LOCATION SUNBURG MN+IAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Eutrudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Sunburg loam, on a 10 percent convex, north-facing slope in a hay field at an elevation of 1,205 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated).
Apk--0 to 8 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; many fine roots; about 8 percent gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
Bk--8 to 20 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam; weak medium platy structure; very friable; common very fine roots; common threads and masses of calcium carbonate; about 10 percent gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 30 inches thick)
C--20 to 80 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; weak medium platy like soil fragments; very friable; few threads and masses of calcium carbonate; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) Fe concentrations and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) Fe depletions; about 12 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Kandiyohi County, Minnesota; about 4 miles north and l.5 miles west of Willmar; 2,640 feet west and 140 feet north of the southeast corner, sec. 21, T. 120 N., R. 35 W.; USGS Solomon Lake quadrangle; lat. 45 degrees 10 minutes 56 seconds N. and long. 95 degrees 04 minutes 20 seconds W., NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The particle size control section averages 45 to 60 percent total sand, 10 to 18 percent non-carbonate clay, and 1 to 8 percent clay sized carbonates, although some thin subhorizons may have as much as 22 percent non-carbonate clay. The control section has 2 to 15 percent rock fragments, by volume, of mixed lithology. The reaction typically is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline throughout, but the upper 10 inches may be neutral.
The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 or 4 and chroma of 1 through 3 with dry value of 6 or greater. Some pedons in native areas have a thin A horizon with value of 2. It is loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam. An AB horizon is present in some pedons.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR or less commonly 2.5Y, value of 4 through 6 and chroma of 3 or 4. It is loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam. The calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 12 to 30 percent.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or less commonly 2.5Y, value of 4 through 6 and chroma of 3 or 4. It is loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam. The calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 8 to 20 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Dover, Galway, Nellis, Pequea, and Salter series. Dover and Nellis soils have carbonates at depths of more than 15 inches. Galway soils have sola terminated by bedrock at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Pequea soils have sola terminated by bedrock at depths of 40 to 60 inches. Salter soils formed in stratified sediments that do not have rock fragments.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sunburg soils are on convex slopes on glacial moraines. They formed in a high sand, low shale bearing glacial till thought to be of the Wadena lobe of the Late Wisconsinan Age. Slopes range from 4 to 40 percent. Mean annual temperature ranges from 45 to 50 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 22 to 28 inches. Frost free days range from 124 to 155. Elevations above sea level range from 900 to 1300 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Clarion, Delft, Glencoe, Koronis, Terril and Wadenill soils. The well drained Clarion, Koronis and Wadenill soils are on less convex, less sloping areas and do not have carbonates in the upper part of the profile. The poorly drained Delft and moderately well drained Terril soils are in concave swales and on toe slopes and have a mollic epipedon greater than 24 inches thick. The very poorly drained Glencoe soils are in depressions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is medium to rapid. Permeability is moderately rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for corn, soybeans, and small grains, with hayland and pasture predominant on the steeper slopes. Native vegetation is tall grass prairie.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Associated with, but not confined to, the Alexandria Moraine complex in central Minnesota. Used in MLRA-103. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Stearns County, Minnesota, 1981.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon-the zone from 0 to 8 inches (Apk); Cambic horizon-the zone from 8 to 20 inches (Bk); udic moisture regime.
The redoximorphic features in this pedon could be relict. These redoximorphic features are typical on summits in the coarse-loamy till in central Minnesota.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to MAES - CFC #'s 2581, 2648, and 2650 for results of laboratory analysis.