LOCATION OLBUT NE
Established Series
Rev. LGR, DJK, PTC
11/2021
OLBUT SERIES
The Olbut series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained saline-sodic soils that formed in loess. Olbut soils are in shallow depressions and slightly concave swales on loess uplands in Central Loess Plains, MLRA 75. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 740 millimeters (29 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 10 degrees C (50 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Vertic Argiaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Olbut silt loam, on a concave, 1 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of 496 meters (1628 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 15 centimeters (0 to 6 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) silt loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 20 centimeters (4 to 8 inches) thick)
Bt--15 to 36 centimeters (6 to 14 inches); dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay, black (10YR 2/1) moist; strong medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; hard, firm; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.
Btz--36 to 51 centimeters (14 to 20 inches); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist mottles; strong medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; hard, firm; many small salt clusters; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bt is 25 to 66 centimeters (10 to 26 inches) thick.)
BCz--51 to 74 centimeters (20 to 29 inches); light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable; many small salt clusters; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (15 to 25 centimeters (6 to 10 inches) thick)
Cz1--74 to 97 centimeters (29 to 38 inches); light gray (5Y 7/2) silty clay loam, light olive gray (5Y 6/2) moist; many medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist mottles; massive; hard, friable; many medium salt clusters; slight effervescence; strongly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
Cz2--97 to 200 centimeters (38 to 80 inches); light gray (5Y 7/2) silt loam, light olive gray (5Y 6/2) moist; many coarse prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist mottles; massive; hard, friable; many medium salt clusters; slight effervescence; strongly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Butler County, Nebraska; about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) north and 0.8 kilometers (0.5 mile) west of David City, Nebraska; 23 meters (75 feet) east and 107 meters (350 feet) north of the southwest corner, sec. 7, T. 15 N., R. 3 E.; David City West USGS quadrangle; latitude 41 degrees 16 minutes 47.6 seconds N. and longitude 97 degrees 8 minutes 17.9 seconds W., NAD83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: Saturated to the surface November to March. April through July intermittently dry in surface layer, but near saturation in lower soil horizons. Driest in August through October.
Mean annual soil temperature: 10 to 12 degrees C (50 to 54 degrees F)
Mollic epipedon: 25 to 76 centimeters (10 to 30 inches)
Depth to Argillic: 10 to 25 centimeters (4 to 10 inches)
Depth to salt accumulations: 25 to 60 centimeters (10 to 24 inches)
Depth to carbonates: 25 to 60 centimeters (10 to 24 inches)
Depth to episaturation: 15 centimeters (6 inches) above the surface to about 91 centimeters (36 inches) below the surface.
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 42 to 55 percent
Sand content: 2 to 8 percent
Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry or moist
Texture: silt loam or silty clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent
Sand content: 4 to 10 percent
Ec: 0 to 2 mmhos/cm
Sar: 2 to 12
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
Thickness: 10 to 20 centimeters
Bt horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry or moist
Texture: silty clay or clay
Clay content: 42 to 55 percent
Sand content: 2 to 8 percent
Ec: 0 to 4 mmhos/cm
Sar: 2 to 12
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
Redoximorphic concentrations: Hue, 5YR to 10YR; value, 3 to 5 moist; chroma, 4 to 6 moist
Btz horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry or moist
Texture: silty clay or clay
Clay content: 40 to 50 percent
Sand content: 2 to 8 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 2 percent
Ec: 4 to 10 mmhos/cm
Sar: 6 to 13
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
Redoximorphic concentrations: Hue, 5YR to 10YR; value, 3 to 5 moist; chroma, 4 to 6 moist
Thickness: Combined thickness of Bt is 25 to 66 centimeters
BCz horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry or moist
Texture: silty clay loam
Clay content: 30 to 38 percent
Sand content: 4 to 8 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 3 percent
Ec: 4 to 8 mmhos/cm
Sar: 6 to 13
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
Redoximorphic concentrations: Hue, 5YR to 10YR; value, 3 to 5 moist; chroma, 4 to 6 moist
Thickness: 15 to 25 centimeters
Cz horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3 dry or moist
Texture: silty clay loam or silt loam
Clay content: 25 to 33 percent
Sand content: 4 to 10 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 10 percent
Ec: 0.5 to 6 mmhos/cm
Sar: 6 to 13
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline
Redoximorphic concentrations: Hue, 5YR to 10YR; value, 4 to 5 moist; chroma, 4 to 8 moist
Some pedons may have an indistinct, thin E horizon
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Bonesteel,
Butler,
Carbika,
Chancellor,
Clarinda,
Coatsburg,
Edinburg,
Fosterburg,
Haig,
Lodgepole,
Mazaska,
Minnetonka,
Sacville,
Sampsel,
Taintor,
Terrabella,
Virden,
Winterset, and
Worthing series.
Bonesteel,
Butler,
Carbika, and
Lodgepole soils do not have accumulations of salt in the series control section.
Chancellor soils have free carbonates starting at 71 cm (28 inches).
Clarinda and
Haig soils are poorly drained and do not have accumulations of salt.
Coatsburg soils are poorly drained, have 15 to 35 percent fine sand or coarser material in the PSCS, and do not have accumulations of salt.
Edinburg soils are poorly drained, only have 35 to 42 percent clay in the PSCS, and do not have any carbonates or salt accumulations.
Fosterburg soils are poorly drained and have temperatures greater than 54 degrees F in the soil temperature control section.
