Soils are cropped to small grains and also used for hay, pasture, and range. Native vegetation is green needlegrass, western wheatgrass, needleandthread, blue grama, upland sedges, and a variety of forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern and west-central North Dakota. The series is extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ward County, North Dakota, 1972.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 11 inches (A2 and Bw1 horizons); cambic horizon - the zone from 11 to 16 inches (Bw2 horizon).
ADDITIONAL DATA: S54NDak-51-2, S54NDak-53-2 in Soil Survey Investigations No. 2, pages 266-267 and 270-271, based on absence of argillic horizon and thin pedon. SU72NDak-28-5, North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station.