LOCATION SHELLABARGER KS+OKEstablished Series
The Shellabarger series consists of very deep, well drained soils on paleoterraces in river valleys formed in loamy alluvium in the Great Bend Sand Plains (MLRA 79). Slope ranges from 0 to 15 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 700 mm (28 in.) and the mean annual temperature is about 14 degrees C (57 degrees F) at the type location.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Udic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Shellabarger fine sandy loam - on a 2 percent slope in range. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 25 cm, (0 to 10 in.); brown (7.5YR 5/3) interior, sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) interior, moist; 62 percent sand; 11 percent clay; weak fine granular structure; friable, slightly hard; common fine roots; strongly acid, pH 5.4 by 1:1 H2O; clear smooth boundary. (15 to 46 centimeters (6 to 18 inches) thick) Lab sample # 40A4521
BA--25 to 43 cm, (10 to 17 in.); brown (7.5YR 4/3) interior, sandy loam, dark brown(7.5YR 3/3) interior, moist; 58 percent sand; 16 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly hard; common fine roots; common fine tubular pores; 11 percent fine worm casts; 1 percent nonflat well rounded indurated 2 to 5 millimeter mixed rock fragments; slightly acid, pH 6.3 by 1:1 H2O; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 30 centimeters (0 to 12 inches) thick) Lab sample # 40A4522
Bt1--43 to 61 cm, (17 to 24 in.); reddish brown (5YR 4/4) interior, sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) interior, moist; 59 percent sand; 19 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm, hard; few fine roots; common fine tubular pores; 2 percent nonflat well rounded indurated 2 to 5 millimeter mixed rock fragments; neutral, pH 6.7 by 1:1 H2O; gradual smooth boundary. Lab sample # 40A4523
Bt2--61 to 91 cm, (24 to 36 in.); (5YR 5/4), interior, sandy clay loam, (5YR 4/4), interior, moist; 57 percent sand; 23 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm, hard; few fine roots; common fine tubular pores; 3 percent nonflat well rounded indurated 2 to 5 millimeter mixed rock fragments; neutral, pH 7.0 by 1:1 H2O; gradual smooth boundary. (25 to 76 centimeters (10 to 30 inches) thick) Lab sample # 40A4524
C1--91 to 145 cm, (36 to 57 in.); reddish yellow (5YR 6/6) interior, coarse sandy loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) interior, moist; 78 percent sand; 12 percent clay; structureless massive; friable, soft; 1 percent nonflat well rounded indurated 5 to 20 millimeter mixed rock fragments and 4 percent nonflat well rounded indurated 2 to 5 millimeter mixed rock fragments; neutral, pH 6.9 by 1:1 H2O; dark colored stains in old channels 5 cm to 8 cm in width in the upper part of the horizon; pocket comprising about 1/2 of the lower 18 cm of the horizon of mixed brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) and pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) sandy clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) moist, sampled separately (40A14526 lab determined sandy loam); gradual smooth boundary. Lab sample # 40A4525
C2--145 to 200 cm, (57 to 80 in.); 25 percent very pale brown (10YR 7/3) interior and 75 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), interior, coarse sand, 25 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) interior and 75 percent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6), interior, moist; 93 percent sand; 4 percent clay; structureless single grain; , loose; 2 percent nonflat well rounded indurated 5 to 20 millimeter mixed rock fragments and 7 percent nonflat well rounded indurated 2 to 5 millimeter mixed rock fragments; neutral, pH 7.0 by 1:1 H2O; material of yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; concentrated in the upper 38 cm. (15 in.) of the horizon in bands about 2.5 cm (1 inch) wide, sampled separately, (40A14527) lab determined texture as coarse sand. Lab sample # 40A4528
TYPE LOCATION: Harper County, Kansas; about 9.7 kilometers (6 miles) north and 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) east of Attica; 610 meters (2000 feet) south and 12 meters (40 feet) west of the northeast corner, sec. 21, T. 31 S., R. 8 W; USGS Crystal Springs topographic quadrangle; lat. 37 degrees 20 minutes 8.8 seconds N. and long. 98 degrees 11 minutes 8.5 seconds W., NAD 83
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: An ustic moisture regime bordering on udic. The soils are intermittently moist in some part from March through October. The soils are driest in November through February.
