LOCATION SALTCREEK               KS

Established Series
Rev. PRF, JCW, GLP
05/2011

SALTCREEK SERIES

The Saltcreek series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in eolian deposits over buried alluvium. These soils are on dunes on paleoterraces in river valleys of the Great Bend Sand Plains (MLRA 79). Slopes range from 0 to 6 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 700 mm (28 in.) and the mean annual temperature is about 13 degrees C (56 degrees F) at the type location.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Udic Argiustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Typical pedon of Saltcreek fine sandy loam on a convex slope with a gradient of 3 percent in a cultivated field. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 13 cm (0 to 5 in.); brown (10YR 5/3), interior, fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3), interior, moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout and common medium throughout; 13 percent clay; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (10 to 49 cm (4 to 19 in.) thick).

Bt1--13 to 25 cm (5 to 10 in.); grayish brown (10YR 5/2), interior, sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), interior, moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; 20 percent clay; few faint patchy clay films on vertical faces of peds and few faint patchy clay bridging between sand grains; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary

Bt2--25 to 66 cm (10 to 26 in.); brown (10YR 5/3), interior, sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3), interior, moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout; 21 percent clay; few faint patchy clay films on vertical faces of peds and few faint patchy clay bridging between sand grains; neutral; gradual smooth boundary.

Bt3--66 to 99 cm (26 to 39 in.); brown (10YR 5/3), interior, fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3), interior, moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout; 19 percent clay; few faint patchy clay films on faces of peds and in pores and few faint patchy clay bridging between sand grains; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the Bt horizons 36 to 112 cm (14 to 44 in.))

2Bt4--99 to 142 cm (39 to 56 in.); light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2), interior, silty clay, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2), interior, moist; few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist irregular redoximorphic concentrations throughout; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; 40 percent clay; few prominent continuous clay films on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (20 to 122 cm (8 to 48 in.) thick)

2Btk1--142 to 168 cm (56 to 66 in.); olive gray (5Y 5/2), interior, silty clay loam, olive gray (5Y 4/2), interior, moist; common fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist irregular redoximorphic concentrations throughout; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; 37 percent clay; few prominent continuous clay films on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; common fine irregular carbonate masses throughout; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

2Btk2--168 to 200 cm (66 to 80 in.); light olive gray (5Y 6/2), interior, silty clay loam, olive gray (5Y 5/2), interior, moist; few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist irregular redoximorphic concentrations throughout; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; 32 percent clay; few faint patchy clay films on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; few fine and medium irregular carbonate masses between peds; moderately alkaline. (combined thickness of 2Btk horizons 0 to 100 cm (8 to 40 in.))

TYPE LOCATION: Reno County, Kansas; 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) north and 22.5 kilometers (14 miles) west of Hutchinson, 427 meters (1400 feet east) and 168 meters (550 feet south) of the northwest corner of sec. 28, T. 22 S., R. 8 W.; USGS Sterling SW topographic quadrangle; lat. 38 degrees 6 minutes 49 seconds N. and long. 98 degrees 12 minutes 38.1 seconds W.; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: An ustic moisture regime bordering on udic.
Soil temperature regime: mesic
Mean annual soil temperature: 13 to 14 degrees C (56 to 58 degrees F)
Particle-size control section: 18 to 28 percent clay
Particle-size control section: 30 to 85 percent sand
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 100 to greater than 200 cm (40 to greater than 80 in.)
Depth to lithologic discontinuity and paleosol: 65 to 150 cm (25 to 60 in.)
Some pedons have redoximorphic concentrations in the 2Bt and 2Btk horizons.
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 25 to 49 cm (10 to 19 in.)

Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 (dry) 3 or 4 (moist)
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam or loamy fine sand
Clay content: 5 to 20 percent
Sand content: 40 to 95 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to slightly acid

Bt horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 (dry) 2 to 4 (moist)
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: sandy clay loam, clay loam, loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 35 percent
Sand content: 30 to 85 percent
Reaction: slightly acid to neutral

2Bt:
Hue: 7.5YR to 5Y
Value: 4 to 7 (dry) 3 to 6 (moist)
Chroma: 1 to 6
Texture: silty clay loam, clay loam, silty clay, loam, sandy clay loam,
Clay content: 20 to 45 percent
Sand content: 10 to 70 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 2 percent fine and medium gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Redoximorphic features: 0 to 25 percent
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

2Btk horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR to 5Y
Value: 4 to 7 (dry) 3 to 6 (moist)
Chroma: 1 to 6
Texture: silty clay loam, clay loam, silty clay, loam, sandy clay loam,
Clay content: 20 to 45 percent
Sand content: 10 to 70 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 2 percent fine and medium gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 5 percent
Redoximorphic features: 0 to 25 percent
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES:
These are the Lancaster (KS), Leisy (NE), Loretto (NE), Nalim (KS), Naron (KS), Ost (KS), and Shellabarger (KS) series.
The Lancaster soils are underlain by bedrock at depths of 50 to 100 cm (20 to 40 in.).
The Leisy and Loretto soils have a mean annual soil temperatures less than 14 degrees C (57 degrees F).
Naron and Shellabarger soils do not have a paleosol within the series control section.
Nalim soils do not have a paleosol within the series control section and have a higher clay content (25 to 35 percent clay) in the control section.
Ost soils have greater than 15 percent calcium carbonates occurring between 45 and 200 cm (18 to 80 in.).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: eolian deposits over alluvium
Landform: small dunes on paleoterraces in river valleys
Slopes: 0 to 6 percent
Elevation: 350 to 740 meters (1150 to 2430 feet)
Mean annual air temperature: 13 to 14 degrees C (55 to 57 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 610 to 840 mm (24 to 33 in.)
Frost-free period: 180 to 230 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
These are the Carbika, Carway, Farnum, Funmar, and Naron soils.
Carbika and Carway soils are in depressions on paleoterraces in river valleys and are poorly and somewhat poorly drained respectively.
Farnum and Funmar soils are on nearly level to gently sloping areas on paleoterraces and have a mollic epipedon greater than 50 cm, (20 in.).
Naron soils are on rolling small dunes on paleoterraces and do not have a paleosol.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Well drained.
Runoff is low.
Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high over moderately low.

USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly cultivated; wheat and sorghums are the principal crops. Native vegetation was tall prairie grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South Central Kansas. LRR H (Great Plains Winter Wheat and Range), MLRA 79 (Great Bend Sand Plains). This series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Reno County, Kansas, 1999

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 in.) (Ap, Bt1)
argillic horizon: The zone from 13 to 203 cm (5 to 80 in.) (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, 2Bt, 2Btk1, 2Btk2)
lithologic discontinuity and paleosol 99 cm (39 in.)

This soil was formerly mapped as Naron.
Keys to Soil Taxonomy: Eleventh edition, 2010

ADDITIONAL DATA:
Laboratory Data that supports this series are: NSSL lab pedon number 90P0924 (pedon ID 90KS155005), lab pedon number 87P0661 (pedon ID 87KS047002), lab pedon number 99P0598 (pedon ID 99KS151276)
12/23/99: Established series with Reno County final correlation.
GLP 08/2009 Update pedon description, competing series and range in characteristics.
JCW 05/2011 Updated pedon description, competing series and range in characteristics.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.