Mazaska soils are poorly drained, do not have salts, and have 2 to 8 percent coarse fragments in the series control section.
Minnetonka soils are poorly drained and do not have salts.
Sacville soils are poorly drained, have 1 to 60 percent gravels or cobbles in the series control section, and do not have salt accumulations.
Sampsel soils are poorly drained, have a paralithic contact with shale within 200 centimeters, and do not have salts.
Taintor and
Winterset soils are poorly drained, do not have salt accumulations, and only allow for 35 to 42 percent clay in the PSCS.
Terrabella soils are poorly drained, do not have salts, and have matrix hues of 5YR or 7.5YR in the argillic horizon.
Virden soils are poorly drained, do not have salt accumulations, and only allow for 35 to 40 percent clay in the PSCS,.
Worthing soils are poorly or very poorly drained.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loess
Landforms: shallow depressions and slightly concave swales on loess uplands.
Slopes: 0 to 2 percent
Elevation: 425 to 495 meters (1395 to 1625 feet)
Mean annual precipitation: 711 to 762 millimeters (28 to 30 inches)
Mean annual air temperature: 10 to 11 degrees C (50 to 52 degrees F)
Precipitation pattern: Precipitation is usually evenly distributed throughout the year with the exception of November through February being the driest months and May and June being the wettest months. Summer precipitation occurs during intense summer thunderstorms.
Frost-free period: 158 to 173 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Butler,
Fillmore,
Hastings, and
Scott soils.
Fillmore and
Scott soils are in closed depressions and are free of salts.
Hastings soils are on interfluves and hillslopes on loess uplands, are well drained, and are free of salts.
Butler soils are on similar landform positions but are free of salts.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage: Somewhat poorly drained
Saturated hydraulic conductivity: moderately low
Ponding: typically ponds water for brief periods after heavy rains
Saturation: has a perched seasonal high water table that ranges 15 cm (6 inches) above the soil surface to about 91 cm (36 inches) below.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated. Principal irrigated crops are corn, soybeans, sorghum, and alfalfa. Principal dryland crops are sorghum and wheat. Native vegetation is mostly short and mid grasses dominated by alkali sacaton, blue grama, inland saltgrass, and western wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: This series is in the eastern part of Nebraska; Land Resource Region H, Central Great Plains Winter Wheat and Range Region; Major Land Resource Area 75, Central Loess Plains. The series is not extensive.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Salina, Kansas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Butler County, Nebraska, 1979.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 36 centimeters (0 to 14 inches) (Ap and Bt horizons);
Argillic horizon: 15 to 51 centimeters (6 to 20 inches) (Bt and Btz horizons);
Salt accumulations: 36 to 200 centimeters (14 to 80 inches) (Btz, BCz, and Cz horizons)
Aquic soil conditions: 51 to 203 (20 to 80 inches) (BCz, Cz1 and Cz2 horizons).
Vertic features: The presence of a linear extensibility of 6.0 cm or more between 0 and 100 centimeters (0 to 40 inches). This is based on lab data of similar soils with similar clay contents in the area.
These soils have been previously recognized as an alkali phase of Butler soils.
11/2005 JCR and LM Changed to semi-tab format, added metric conversion and saturated hydraulic conductivity. Also, added z subscript to B horizons based on the two NSSL samples.
OSD Modification 2/2012 DJK
Edited climate data in introduction and geomorphic setting to fit series extent.
Changed classification from Abruptic Argiaquolls to Vertic Argiaquolls because vertic falls out before abruptic in Keys to Soil Taxonomy.
Added elevation to typical pedon.
Added the z horizon suffix to the horizons in the typical pedon that describe salt accumulations.
In RIC edited mollic thickness, added depth to argillic, added depth to salt, added depth to episaturation, and PSCS info. For horizons added clay, sand, EC, and SAR. Also populated redox using pedon data and added 3 to value for Ap and Bt horizons. Deleted silt loam as possible texture for BCz.
Edited Competing Series section to fit new classification.
Added saturation statement to Drainage and Ksat section.
Added soybeans and edited native vegetation statement in Use and Veg.
Added LRRs and MLRAs to Distribution and Extent.
Added in salt accumulation depths to Remarks section.
Added Additional Data section with NSSL characterization data.
OSD Modification 8/2012 DJK Added soil moisture and temperature to RIC. Lowered sand content for the Ap from 7 to 4 percent. Lowered the sand content for the Bt and Btz horizons from 4 to 2 percent. Increased lower clay content for Bt and PSCS from 40 to 42. Increased the sand content for the Cz from 8 to 10. Added calcium carbonate equivalent to RIC. Updated competing series. Added precipitation pattern to geographic setting. Added linear extensibility to remarks.
11/2021 PTC: Added wetland vegetation for Nebraska to ADDITIONAL DATA. Added Thickness to Range in Characteristics.
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL characterization data available for pedons 79NE059006 and 79NE059010.
In Nebraska, the native vegetative cover is an herbaceous wetland community commonly inhabited with: shortbeak sedge (Carex brevior (Dewey) Mack.), woolly sedge (Carex pellita), ticklegrass(Agrostis hyemalis), bald spikerush (Eleocharis erythropoda), western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), and rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides). Plains coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria), western water clover, (Marsilea vestita), smartweeds (Persicaria spp.), docks (Rumex spp.), and prairie ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata). Source: Terrestrial Ecological Systems and Natural Communities of Nebraska, Version IV. S.B. Rolfsmeier and G. Steinauer. Nebraska Natural Heritage Program, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, 2010.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.