Soil Data Explorer - BLUE EARTH

Official Series Description

Lab Data Summary

Aggregate lab data for the BLUE EARTH soil series. This aggregation is based on all pedons with a current taxon name of BLUE EARTH, and applied along 1-cm thick depth slices. Solid lines are the slice-wise median, bounded on either side by the interval defined by the slice-wise 5th and 95th percentiles. The median is the value that splits the data in half. Five percent of the data are less than the 5th percentile, and five percent of the data are greater than the 95th percentile. Values along the right hand side y-axis describe the proportion of pedon data that contribute to aggregate values at this depth. For example, a value of "90%" at 25cm means that 90% of the pedons correlated to BLUE EARTH were used in the calculation. Source: KSSL snapshot (updated 2020-03-13). Methods used to assemble the KSSL snapshot used by SoilWeb / SDE

Pedons used in the lab summary:

MLRA	Lab ID	Pedon ID	Taxonname	CI	NSSL / NASIS Reports	Link To SoilWeb GMap
103	UMN2395	S1977MN091002(2395)	Blue Earth	3	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	43.643589,-94.4467163
103	UMN2773	S1978MN015031(2773)	Blue Earth	2	Primary | Supplementary | Taxonomy | Pedon | Water Retention | Correlation | Andic Soil Properties	44.1809998,-94.9525604

Water Balance

Monthly water balance estimated using a leaky-bucket style model for the BLUE EARTH soil series. Monthly precipitation (PPT) and potential evapotranspiration (PET) have been estimated from the 50th percentile of gridded values (PRISM 1981-2010) overlapping with the extent of SSURGO map units containing each series as a major component. Monthly PET values were estimated using the method of Thornthwaite (1948). These (and other) climatic parameters are calculated with each SSURGO refresh and provided by the fetchOSD function of the soilDB package. Representative water storage values (“AWC” in the figures) were derived from SSURGO by taking the 50th percentile of profile-total water storage (sum[awc_r * horizon thickness]) for each soil series. Note that this representation of “water storage” is based on the average ability of most plants to extract soil water between 15 bar (“permanent wilting point”) and 1/3 bar (“field capacity”) matric potential. Soil moisture state can be roughly interpreted as “dry” when storage is depleted, “moist” when storage is between 0mm and AWC, and “wet” when there is a surplus. Clearly there are a lot of assumptions baked into this kind of monthly water balance. This is still a work in progress.

Sibling Summary

Siblings are those soil series that occur together in map units, in this case with the BLUE EARTH series. Sketches are arranged according to their subgroup-level taxonomic structure. Source: SSURGO snapshot (updated 2024-10-24), parsed OSD records (updated 2024-10-23) and snapshot of SC database (updated 2024-10-23).

Select annual climate data summaries for the BLUE EARTH series and siblings. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of median values. Source: SSURGO map unit geometry and 1981-2010, 800m PRISM data (updated 2024-10-23).

Geomorphic description summaries for the BLUE EARTH series and siblings. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of proportions and relative hydrologic position within an idealized landform (e.g. top to bottom). Most soil series (SSURGO components) are associated with a hillslope position and one or more landform-specific positions: hills, mountain slopes, terraces, and/or flats. Proportions can be interpreted as an aggregate representation of geomorphic membership. The values printed to the left (number of component records) and right (Shannon entropy) of stacked bars can be used to judge the reliability of trends. Small Shannon entropy values suggest relatively consistent geomorphic association, while larger values suggest lack thereof. Source: SSURGO component records (updated 2024-10-23).

There are insufficient data to create the 3D mountains figure.

Competing Series

Soil series competing with BLUE EARTH share the same family level classification in Soil Taxonomy. Source: parsed OSD records (updated 2024-10-23) and snapshot of the SC database (updated 2024-10-23).

Select annual climate data summaries for the BLUE EARTH series and competing. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of median values. Source: SSURGO map unit geometry and 1981-2010, 800m PRISM data (updated 2024-10-23).

