Williams soil and landscape
Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Williams series; North Dakota State Soil.
Landscape: Williams soils are on level to steep glacial till plains and moraines. Slopes commonly are less than 9 percent but range from 0 to 35 percent. The soils formed in calcareous glacial till of mixed mineralogy. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 34 to 45 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation from 12 to 19 inches. (Harvested wheat on a Williams soil in North Dakota (credit: USDA-NRCS Soil Survey Staff).
Many states have a designated state bird, flower, fish, tree, rock, etc. And, many states also have a state soil–one that has significance or is important to the state. The Williams is the state soil of North Dakota. Soils form the foundation of North Dakota, which is firmly recognized in the state’s motto “Strength from the Soil”.
In North Dakota, the Williams soil series is among the most extensive and economically important soils in the state. The native vegetation of the Williams series includes species such as western wheatgrass, blue grama, needleandthread, green needlegrass, and prairie junegrass.
These soils have high natural fertility and their content of organic matter creates highly productive landscapes. Most level to gently rolling areas of Williams soils are used for growing small grain crops such as wheat, barley, oats, flax, and sunflowers, whereas the steeper rolling and hilly areas are used as rangeland.
The soil name is derived from Williams County, North Dakota, although the type location is in Mountrail County, near the town of White Earth. In 1900, the Williams series was recognized as an official soil series for North Dakota. William soils formed under short grass prairies and were mostly converted to small grain production and working rangelands upon settlement. These working landscapes are still present today, although more recently the region where these soils predominant has been focused on great amounts of oil and gas extraction.
The Williams series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately slow or slowly permeable soils formed in calcareous glacial till. These soils are on glacial till plains and moraines and have slope of 0 to 35 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 40 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is about 14 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
Depth to carbonates ranges from 10 to 30 inches. The soil typically contains 1 to 10 percent coarse fragments but ranges up to 20 percent. Stony and cobbly phases are recognized.
USE AND VEGETATION: Cultivated areas are used for growing small grains, flax, corn, hay or pasture. Native vegetation is western wheatgrass, needleandthread, blue grama, green needlegrass and prairie junegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central South Dakota, central, and northwestern North Dakota and northeastern Montana. The soil is extensive.
For more information about this soil, visit:
www.soils4teachers.org/files/s4t/k12outreach/nd-state-soi...
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/north_dakota/N...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/W/WILLIAMS.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#williams
Williams soil and landscape
Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Williams series; North Dakota State Soil.
Landscape: Williams soils are on level to steep glacial till plains and moraines. Slopes commonly are less than 9 percent but range from 0 to 35 percent. The soils formed in calcareous glacial till of mixed mineralogy. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 34 to 45 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation from 12 to 19 inches. (Harvested wheat on a Williams soil in North Dakota (credit: USDA-NRCS Soil Survey Staff).
Many states have a designated state bird, flower, fish, tree, rock, etc. And, many states also have a state soil–one that has significance or is important to the state. The Williams is the state soil of North Dakota. Soils form the foundation of North Dakota, which is firmly recognized in the state’s motto “Strength from the Soil”.
In North Dakota, the Williams soil series is among the most extensive and economically important soils in the state. The native vegetation of the Williams series includes species such as western wheatgrass, blue grama, needleandthread, green needlegrass, and prairie junegrass.
These soils have high natural fertility and their content of organic matter creates highly productive landscapes. Most level to gently rolling areas of Williams soils are used for growing small grain crops such as wheat, barley, oats, flax, and sunflowers, whereas the steeper rolling and hilly areas are used as rangeland.
The soil name is derived from Williams County, North Dakota, although the type location is in Mountrail County, near the town of White Earth. In 1900, the Williams series was recognized as an official soil series for North Dakota. William soils formed under short grass prairies and were mostly converted to small grain production and working rangelands upon settlement. These working landscapes are still present today, although more recently the region where these soils predominant has been focused on great amounts of oil and gas extraction.
The Williams series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately slow or slowly permeable soils formed in calcareous glacial till. These soils are on glacial till plains and moraines and have slope of 0 to 35 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 40 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is about 14 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
Depth to carbonates ranges from 10 to 30 inches. The soil typically contains 1 to 10 percent coarse fragments but ranges up to 20 percent. Stony and cobbly phases are recognized.
USE AND VEGETATION: Cultivated areas are used for growing small grains, flax, corn, hay or pasture. Native vegetation is western wheatgrass, needleandthread, blue grama, green needlegrass and prairie junegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central South Dakota, central, and northwestern North Dakota and northeastern Montana. The soil is extensive.
For more information about this soil, visit:
www.soils4teachers.org/files/s4t/k12outreach/nd-state-soi...
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/north_dakota/N...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/W/WILLIAMS.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#williams