LOCATION TOBIN              KS

TOBIN SERIES

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Cumulic Haplustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Tobin silt loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil conditions unless otherwise stated.)

A1--0 to 51 centimeters (0 to 20 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary.

A2--51 to 81 centimeters (20 to 32 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; moderately alkaline; diffuse smooth boundary. (The combined thickness of the A horizons is 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches) thick)

C--81 to 152 centimeters (32 to 60 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; a few thin strata of dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Ellsworth County, Kansas; about 6 kilometers (4 miles) west and 11 kilometers (7 miles) north of Ellsworth; about 704 meters (2,310 feet) west and 18 meters (60 feet) south of the northeast corner of section 15, T. 14 S., R. 9 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mollic epipedon: 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches) thick
Depth to free carbonates: 38 to 102 centimeters (15 to 40 inches)

A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 to 5, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: silt loam or silty clay loam
Reaction: moderately acid to moderately alkaline
Some pedons have AC horizons.

C horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 to 7, 4 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: silt loam, loam or silty clay loam
Reaction: moderately alkaline
Some pedons have more sandy or clayey strata below 40 inches.
Pedons with buried A horizons are common.
Faint mottling occurs in some pedons below a depth of 40 inches.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ackmen, Alcester, Coleridge, Gabaldon, Hord, Irak, Muir, Roxbury, Shell, Trementina and Vega series.
Ackman, Coleridge and Shell soils have free carbonates at a depth greater than 102 centimeters (40 inches).
Alcester soils have a cambic horizon and have free carbonates below a depth of 91 centimeters (36 inches).
Gabaldon, Roxbury and Vega soils have free carbonates above a depth of 38 centimeters (15 inches) and Gabaldon soils have a cambic horizon.
Hord soils have free carbonates at a depth greater than 51 centimeters (20 inches) and have a cambic horizon.
Muir soils have free carbonates at greater than 122 centimeters (48 inches).
Trementina soils have Bw horizons and have mean annual precipitation ranging from 36 to 46 centimeters (14 to 18 inches) and mean annual temperature of 9 to 12 degrees C. (48 to 53 degrees F.)

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform: nearly level flood plains
Slope: usually less than 1 percent but range up to 2 percent
Parent material: more than 102 centimeters (40 inches) of stratified silty alluvium
Mean annual precipitation: 51 to 76 centimeters (20 to 30 inches)
Mean annual temperature: 12 to 14 degrees C. (53 to 58 degrees F.)
Thornthwaites Annual P.E. Index: 34 to 48

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Detroit, Hobbs, Hord, and Roxbury series on flood plains and terraces.
Detroit and Hord soils are on higher positions.
Detroit soils are more clayey.
Hobbs and Roxbury soils are on similar landscapes.
Hobbs soils have fine stratification within 10 inches of the surface.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage: well drained
Runoff: low
Saturated hydraulic conductivity: moderately high
Flooding: occasionally or frequently flooded

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated.
Principal crops are wheat, grain sorghum, and alfalfa.
Native vegetation is mid and tall grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and western Kansas. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Salina, Kansas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Saline County, Kansas, 1952.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 81 centimeters (0 to 32 inches) (A1 and A2 horizons)