LOCATION VERDEL NE

Established Series
Rev. OI-MLD
12/2022

VERDEL SERIES

The Verdel series consists of very deep, well drained slowly permeable soils formed in clayey alluvium derived from Pierre shale. These terrace soils have slopes ranging from 0 to 11 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 49 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is about 21 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Vertic Haplustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Verdel silty clay - on a 1 percent convex southwest-facing slope in a cultivated field. When described the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) light silty clay, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine and very fine granular; hard, friable; many fine roots; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)

A--7 to 14 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; hard, friable; many fine roots; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 18 inches thick)

BA--14 to 20 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; hard, friable; many fine roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)

Bw1--20 to 28 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to strong fine blocky; very hard, firm; few fine segregations of lime; few pressure faces; slight effervescence; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.

Bw2--28 to 40 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; strong coarse prismatic structure parting to strong fine blocky; very hard, firm; common fine segregations of lime; common pressure faces; few slickensides that do not intersect; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 8 to 32 inches.)

C--40 to 60 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; very hard, very firm; common medium segregations of lime; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Boyd County, Nebraska; about 1 mile southeast of Anoka, Nebraska; 700 feet north and 800 feet west of the center, sec. 11, T. 34 N., R. 13 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum typically is 28 to 40 inches and ranges from 25 to 55 inches. Free carbonates are usually at depths of 20 to 30 inches, but range from 16 to 35 inches and are typically in the lower B and C horizons. The mollic epipedon ranges from 20 to 36 inches thick and includes part of the B horizon.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 or 2. In most pedons this horizon is silty clay, but the range is from silty clay loam to clay. Reaction is slightly acid through mildly alkaline.

The B horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 through 6 and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 1 through 3. The texture of the blocky B horizon centers on silty clay or clay with a clay content of 40 to 50 percent. Lime concretions and segregations may be present in the lower B horizon in most pedons. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline. Some pedons have BC horizons.

The C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 or 6 and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 1 through 4. It is silty clay or clay. Lime concretions and segregations may be present. It is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: Artesian, Boyd, and Ottumwa are the only other series in this family. Promise is a similar soil. Artesian soils have free carbonates above 20 inches and are wetter. Boyd soils are 20 to 40 inches to bedrock. Ottumwa soils contain free carbonates within a depth of 8 inches below the surface and have a somewhat drier climate. Promise soils have more than 60 percent clay in the control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Verdel soils are on nearly level to gently sloping terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 11 percent. The sediments are clayey alluvium of fine texture derived from residual Pierre shale. The mean annual precipitation is 18 to 22 inches, and mean annual air temperature is 46 to 56 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Boyd, Hall, Hord, Lakoma, Monowi, and Promise soils. Boyd, Lakoma, and Monowi soils occur on uplands above Verdel soils; also, Lakoma and Monowi soils lack mollic epipedons and are 20 to 40 inches to bedrock. Hall and Hord soils have less clay in the control section and occur on terraces and uplands. Promise soils occur above Verdel soils.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Surface runoff is slow to medium; permeability is slow, except after dry periods when the initial intake in cracks is rapid.

USE AND VEGETATION: Soils are used mainly for cropland with some rangeland. Grain sorghum, small grains, corn, and alfalfa are the principal crops. Native grasses are western wheatgrass, big bluestem, little bluestem, blue grama, green needlegrass, and sideoats grama.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Nebraska and south-central South Dakota. The Verdel series is of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Holt County, Nebraska, 1932.

REMARKS: Laboratory sample numbers 77PO207-77PO2l3.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.