LOCATION PORTAL NDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Natrustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Portal fine sandy loam - on a plane 1 percent slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
Ap--0 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium roots; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)
E--6 to 8 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sand, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium platy structure parting to weak thin platy; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium roots; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
Btn--8 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse columnar structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and medium roots; tops of columns capped with dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist E material; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; few clean sand grains on faces of peds; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (4 to 25 inches thick)
Btkn--12 to 22 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and medium roots; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; few clean sand grains on faces of peds; common medium masses of carbonates in interior of peds; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
Bk--22 to 40 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) fine sandy loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium masses of carbonates; violent effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 18 inches thick)
BCk--40 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) fine sandy loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; common medium prominent olive gray (5Y 5/2) moist mottles; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine masses of carbonates; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline. (0 to 30 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Divide County, North Dakota; about 2 miles north and 1.5 miles west of Noonan; 900 feet north and 250 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 29, T. 163 N., R. 95 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the mollic epipedon typically is 7 to 14 inches but ranges to 24 inches in some pedons. The depth to carbonates typically ranges from 10 to 28 inches but ranges to 36 inches in some pedons. The A, E and Btn horizons have less than 5 percent rock fragments and the Bk and C horizons have less than 10 percent coarse fragments of mixed lithology.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 or 4 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam or loamy sand. It is slightly acid or neutral.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6 and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is loamy fine sand, fine sand, fine sandy loam or sandy loam. It is slightly acid or neutral.
The Btn horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 to 5 and 2 to 4 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is fine sandy loam or sandy loam. It is slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline. Some pedons have a Btnz horizon below a depth of 16 inches. Some pedons have a Bw horizon below the Btn horizon.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7 and 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 1 to 4. It is fine sandy loam or sandy loam. It is slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline.
The BCk and C horizons, where present have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 and 3 to 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. They are fine sandy loam or sandy loam, and slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Desart, Ekalaka and Evridge series. Desart soils have a natric horizon at depths of 20 or more inches. Ekalaka soils are stratified fine sand to fine sandy loam in the substratum and formed in alluvium or residuum from soft sandstone. Evridge soils are moderately deep to soft sandstone.
GEOGRAPHICAL SETTING: Portal soils are on level to gently sloping low rises and broad terraces on outwash plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 6 percent slopes. Portal soils formed in glaciofluvial sediments. Mean annual temperature ranges from 37 to 42 degrees F and mean annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 16 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Blanchard, Harriet, Lemert, Lihen, Miranda, Stirum and Regan soils. Blanchard and Lihen soils on higher lying rises and terraces. They do not have natric horizons. Harriet, Stirum and Regan are in lower lying areas and are poorly drained. Lemert and Miranda soils are in swales and on toe slopes. They have salts within a depth of 16 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Permeability is moderately slow in the Btn horizon and moderately rapid below. Runoff is slow or medium. A seasonal high water table is at depths of 4 to 6 feet.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for pasture or range. Some areas are used to grow small grain. Native vegetation is needleandthread, blue grama and western wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern and west-central North Dakota. Soil is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Burke County, North Dakota, 1991.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 7 inches (Ap and upper E horizons mixed); natric horizon - the zone from 8 to 22 inches (Btn and Btkn horizons).
ADDITIONAL DATA: Sample number S90ND023-128.