LOCATION ZELL SD+MN NDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Calciudolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Zell silt loam - on a 15 percent convex east-facing slope in native grass. When described the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
A--0 to 6 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) silt loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable; slight effervescence; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bk1--6 to 11 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Bk2--11 to 18 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silt loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; many fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist relict redoximorphic concentrations and many fine prominent gray (5Y 5/1) moist relict redoximorphic depletions; weak coarse subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable; few fine threads and masses of calcium carbonate; violent effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bk horizons is 0 to 25 inches)
Bky--18 to 26 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) silt loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist relict redoximorphic concentrations and gray (5Y 5/1) moist relict redoximorphic depletions; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak thin platy; slightly hard, friable; few fine threads and masses of calcium carbonate; few fine nests of gypsum; strong effervescence; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
C--26 to 60 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/3) silt loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) moist; many coarse prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) moist relict redoximorphic concentrations and gray (5Y 5/1) moist relict redoximorphic depletions; laminated; slightly hard, friable; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Brown County, South Dakota; about 2 miles west and 1.5 miles north of Stratford; 2,500 feet north and 1,320 feet east of the southwest corner, sec. 31, T. 122 N., R. 62 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 7 to 16 inches. Typically, free calcium carbonates are at the surface, but are leached from the upper few inches in some pedons in native grass. Redoximorphic features are inherent from the parent material and vary widely in amount and intensity between pedons.
The A horizon has value of 3 to 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of less than 1.5. It has a chroma of 2 in some cultivated pedons. It typically is silt loam but is very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam in some pedons. It ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline. Some pedons have an AB horizon. Some pedons have a thin Bw horizon. The combined thickness of A and Bw horizons is less than 10 inches thick.
The Bk and Bky horizons have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 8 and 3 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is silt loam or very fine sandy loam. It is slightly or moderately alkaline. Few or common, fine or medium masses and threads of calcium carbonate are in the Bk horizon which has a calcium carbonate equivalent of 10 to 20 percent. Few to many, fine or medium nests of gypsum are in most pedons.
The C horizons have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 to 8 and 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. They are is silt loam, loam, or very fine sandy loam with thin lenses of finer or coarser textures in the lower part. Some pedons are not distinctly laminated below depths of 16 to 20 inches. The C horizon is slightly to strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Huffton series. Huffton soils have an electrical conductivity of more than 4 mmhos.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Zell soils are on uplands having convex surfaces. Slope gradients typically are less than 15 percent but ranges from 0 to 25 percent. The soils formed in silty calcareous glaciolacustrine sediments. The mean annual air temperature ranges from 36 to 45 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation ranges from 16 to 24 inches. Growing season is about 105 to 165 days; average growing season precipitation ranges from 14 to 20 inches; and growing degree days are about 2500 to 3500. Elevation above sea level ranges from 650 to 2350 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Huffton soils and the Beotia, Eckman, Gardena, Glyndon, and Great Bend soils. Huffton soils are on similar landscapes. Beotia and Gardena soils have mollic epipedons greater than 16 inches thick and are in swales. Eckman and Great Bend soils have cambic horizons and are on nearly level to moderately sloping nearby landscapes. Glyndon soils have calcic horizons and are on nearly level nearby landscapes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Surface runoff is medium or high. Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: Areas on steeper slopes are mainly in native grass. The principal species are sideoats grama, little bluestem, blue grama, big bluestem, needleandthread, western wheatgrass, prairie dropseed, sedges, and forbs. Most of the less sloping areas are cultivated. Small grain, corn, and alfalfa are the principal crops.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern South Dakota, eastern North Dakota, and western Minnesota. The Zell series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Spink County, South Dakota, 1955.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 7 inches after mixing the top 7 inches (A horizon).