LOCATION WALDORF MN+IA
Established Series
Rev. RJE-AGG-KDS
03/2014
WALDORF SERIES
The Waldorf series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils formed in lacustrine sediments on glacial lake plains and moraines. These soils have moderately slow or slow permeability. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 27 inches. Mean annual air temperature is about 48 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Vertic Endoaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Waldorf silty clay loam on a nearly level slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 9 inches; black (N 2/0) silty clay loam, very dark gray (N 3/0) dry; moderate very fine subangular blocky structure; friable; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.
A--9 to 15 inches; black (N 2/0) silty clay loam, very dark gray (N 3/0) dry; moderate medium and coarse angular blocky structure; firm; neutral; clear smooth boundary (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 12 to 24 inches.)
AB--15 to 20 inches; black (5Y 2/1) silty clay loam; few fine faint dark olive gray (5Y 3/2) Fe depletions; moderate very fine angular blocky structure; firm; neutral; clear irregular boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bg1--20 to 28 inches; olive gray (5Y 4/2) silty clay loam; many fine faint dark olive gray (5Y 3/2) Fe depletions; very dark gray (5Y 3/1) faces of peds; weak medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate and strong very fine angular blocky; firm; few faint tongues of very dark gray (5Y 3/1); neutral; clear smooth boundary.
Bg2--28 to 35 inches; olive gray (5Y 4/2) silty clay; many fine faint olive (5Y 4/3 and 5/3) Fe concentrations; faint dark gray (5Y 4/1) faces of peds; weak and moderate very fine angular blocky structure; firm; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
Bg3--35 to 45 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) silty clay; common fine faint olive (5Y 5/3) Fe concentrations; faint gray (5Y 5/1) faces of peds; weak very fine angular blocky structure; friable; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of Bg horizons is 11 to 37 inches.)
Bg4--45 to 53 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; many fine faint olive (5Y 5/3) and many fine prominent strong brown (7.5Y 5/6) Fe concentrations; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak fine angular blocky; few horizontal cleavage; friable; neutral (pH 6.9); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of Bg horizons is 11 to 55 inches.)
Cg1--53 to 62 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; many fine prominent strong brown (7.5Y 5/6) Fe concentrations; weak thick platy fragments; friable; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); slightly effervescent; clear smooth boundary.
Cg2--62 to 80 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; many fine faint olive (5Y 5/3) and many fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) Fe concentrations; weak thick platy fragments; friable; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); slightly effervescent.
TYPE LOCATION: Blue Earth County, Minnesota; about 7 miles west and 1 mile south of Vernon Center; about 300 feet east and 100 feet north of the southwest corner of Sec. 27, T. 106 N., R. 29 W.; USGS Willow Creek quadrangle; lat. 43 degrees 56 minutes 58 seconds N. and long. 94 degrees 18 minutes 28 seconds W., NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to free carbonates ranges from 26 to 55 inches. The mollic epipedon thickness ranges from 16 to 24 inches. The particle-size control section typically averages between 40 and 50 percent clay, and less than 10 percent fine sand and coarser.
The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y or is neutral, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 0. It is silty clay loam or silty clay. It is neutral or slightly acid. The AB horizon when present, has colors and textures similar to the A horizons.
The Bg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1 or 2. Faces of peds are 1 or 2 units lower in value or chroma or both than the matrix in most parts of the Bg horizon. The Bg horizon typically is silty clay, but silty clay loam or clay is within the range. The Bg horizon typically is neutral but the lower part of it in some pedons is slightly alkaline.
Some pedons have a Bkg horizon within a 60-inch depth.
The Cg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 1 or 2 and commonly contains redoximorphic features. Typically it is silty clay loam, silty clay or clay, but silt loam is within the range. Also, it has strata of clay loam or loam in some pedons below depths of 48 inches. It is friable or firm. Moist bulk density ranges from 1.25 to 1.45 g/cc. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are in the
Cosmos and
Marna Series. When previously classified in the Typic Haplaquolls subgroup, the competing series were
Chequest,
Kalona,
Lanyon, and
Streator series. Cosmos soils have a bulk density greater than 1.6 gm/cc in the lower part of the series control section and below. Marna soils have more than 10 percent sand in the lower one-third of the series control section. Chequest soils do not have secondary carbonates within the series control section. Kalona soils average less than 40 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Lanyon soils have secondary calcium carbonates within 20 inches of the surface. Streator soils have a moist bulk density greater than 1.45 gm/cc in the lower part of the series control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils are on plane to slightly concave positions on lake plains or moraines covered by lacustrine sediments. Slope gradients are 0 to 2 percent. The Waldorf soils formed in fine or moderately fine textured lacustrine sediments that are 4 to more than 10 feet in thickness. These sediments are Late Wisconsin in age. The climate is midcontinental with warm summers and cold winters. Mean annual air temperature is about 45 to 50 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation is about 25 to 32 inches. Elevation above sea level ranges from 700 to 1200 feet. Frost-free days range from 124 to 172.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: The
Collinwood,
Brownton,
Lura, and
Kamrar soils are the major ones. These soils formed in similar sediments and are members of a hydrosequence with Waldorf soils. The well-drained Kamrar soils are on backslopes, shoulders and summits. The moderately well and somewhat poorly drained Collinwood soils are on nearby low summits. The poorly and very poorly drained calcareous Brownton soils are on nearby nearly level positions on rims of depressions. Lura soils are very poorly drained and are in depression.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. An apparent water table is at .5 to 1.5 feet from November to July in most years. Surface runoff is low. Permeability is moderately slow or slow
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly cropped to corn and soybeans. Native vegetation is predominantly wet-site tall prairie species such as prairie cordgrass, switchgrass, big bluestem, wooly sedge, giant goldenrod and Canada goldenrod.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Minnesota and northern Iowa. Moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Nobles County, Minnesota, 1970.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to 20 inches (Ap, A, and AB horizons); cambic horizon - the zone from 20 to 45 inches (Bg1, Bg2, and Bg3 horizons); and the aquic moisture regime with 2 chroma matrix, 2 chroma Fe depletions, and high chroma Fe concentrations.
Competing series not updated on this revision.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to S69 Minn-7-8, and SS 7063-4-5 for results of some laboratory analysis of the typical pedon.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.