LOCATION VETAL SD+NE WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Pachic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Vetal fine sandy loam - on a south-facing concave slope of 4 percent in native grassland. When described the soil was dry to 40 inches and moist below. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
A1--0 to 8 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable; many fine roots; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
A2--8 to 23 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak coarse and medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; slightly hard, very friable; common fine roots; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined A horizons 14 to 35 inches thick)
AC1--23 to 36 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse and medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable; common fine roots; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
AC2--36 to 42 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable; common roots; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (Combined AC horizons 10 to 25 inches thick)
C--42 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; very weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable; few roots; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Bennett County, South Dakota; about 5 miles north and 2 miles west of Patricia; 1,780 feet west and 1,122 feet south of the northeast corner, sec. 15, T. 39 N., R. 36 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Typically the profile lacks carbonates throughout, but some pedons contain carbonates below depths of 30 inches. Thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 20 to 50 inches and extends into the AC horizon of most pedons. The control section is fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or sandy loam averaging between 12 and 18 percent clay and more than 15 percent fine sand or coarser.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 to 3. It typically is fine sandy loam but is very fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam, loamy very fine sand, and loamy fine sand in some pedons.
The AC horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6 and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7 and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It typically is fine sandy loam or sandy loam but ranges from loam to sand. Fragments of sandstone are in the C horizon in some pedons. Some pedons have buried horizons below depths of 30 inches.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Blendon, Carthage, Hawksprings, and Paoli soils. Blendon soils have a wetter soil moisture control section. Carthage soils have loam 2C horizons between depths of 20 and 40 inches. Hawksprings soils contain more than 35 percent rock fragments at depths of 30 to 40 inches. Paoli soils contain free carbonates within 10 inches of the surface.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Vetal soils are nearly level to moderately sloping in swales of hills, stream terraces and alluvial fans and on nearly level to moderately sloping toeslopes. Surfaces are concave or plane, and slope gradients range from 0 to 15 percent. These soils formed in local sandy and loamy alluvium on aeolian sediments. Mean annual air temperature is 45 to 55 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is about 12 to 20 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alice, Anselmo, Holt, Tuthill, and Valentine soils. Alice and Anselmo soils have mollic epipedons less than 20 inches thick. Holt and Tuthill soils have argillic horizons and mollic epipedons less than 20 inches thick. Valentine soils lack mollic epipedons and are sandy. All competing soils are on higher parts of the landscape.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Surface runoff is slow on 0 to 2 percent slopes and medium on 2 to 15 percent slopes. Permeability is moderately rapid. The soil, in swale positions, has run-in water from adjacent uplands in the spring.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used principally as native rangeland and hayland. Some areas are cropped to small grains, corn, alfalfa, and sorghum. Native vegetation includes blue grama, needleandthread, prairie sandreed, big bluestem, little bluestem, and western wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern South Dakota and northwestern Nebraska and adjoining parts of Wyoming and Colorado. Series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bennett County, South Dakota, 1965.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of about 36 inches (A1, A2, and AC1 horizons).
Phases recognized: Nonflooded, overblown.