Soil temperature regime: mesic
Mean annual soil temperature: 14 to 15 degrees C (57 to 59 degrees F)
Particle-size control section: 18 to 25 percent clay
Particle-size control section: 35 to 75 percent sand
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 5 percent or less occurring greater than 86 cm (34 in.)
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 25 to 50 cm (10 to 20 in.)
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 5YR
Value: 3 to 5, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: commonly is sandy loam or fine sandy loam and less commonly loamy sand or loam
Clay content: 2 to 19 percent
Sand content: 35 to 80 percent
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral
BA horizon: (where present)
Hue: 10YR to 5YR
Value: 3 to 5, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 10 to 25 percent
Sand content: 35 to 75 percent
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral
Bt horizon:
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 6, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: sandy clay loam, loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or clay loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent by volume
Clay content: 10 to 30 percent
Sand content: 35 to 75 percent
Reaction: slightly acid to moderately alkaline
Lower Bt horizons are 5YR to 2.5YR hue in color.
Some pedons have a BC horizon.
C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR to 2.5YR
Value: 4 to 7, 3 to 6 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, loam, or fine sandy loam, some pedons are loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, sand, or coarse sand below 102 cm (40 in.).
Clay content: 1 to 12 percent
Sand content: 40 to 98 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent by volume
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: slightly acid to moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES:
These are the
Lancaster,
Leisy,
Loretto,
Nalim,
Naron,
Ost, and
Saltcreek 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).
Saltcreek soils have a paleosol between 65 to 150 cm (30 to 60 in.).
Naron soils do not get redder than 7.5YR hue in the argillic and do not have gravel in the profile.
Nalim soils 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: loamy alluvium
Landform: nearly level to strongly sloping areas on paleoterraces on river valleys or uplands
Slopes: 0 to 15 percent
Elevation: 350 to 740 meters (1150 to 2430 feet)
Mean annual air temperature: 13 to 15 degrees C (55 to 59 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
Albion,
Attica,
Nalim, and
Pratt soils.
Albion soils are on nearly level to strongly sloping areas on paleoterraces and have a lower clay content (7 to 15 percent clay) in the control section.
Attica soils are on rolling small dunes on paleoterraces and have a lower clay content (8 to 17 percent clay) in the control section.
Pratt soils are on rolling small dunes on paleoterraces and have a lower clay content (4 to 11 percent clay) in the control section.
Nalim soils are on nearly level to gently sloping areas on paleoterraces on river valleys and have a higher clay content (25 to 35 percent clay) in the control section.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage: well drained
Runoff: low or medium
Saturated hydraulic conductivity: moderately high
USE AND VEGETATION:
Most areas are cultivated. The principal crops are winter wheat and grain sorghum. Native vegetation is tall grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South Central Kansas and North Central Oklahoma. LRR H, Great Plains Winter Wheat and Range, MLRA 79 Great Bend Sand Plains. The soil is extensive with about 450,000 acres (182,250 hectares).
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Saline County, Kansas, 1952.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 43 cm (0 to 17 in.). (A, BA)
Argillic horizon: 43 to 91 cm (17 to 36 in.). (Bt)
Keys to Soil Taxonomy: Tenth edition, 2006
ADDITIONAL DATA:
Laboratory data that supports this series is: NSSL lab pedon number 40A1822 (pedon ID 76KS077001)
DATE: 1/25/95 PRF Oklahoma requests added MLRA information.
7.5YR colors in Bt.
Precipitation and PE ranges.
DATE: 6/14/95 PRF Updated the series to reflect climate conditions in MLRA 79 (Reno County). Taxonomy was changed to mesic.
Modified format by LRM in 10/2005 to include metric conversion and change permeability to saturated hydraulic conductivity.
GLP 2/2006 The pedon used prior to 2006 was not complete. The type location was sampled in 1976 for complete characterization. The pedon description collected at that time is more complete and is being substituted as the official description.
GLP 7/2009 Updated the range of characteristics and the competing series as part of the MLRA 79 update project.