Soils Page - DRAFT

During the summer and fall of 2002, a total of 23 soil cores were obtained from the Drakesbad Meadow in attempt to understand the recent geology surround the formation of Drakesbad Meadow and more sprcifically, the recently discovered fen. (see map below)

Soil core logging was performed according to a modified format using applicable criteria from these references.

Draft and final core logs can be downloaded from a core logging status page.

Click on the image for a larger version or download a pdf file. (Fonts in the pdf file have been converted to paths, thus will not look good on the screen, but will print fine.)

Preliminary results indicate a complex coevolution of young soil development on a flood plain, alluvial fan and an glacial outwash apron.

All the cores show relatively immature soil development that probably began after minor glacial advance in the mid to late Holocene (>5,000 years ago).

This mid to late Holocene glacial advance is supported by a prominent outwash apron down slope from a pair of small lateral glacial moraines near Devils Kitchen.

This also may be supported by corelations of a tephra (volcanic ash) discovered in a few soil cores that as been submitted for analysis.

Below is a brief discussion of the some soils:

Above is Core MC-2 and is an indication of a floodplain scour and fill soil. Top is to the left and the scale is in inches. Notice the paired root horizons separated by light colored flood deposits in the top 6 inches. These are relatively recent deposits, probably of this century and possibly related to the floods in the 1960s, 1980s and/or 1990s.

Below are three close-up images of Core MC-08. Notice abundant dark color throughout the section. The dark color is mostly organic matter and field observations suggest that the total organic carbon content excess of 20%. This much organic material in such young soils is rare if not unique in the western United States (personal comm. J. Richardson, NDSU, and J.H. Huddleston, OSU).

Note: Work in progress. Further information will be added shortly.