LOCATION VALLERS ND+MN SD
Established Series
RTD-RBH-CJH
07/2015
VALLERS SERIES
The Vallers series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in calcareous fine-loamy till on till plains, moraines and lake plains. These soils have moderately slow permeability. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 22 inches, and mean annual air temperature is about 43 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Calciaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Vallers loam, on a plane slope on a glacial moraine in cropland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted)
Ap--0 to 9 inches; black (10YR 2/1) loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate very fine and fine granular structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; strong effervescence; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined A horizons 6 to 24 inches thick)
Bkg--9 to 22 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) and olive gray (5Y 5/2) clay loam, gray (5Y 6/1) and light gray (5Y 7/2) dry; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) redoximorphic concentrations; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; about 5 percent pebbles and other rock fragments; violent effervescence; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Bkyg--22 to 44 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) and gray (5Y 5/1) clay loam, light olive gray (5Y 6/2) and light gray (5Y 7/1) dry; many large prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) redoximorphic concentrations; weak fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; about 5 percent pebbles and other rock fragments; many nests of gypsum; strong effervescence; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined Bkg horizons 6 to 35 inches thick)
BCyg--44 to 60 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) clay loam, gray (5Y 6/1) dry; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) redoximorphic concentrations; massive, very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; about 5 percent pebbles and other rock fragments; common nests of gypsum; slight effervescence; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Benson County, North Dakota; about six miles east and six miles north of Leeds; 800 feet west and 150 feet north of the southeast corner of sec. 6, T. 156 N., 67 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon ranges from 7 to 25 inches in thickness. In some pedons the lower part of the mollic epipedon qualifies as part of the calcic horizon. The calcic horizon has a calcium carbonate equivalent of about 20 to 35 percent. The 10 to 40 inch particle-size control section typically has between 22 and 32 percent clay but ranges from 18 to 35 percent and 15 to 35 percent sand coarser than very fine sand. It typically contains 2 to 8 percent rock fragments of mixed lithology, but in some pedons the upper part lacks rock fragments. Typically, the soil is calcareous throughout, but a few pedons under native vegetation lack free carbonates in the upper 7 inches of the soil. The soil is typically slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline throughout, but is neutral in the surface layer where it lacks free carbonates. Firm subsoil, saline, stony, and depressional phases are recognized.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y or is neutral, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or less. Redoximorphic features or chroma of 2 are in the lower part of the A horizon of some pedons. Typically it is clay loam or loam and less commonly silty clay loam, sandy clay loam or silt loam. An ABk or Ak horizon is in some pedons.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2, or is neutral with values of 4 to 6. It commonly has few to many, faint to prominent, and fine to medium redoximorphic features, but they are lacking in some pedons. However, where the horizon has a chroma is 2 above a depth of 20 inches, there are distinct or prominent redoximorphic features present. It is a clay loam, silty clay loam, loam or sandy clay loam. It does not have gypsum accumulations in some pedons. Some pedons have BCk horizons.
The BC and C horizons have 2.5Y or 5Y hue, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 to 3. Typically, they have redoximorphic features. They are loam or clay loam. They do not have gypsum accumulations in some pedons. Some pedons have coarse sandy loam to gravelly sand below a depth of 50 inches and are recognized as a sandy substratum phase.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Easby,
Hapur,
Hedman,
Lowe and
Nortonville series. Easby soils have a SAR greater than 13. Hapur soils have a calcic horizons at the surface. Hedman soils are coarse-loamy. Lowe soils are on flood plains and fewer rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Nortonville soils have a gypsic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Vallers soils are on level and nearly level slight rises, shallow depressions and drainageways of till plains, moraines and lake plains. They are on slightly concave to slightly convex slopes with gradient of 0 to 3 percent. These soils formed in fine-loamy, calcareous till of Late Wisconsinan Age. In some areas, these soils have a silty lacustrine mantle as much as 24 inches thick. The mean annual air temperature is about 32 to 45 degrees F, and the mean annual precipitation is about 12 to 26 inches. Frost-free period ranges from 90 to 150 days. Elevation ranges from 650 to 2350 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Langhei,
Barnes,
Forman,
Formdale,
Svea,
Hamerly,
Manfred,
Parnell and
Quam soils in a hydrosequence with the Vallers soils on till plains and moraines; and the
Roliss,
Kratka,
Strathcona and
Hamre soils on lake plains. The somewhat excessively drained Langhei soils; the well drained Barnes, Forman, and Formdale soils; the moderately well drained Svea soils; and the somewhat poorly drained Hamerly soils are on higher lying or more sloping terrain. The poorly drained and very poorly drained Manfred, Parnell, Roliss, and Quam soils are in depressions. The Manfred soils have a natric horizon. The Roliss soils do not have a calcic horizon. The Kratka and Strathcona soils have 20 to 40 inches of sandy materials in the upper part. The Hamre soils are on lower lying areas and have a histic epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Runoff is negligible to low. Permeability is moderately slow. An apparent seasonal high water table is at a depth of 0.5 to 1.5 feet at some time during the period of March through July.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of this soil is cultivated. Corn, soybeans, small grains and legumes are the principal crops. Native vegetation is tall grass prairie.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Minnesota, northeastern South Dakota, and eastern North Dakota. The series is of large extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Big Stone County, Minnesota, 1961.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 9 inches (Ap horizon); calcic horizon - the zone from 9 to 44 inches (Bkg and Bkyg horizons); aquic moisture regime per 5Y hue, chroma of 2 and redoximorphic concentrations below the mollic epipedon.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.