LOCATION MASSIE NEEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Vertic Argialbolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Massie clay on a less than 1 percent concave slope under vegetation of giant sedge, perennial smartweed, and other water-tolerant plants. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 3 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable; on the surface is a layer of partially decayed leaves and stems; medium acid; clear smooth boundary.
A2--3 to 7 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak fine and medium platy structure parting to weak fine granular; slightly hard, very friable; moderately acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of A horizon 3 to 16 inches.)
E--7 to 9 inches; light gray (10YR 6/1) silt loam, gray (10YR 5/1) moist; few fine faint brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) iron masses in the matrix; moderate medium platy structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable; slightly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 9 inches thick)
Bt1--9 to 13 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; light gray coating on faces of peds; many fine and medium distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) iron masses in the matrix; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; hard, firm; many fine to large dark concretions (iron-manganese oxides); slightly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--13 to 25 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay, black (10YR 2/1) moist; few to common fine distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) iron masses in the matrix; strong coarse prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm; shiny surfaces on faces of peds; many fine to coarse dark concretions (iron-manganese oxides); neutral, gradual wavy boundary.
Bt3--25 to 65 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) silty clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; strong coarse prismatic structure parting to strong coarse angular blocky; very hard, very firm; shiny surfaces on faces of peds; many fine to coarse dark concretions (iron-manganese oxides); neutral; diffuse smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon 19 to 64 inches.)
BC--65 to 85 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) silty clay, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (8 to 30 inches thick)
C--85 to 96 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; hard, firm; few line soft segregated accumulations of calcium carbonates; slight effervescence; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Clay County, Nebraska; 6 miles east and 2 3/4 miles south of Clay Center; 630 feet north and 265 feet west of the southeast corner, sec. 24, T. 6 N., R. 6 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum is greater than 50 inches. Free carbonates are lacking in most pedons and, where present, are at depths greater than 55 inches. These soils contain few to many, fine to coarse, faint to prominent brownish yellow, yellowish brown, brown, strong brown, or yellowish red iron masses in the soil matrix. Buried A horizons from 4 to 12 inches thick are common in some pedons.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 through 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is most commonly clay and silty clay loam, and less commonly silty clay and silt loam. It is slightly acid to strongly acid.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6 and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 1. Some pedons contain iron-manganese concretions in the lower part. It is slightly acid or moderately acid. The clay content ranges from 15 to 25 percent.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y; value of 4 or 5 and 2 or 3 moist; and chroma of 1 or 2. It is a silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay and averages between 35 and 55 percent clay. Reaction is moderately acid to slightly alkaline.
The BC horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y; value of 4 through 6 and 3 through 5 moist; and chroma of 1 or 2. It is silty clay loam or silty clay. Some pedons contain iron and manganese concretions. It is slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
The C horizon, where present at depths less than 80 inches, has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y; value of 4 to 7 and 4 to 6 moist; and chroma of 1 through 3. It is silt loam, silty clay loam, or silty clay. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Barbert, Crestmeade, Edina, Filbert, Fillmore, Scott, and Triplett series Barbert soils have soil temperatures at a depth of 20 inches that averages 45 to 50 degrees F. Crestmeade and Triplett soils are in a drier and warmer climate and do not pond water on the surface. Also, Triplett soils have more than 10 percent sand in the lower part of the particle size control section. Filbert soils are dry in all parts of the soil moisture control section for 80 out of the 120 days following the summer solstice in 2 years out of 10. Fillmore and Scott soils are saturated in the series control section and pond water for shorter durations during the growing season.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Massie soils fromed in loess in depressions on uplands. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent and are concave. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 20 to 26 inches, and the mean annual temperature ranges from 50 to 53 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Butler, Crete, Fillmore, Harney, Hastings, Holder, Holdrege, and Scott soils. Butler soils are on higher flat or slightly concave positions in the landscape and are somewhat poorly drained. Crete, Harney, Hastings, Holder, and Holdrege soils lack an albic horizon, contain less clay in the argillic horizon, and do not occur in depressions. Fillmore and Scott soils are on the higher parts of depressions. Fillmore soils are poorly drained and Scott soils are poorly and very poorly drained.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained. Permeability is very slow. Runoff is ponded for very long durations. Water is usually ponded deeper than 6 inches during most of the growing season.
USE AND VEGETATION: The Massie soils are used mostly as habitat for wildlife. (See Remarks.) They are generally too wet for pasture, range or cultivated crops. Vegetation consists mainly of giant and other sedges, spikerush and bulrush, cattails, perennial smartweed, arrowhead, pondweed, and other water-tolerant plants. Some reed canarygrass is present on outer margins.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central and southeastern Nebraska. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Salina, Kansas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clay County, Nebraska, 1979.
REMARKS: Massie soils were formerly mapped as Marsh land type. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon--the zone from 0 to 85 inches(A, E, Bt and BC horizons); albic horizon--the zone from 7 to 9 inches (E horizon) and argillic horizon--the zone fro 9 to 65 inches (Bt1, Bt2 and Bt3 horizons). The linear extensibility exceeds 6.0 between the surface and 100 cm.
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL sample numbers 78PO867 to 78PO871; S76NE35-29(2-6). Nebraska Department of Roads numbers S76NE35-29(2, 7, 9).