Geomorphic description summaries for the BLUE EARTH series and competing. Series are sorted according to hierarchical clustering of proportions and relative hydrologic position within an idealized landform (e.g. top to bottom). Proportions can be interpreted as an aggregate representation of geomorphic membership. Most soil series (SSURGO components) are associated with a hillslope position and one or more landform-specific positions: hills, mountain slopes, terraces, and/or flats. The values printed to the left (number of component records) and right (Shannon entropy) of stacked bars can be used to judge the reliability of trends. Shannon entropy values close to 0 represent soil series with relatively consistent geomorphic association, while values close to 1 suggest lack thereof. Source: SSURGO component records (updated 2024-10-23).

There are insufficient data to create the 3D hills figure.

There are insufficient data to create the 3D mountains figure.

There are insufficient data to create the 3D terrace figure.

Soil series sharing subgroup-level classification with BLUE EARTH, arranged according to family differentiae. Hovering over a series name will print full classification and a small sketch from the OSD. Source: snapshot of SC database (updated 2024-10-23).

Block Diagrams

Click a link below to display the diagram. Note that these diagrams may be from multiple survey areas.

1. IA-2010-09-02-07 | Emmet County - 1997

   Typical pattern of soils and parent material in the Clarion-Storden-Nicollet association (Soil Survey of Emmet County, Iowa; 1997).

2. MN-2010-09-08-14 | Meeker County - 1999

   Typical pattern of soils and parent material in the Cosmos-Kandiyohi-Corvuso association (Soil Survey of Meeker County, Minnesota; 1999).

Map Units

Map units containing BLUE EARTH as a major component. Limited to 250 records.

