LOCATION VELVA ND+UT
Established Series
Rev. CJH
01/2023
VELVA SERIES
The Velva series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately or moderately rapidly permeable soils that formed in stratified recent alluvium. These soils are on flood plains and low terraces and have slopes of 0 to 6 percent. Mean annual temperature is 41 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is 16 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Fluventic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Velva fine sandy loam - cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
Ap--0 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many roots; many fine pores; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
AC--6 to 12 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many roots; many fine pores; mildly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
Ab--12 to 13 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many roots; many fine pores; slight effervescence; mildly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
C1--13 to 15 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse and medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common roots; common fine pores; strong effervescence; mildly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
C2--15 to 36 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) fine sandy loam with thin strata of loam and loamy fine sand less than 1 inch thick, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse and medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common roots; common fine pores; strong effervescence; mildly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
C3--36 to 52 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loamy fine sand, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; single grain; few roots; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
C4--52 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few roots; few pores; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Mercer County, North Dakota; about 1/2 mile west of Hazen; 1090 feet west and 90 feet north of the southeast corner, sec. 13, T. 144 N., R. 87 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The 10- to 40-inch control section averages between 7 and 18 percent clay and 25 and 60 percent fine sand or coarser. Some pedons contain carbonates throughout. Saline phases are recognized. The soil commonly has one or more buried A horizons. Some pedons have an O horizon.
The A horizon has 10YR or 2.5Y hue, value of 3 to 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 to 3. It commonly is loam or fine sandy loam but some is sandy loam, very fine sandy loam or clay loam. Some pedons have Bw horizons.
The C horizon has 10YR or 2.5Y hue, value of 4 to 7 and 3 to 5 moist and chroma of 2 to 4. It averages fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam or loam; some pedons have thin layers of coarser or finer material. It commonly contains carbonates and some pedons have Bk horizons.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the family. Other competing series are the
Glendive,
Hamilton,
Havrelon,
Korchea,
Straw, and
Trembles series. Glendive, Havrelon and Trembles soils do not have mollic epipedons. Hamilton soils are coarse-silty. Korchea and Straw soils are fine-loamy.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Velva soils are on flood plains and low terraces. Slope gradients typically are less than 2 percent, but range to 6 percent along channels and edges of terraces. The soils formed in stratified recent alluvium. Mean annual temperatures range from 38 degrees to 45 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation from 12 to 20 inches. Most of the moisture falls in the spring and summer.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing
Havrelon,
Korchea,
Straw, and
Trembles soils and the
Farland,
Parshall,
Wyola,
Shambo,
Stady, and
Tally soils. Havrelon, Korchea, Straw, and Trembles soils are on similar landscapes. Farland, Parshall, Wyola, Shambo, Stady, and Tally soils are on nearby higher terraces. All have a regular decrease in organic matter with depth.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Surface runoff is slow. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid. These soils flood early in the spring following snowmelt and after high intensity rainfall.
USE AND VEGETATION: The soils are cropped and used for hay and pasture. Native vegetation is slender wheatgrass, big bluestem, green needlegrass, western wheatgrass, Canada wildrye, Maximilian sunflower, goldenrod and other forbs and a few shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern to western North Dakota. The soil is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Salina, Kansas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bowman County, North Dakota, 1969.
REMARKS: Revised 3/90.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth 13 inches (Ap, AC, and Ab horizons); the C1 horizon has the color but not the organic matter content to be mollic; irregular decrease in organic carbon with depth - presence of Ab horizon and stratifications in C2 horizons.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.