LOCATION SUTPHEN                 KS

Established Series
CEW/ JGA/ DJK
07/2020

SUTPHEN SERIES

The Sutphen series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in alluvium. Sutphen soils are on flood plains and low terraces on river valleys in Central Kansas Sandstone Hills, MLRA 74. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 810 millimeters (32 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 13 degrees C (55 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Pachic Udertic Haplustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Sutphen silty clay loam - in a nearly level cultivated field. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.) As described on July 1, 1979.

Ap--0 to 15 centimeters (0 to 6 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak fine granular structure; hard, firm, plastic and sticky; common very fine roots; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.

A1--15 to 33 centimeters (6 to 13 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very plastic and very sticky; common very fine roots; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Bss--33 to 76 centimeters (13 to 30 inches); dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very plastic and very sticky; common very fine roots; a few slickensides; some old cracks filled with very dark gray (10YR 3/1) soil; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 50 to 90 centimeters (20 to 36 inches.))

Bkss1--76 to 117 centimeters (30 to 46 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very plastic and very sticky; a few slickensides; common fine carbonate concretions; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 46 centimeters (0 to 18 inches thick))

Bkss2--117 to 145 centimeters (46 to 57 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; few fine faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of oxidized iron; massive; hard, firm, very plastic and very sticky; a few slickensides; few medium and fine carbonate concretions; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

C1--145 to 160 centimeters (57 to 63 inches); pale brown (10YR 6/3) silty clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; few fine faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of oxidized iron; massive; hard, friable, slightly plastic and slightly sticky; few fine carbonate concretions; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline.

C2--160 to 200 centimeters (63 to 79 inches); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Dickinson County, Kansas; 5 kilometers (3 miles) south and 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of Abilene, Kansas; 777 meters (2,550 feet) west and 30.5 meters (100 feet) north of the southeast corner of sec. 33, T. 13 S., R 1 E. USGS Salina, Kansas quadrangle; lat. 38 degrees, 52 minutes, 17 seconds N. and long. 97 degrees, 19 minutes, 32 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: 12 to 14 degrees C (53 to 57 degrees F)
Mollic epipedon: 50 to 125 centimeters (20 to 49 inches)
Redoximorphic features below 100 centimeters (40 inches)
Depth to secondary carbonates: 50 to 90 centimeters (20 to 36 inches)
Particle size control section (weighted average) clay: 35 to 55 percent
Particle size control section (weighted average) sand: 0 to 10 percent
Ap or A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry or moist
Texture: silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay
Clay Content: 32 to 55 percent
Sand Content: 0 to 10 percent
Sodium Absorption Rato: 0 to 3 percent
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline

Bss horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry or moist
Texture: silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay
Clay Content: 35 to 55 percent
Sand Content: 0 to 10 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 3 percent
Sodium Absrption Ratio: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: slightly acid to moderately alkaline

Bkss horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay
Clay Content: 35 to 55 percent
Sand Content: 0 to 10 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 3 percent
Sodium Absorption Ratio: 0 to 8 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline


C horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: silty clay, clay, or silty clay loam
Clay Content: 32 to 55 percent
Sand Content: 0 to 10 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 3 percent
Sodium Absorption Ratio: 0 to 8 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: alluvium
Landform: flood plains and low terraces on river valleys
Slopes: 0 to 2 percent
Elevation: 305 to 460 meters (1000 to 1510 feet)

Mean annual air temperature: 11 to 13 degrees C (52 to 56 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 710 to 860 millimeters (28 to 34 inches)
Precipitation pattern: precipitation is usually evenly distributed throughout the year with the exception of November through February being the driest months and May and June being the wettest months. Summer precipitation occurs during intense summer thunderstorms.

Frost-free period: 160 to 210 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Detroit, McCook, Muir, New Cambria, and Solomon soils.
Detroit soils have an increase of illuvial clay (argillic horizon) and occupy slightly higher positions on the landscape.
McCook soils have less than 18 percent clay in the particle size control section and occur on lower landscape positions.
Muir soils have between 18 and 35 percent clay in the particle size control section and occur on slightly higher landscape positions.
New Cambria soils have free carbonates at depths less than 25 centimeters (10 inches) and are on slightly higher landscape positions.
Solomon soils are poorly drained and are on lower landscape positions.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage: moderately well
Runoff: medium
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: low
Flooding frequency: occasional to very rare
Ponding frequency: occasional with brief duration

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cropped to wheat, corn, or soybeans. Native vegetation is tall prairie grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Kansas. The series is moderately extensive.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Salina, Kansas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Saline County, Kansas, 1952.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 117 centimeters (0 to 46 inches) (Ap, A, Bss and Bkss1 horizons).
Slickensides (pedogenic) - 33 to 145 centimeters (13 to 57 inches) (Bss, Bkss1, and Bkss2 horizons).
Secondary Carbonates - 76 to 200 centimeters (30 to 79 inches) (Bkss1, Bkss2, C1, and C2 hrozons).

Keys to soil Taxonomy: Eleventh edition, 2010

12/2011 JGA
Changed classification to Pachic Udertic Hapustolls. It's a new subgroup and the mollic epipedon is over 50 centimeters thick. Converted measurements from English to metric and converted to semi-tabular format. Added soil moisture regime, soil temperature regime, mean annual soil temperature, particle size clay and sand content. Added clay and sand content and reaction to horizon data in RIC. Updated competing series. Updated geographic setting. Increased mean annual precipitation to 33 inches from 32 inches and added frost free period based on climate data. Updated geographically associated soils. Changed permeability to saturated hydraulic conductivity and added flooding frequency. Added ponding frequency and changed runoff to high.

10/2014 DJK
Updated horizonation of typical pedon. Added horizon from 160 to 200 using pedon description from the site. Changed top depth to carbs from 15" to 20". Lowered A horizon reaction from moderately alkaline to slightly alkaline. Lowered sand contents from 15 to 10 for all horizons. Added SAR ranges to RIC. Added Bss and Bkss horizons to RIC. Added elevation and precipitation pattern to geographic setting. Changed MAP from 24-33" to 28-34". Added KSSL characterization pedons to additional data.

Future study needs to check if these soils should be classified as Vertisols.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Physical and chemical data for the typical pedon is available from the Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, Nebraska pedon ID: 79KS041001 (sample numbers 791649-791700). Additional KSSL data is available for S01KS027001, 88KS061326, and 11KS029001.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.