LOCATION NORBORNE           MO
Established Series
Rev. BWT
02/2003

NORBORNE SERIES


The Norborne series consists of deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in loamy stratified alluvium. These soils are on slightly elevated positions on flood plains. Slope gradients range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual air temperature is 56 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is 37 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Argiudolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Norborne very fine sandy loam on a nearly level area in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 9 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) very fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; common fine roots; medium acid; abrupt smooth boundary.

A--9 to 17 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) very fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 10 to 20 inches.)

Bt1--17 to 25 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) very fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; few faint clay films; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary.

Bt2--25 to 34 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) very fine sandy loam; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; few faint clay films; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary.

Bt3--34 to 45 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very fine sandy loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; common fine roots; few faint clay films; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 24 to 44 inches.)

C--45 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very fine sandy loam; few fine faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and common medium faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) mottles; massive; very friable; few fine roots; slightly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Ray County, Missouri; about 7 miles south of Richmond; 400 feet east and 2,700 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 6, T. 50 N., R. 27 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum ranges from 42 to 60 or more inches. The mollic epipedon is more than 24 inches in thickness and extends into the B horizon. Reaction ranges from neutral to medium acid.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 1 through 3. It is very fine sandy loam, loam, or silt loam.

The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR; value of 2 or 3, 4 or 5 dry; and chroma of 2 or 3 in the upper part and hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 or 4 in the lower part. Clay content of the Bt horizon ranges between 12 and 18 percent with more than 15 and less than 40 percent sand coarser than very fine. Textures are very fine sandy loam, loam, and to a lesser extent silt loam.

The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 through 4. Few fine distinct yellowish brown and grayish brown mottles are below 40 inches in many pedons. It is very fine sandy loam, loam, silt loam, fine sandy loam, or loamy very fine sand.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Coyne, Elston, Hesch, Nottawa, Onarga, and Rasset soils in the same family. Coyne soils are deeper than 40 inches to the upper boundary of the argillic horizon. Elston and Nottawa soils have sands that are dominantly medium and coarser. Hesch soils have bedrock at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Onarga soils have a mollic epipedon less than 24 inches thick. Rasset soils are stratified in the B horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Norborne soils are on slightly elevated positions on flood plains. The slope gradient is 0 to 2 percent. The soils formed in loamy stratified alluvium. The mean annual temperature ranges from 51 degrees to 57 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation ranges from 33 to 43 inches.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the finer-textured Aholt, Booker, Cotter, and Wabash soils as well as the coarser-textured Sarpy soils. The Aholt, Booker, and Wabash soils are on slightly lower landscapes. Cotter soils are on similar landscapes. Sarpy soils commonly are closer to the main stream or on old natural levees.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderate. Runoff is slow.

USE AND VEGETATION: Soils are cropped to alfalfa, corn, soybeans, and wheat. Native vegetation was tall grasses, cottonwood, and willow.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Missouri. The series is of small extent; about 8,000 acres.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clay and Ray Counties, Missouri, 1982.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data on Pedon S81MO-177-004, analyzed by the National Soil Survey Laboratory.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.