LOCATION PARLE MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, frigid Cumulic Endoaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Parle clay loam, on a slope of less than 1 percent, on a water modified till plain, in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 9 inches; black (10YR 2/1) clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.
A1--9 to 17 inches; very dark gray (5Y 3/1) clay loam, dark gray (5Y 4/1) dry; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; 2 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
A2--17 to 26 inches; very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon 24 to 46 inches.)
Bkg1--26 to 34 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common fine faint dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) Fe depletions and few fine prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) Fe concentrations; few fine roots; common light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) lime accumulations; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Bkg2--34 to 42 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) and few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) Fe concentrations; few light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) lime accumulations; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Bkg3--42 to 50 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) fine sandy loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine faint dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) Fe depletions and few fine prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) Fe concentrations; few light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) lime accumulations; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bkg horizon is 0 to 36 inches.)
2Cg--50 to 80 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) loamy fine sand; single grain; loose; many fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) Fe concentrations and few fine faint grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) Fe depletions; few black (10YR 2/1) manganese concretions; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota. About 2 miles north of Dawson; located about 250 feet north and 2,000 feet east of the southwest corner of section 4, T. 117 N., R. 43 W.; USGS Dawson topographic quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees 57 minutes 57 seconds N. and long. 96 degrees 3 minutes 19 seconds W., NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 24 inches to 46 inches. Depth to calcium carbonates ranges from 0 to 10 inches. The particle-size control section has 18 to 35 percent noncarbonate clay and contains more than 15 percent fine sand and coarser. The volume of rock fragments within the particle size control section ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Depth to the 2Cg horizon ranges from 46 to greater than 60 inches. Some pedons have gypsum crystals present. Electrical conductivity ranges from 0 to 2 mmhos/cm.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y or is neutral, value of 2 to 3 and 3 or 4 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is clay loam, loam, or silt loam. The reaction typically is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline, but neutral is included in the upper part of some pedons. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 0 to 10 percent in the Ap horizon and from 2 to 15 percent in the A horizon. Some pedons have an Ak horizon, but does not qualify for a calcic horizon.
The Bkg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. It has few to many, faint to prominent redoximorphic features. Texture in the upper part is clay loam, loam, silt loam, or silty clay loam. The lower part of the Bkg is fine sandy loam and sandy loam. The reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Secondary lime accumulations range from few to many and the calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 2 to 22 percent.
Some pedons have a Bg or BCg horizons that do not contain secondary lime accumulations.
The 2Cg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1 or 2. It has few to many, distinct or prominent redoximorphic features. Texture is loamy fine sand or loamy sand. The reaction is slightly or moderately alkaline. Some pedons have a 3Cg horizon with sandy loam, fine sandy loam or loam textures below 60 inches. The volume of rock fragments within the 2Cg horizon ranges from 0 to 10 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These include Canburn and Cantle Series. Canburn and Cantle soils do not have sandy textures within 60 inches. In addition, Cantle soils have greater than 2 mmhos/cm electrical conductivity.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Parle soils are on flats and in drainageways on water modified till plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. The soil formed in calcareous glacial lacustrine sediments. Mean annual air temperatures ranges from 42 to 46 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 20 to 27 inches. Frost-free period ranges from 120 to 172 days. Elevation ranges from 990 to 1,950 feet above sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Barnes, Buse, Doland, Egeland, Svea, Tara, Hamerly, Vallers, Colvin, Marysland, and Quam. The well drained Barnes, Buse, Doland, and Egeland soils are on adjacent side slopes and summits. The moderately well drained Svea and Tara soils are on concave foot slopes and flats. The somewhat poorly drained Hamerly soils are on low convex rises. The poorly drained Vallers soils contain more rock fragments and are on similar landscape positions. The poorly drained Colvin soils contain more silt and less sand and are on similar landscape positions. The poorly drained Marysland soils have coarse textured material less than 40 inches from the surface and are on similar landscape positions. The very poorly drained Quam soils are in depressions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Runoff is slow. Permeability is moderately slow or moderate in the upper part and moderately rapid to rapid in the lower part. The apparent seasonal high water table for the undrained phase is as high as 0 to 1.5 feet at some time from April to July in normal years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of these soils are used to grow corn, soybeans, and small grains. Some areas are used for hayland and pasture. Native vegetation is tall prairie grass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West central Minnesota. The series is of limited extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota, 1994.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include: mollic epipedon - 0 to 26 inches (Ap and A horizons); calcic horizon - 26 to 34 inches (Bkg1 horizon); aquic moisture regime based on matrix color and redoximorphic features below the mollic epipedon.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to Minnesota Soil Survey Laboratory - University of Minnesota CFC number 4603 for results of some laboratory analyses of the typical pedon, and CFC numbers 4602 and 4604 for laboratory results of representative pedons. Soil Interpretation Record: MN0728.