Map Unit Name	Symbol	Map Unit Area (ac)	Map Unit Key	National Map Unit Symbol	Soil Survey Area	Publication Date	Map Scale
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	511	564	2550277	2vvf5	ia015	1977	1:15840
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	511	2321	403309	2vvf5	ia021	1973	1:15840
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	511	2348	1869067	2vvf5	ia059	2011	1:12000
Blue Earth muck, ponded, 0 to 1 percent slopes	1511	2187	1869081	20qxy	ia059	2011	1:12000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	511	1450	405583	2vvf5	ia063	1989	1:15840
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 1 to 5 percent slopes	511B	217	405584	fm1c	ia063	1989	1:15840
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	511	828	406493	2vvf5	ia079	1984	1:15840
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, sandy substratum, 0 to 1 percent slopes	2225	595	406471	fmyz	ia079	1984	1:15840
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	511	1280	406560	2vvf5	ia081	1987	1:15840
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	511	848	408383	2vvf5	ia109	1980	1:15840
Blue Earth muck, ponded, 0 to 1 percent slopes	1511	410	2499240	2q4m4	ia143	1985	1:15840
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	511	1559	410284	2vvf5	ia147	1973	1:15840
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	511	979	410406	2vvf5	ia151	1982	1:15840
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	511	2936	410813	2vvf5	ia161	1975	1:15840
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	511	205	1487065	2vvf5	ia187	2006	1:12000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	511	836	412314	2vvf5	ia189	1984	1:15840
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	2001	396178	2vvf5	mn013	1975	1:12000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	1637	396287	2vvf5	mn015	1984	1:20000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam	BH	968	396398	f9h1	mn019	1987	1:12000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	600	396512	2vvf5	mn023	1980	1:15840
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L73A	4530	2421089	2vvf5	mn033	2008	1:12000
Muskego, Blue Earth, and Houghton soils, ponded, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L16A	1503	1716712	1vmct	mn033	2008	1:12000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, sandy substratum, depressional, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L257A	100	2409918	2lwq9	mn033	2008	1:12000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	1054	397114	2vvf5	mn043	1989	1:20000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	3227	397849	2vvf5	mn047	1977	1:15840
Blue Earth variant silt loam	1805	676	397817	fbyt	mn047	1977	1:15840
Blue Earth muck	154	409	397813	fbyp	mn047	1977	1:15840
Muskego, Blue Earth, and Houghton soils, ponded, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L16A	10064	451606	h4xy	mn053	2001	1:12000
Muskego, Blue Earth, and Houghton soils, ponded, 0 to 1 percent slopes, frequently flooded	L12A	1953	452832	h66h	mn053	2001	1:12000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	2655	398508	2vvf5	mn063	1984	1:20000
Muskego, Blue Earth and Houghton soils, lundlake catena, 0 to 1 percent slopes, ponded	L330A	6491	2510847	2n80h	mn067	1983	1:20000
Blue Earth, Houghton, and Klossner soils, ponded, firm substratum, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L191A	1653	1857514	20bwt	mn067	1983	1:20000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	1419	398685	2vvf5	mn067	1983	1:20000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, lundlake catena, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L332A	146	2510849	2n8jr	mn067	1983	1:20000
Blue Earth soils, lundlake catena, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L333A	112	2510850	2n8js	mn067	1983	1:20000
Caron, Blue Earth, and Palms soils, ponded	1057	4533	398922	fd3g	mn079	1986	1:20000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	1036	398955	2vvf5	mn079	1986	1:20000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L73A	5	1715202	2vvf5	mn081	2007	1:12000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, firm till substratum, depressional, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L251A	164	2399802	2lk5z	mn083	2008	1:12000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	644	399165	2vvf5	mn085	1993	1:20000
Blue Earth mucky silty clay loam, depressional, firm substratum, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L205A	30	1857263	20bmq	mn085	1993	1:20000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	4123	400047	2vvf5	mn091	1985	1:20000
Blue Earth silt loam	1090	224	400020	ff7w	mn091	1985	1:20000
Muskego, Blue Earth, and Houghton soils, ponded	1203	11016	436215	gmxg	mn093	1996	1:20000
Muskego, Blue Earth and Houghton soils, lundlake catena, 0 to 1 percent slopes, ponded	L330A	8523	2536662	2n80h	mn093	1996	1:20000
Blue Earth, Houghton, and Klossner soils, ponded, firm substratum, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L191A	2140	1716697	1vmcb	mn093	1996	1:20000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	614	436359	2vvf5	mn093	1996	1:20000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, lundlake catena, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L332A	432	2536664	2n8jr	mn093	1996	1:20000
Blue Earth mucky silty clay loam, depressional, firm substratum, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L205A	334	1716704	1vmck	mn093	1996	1:20000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	1312	400597	2vvf5	mn103	1990	1:20000
Blue Earth mucky clay loam, sloping	1851B	695	2374064	2kpdq	mn127	2008	1:12000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	2340	436090	2vvf5	mn129	1995	1:20000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	Bc	1211	427929	2vvf5	mn139	1988	1:20000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	350	431532	2vvf5	mn143	1991	1:20000
Muskego, Blue Earth and Houghton soils, lundlake catena, 0 to 1 percent slopes, ponded	L330A	2054	2536702	2n80h	mn145	1980	1:15840
Blue Earth variant, mucky silt loam	1805	1461	428088	gcg9	mn145	1980	1:15840
Blue Earth soils, lundlake catena, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L333A	48	2536721	2n8js	mn145	1980	1:15840
Muskego, Blue Earth, and Houghton soils, ponded, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L16A	7184	623986	ny9l	mn161	2001	1:12000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	L73A	272	433238	2vvf5	mn161	2001	1:12000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	1224	428945	2vvf5	mn165	1987	1:20000
Muskego, Blue Earth, and Houghton soils, ponded, 0 to 1 percent slopes	1203	8641	435053	glpz	mn171	1998	1:12000
Blue Earth mucky silt loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes	35	475	433634	2vvf5	mn171	1998	1:12000
Muskego, Blue Earth and Houghton soils, lundlake catena, 0 to 1 percent slopes, ponded	L330A	240	2536729	2n80h	mn171	1998	1:12000
Blue Earth silt loam	35	2277	1653622	1shqn	mn173	1979	1:20000

Map of Series Extent

Approximate geographic distribution of the BLUE EARTH soil series. To learn more about how this distribution was mapped, or to compare this soil series extent to others, use the Series Extent Explorer (SEE) application. Source: generalization of SSURGO geometry (updated 2024-10-30).