LOCATION ALDO WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, mesic Typic Udipsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Aldo sand - on a plane 2 percent slope in cropland at an elevation of 855 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) sand, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; many fine and medium roots; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
Bw1--7 to 13 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) sand; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; common fine roots; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bw2--13 to 23 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) sand; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bw3--23 to 42 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) sand; single grain; loose; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 25 to 40 inches)
C1--42 to 51 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sand; single grain; loose; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary.
C2--51 to 72 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sand; single grain; loose; many medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; slightly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Pepin County, Wisconsin; 4 miles south and 1 mile west of Meridean; 1740 feet north and 1615 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 3, T. 25 N., R. 12 W..
Latitude: 44 degrees 40 minutes 24 seconds N
Longitude: 91 degrees 49 minutes 7 seconds W
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Volume of gravel ranges from 0 to 35 percent throughout the pedon. Volume of cobbles ranges from 0 to 5 percent throughout the pedon. Redox features and saturation occur within 72 inches of the soil surface, however, no layer within 40 inches of the soil surface is saturated with water for 1 month or more per year in 6 or more out of 10 years. In some pedons, redox depletions occur below 40 inches.
The Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 1 to 3. Uncultivated pedons have an A horizon, 1 to 4 inches thick, with hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. Surface texture is sand. Reaction naturally ranges from extremely acid to slightly acid but ranges to neutral where the soil is limed.
Some pedons have an E horizon with hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is coarse sand, sand, or the gravelly analogs. Reaction typically ranges from extremely acid to slightly acid, but ranges to neutral where limed.
The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is sand, coarse sand, loamy coarse sand, loamy sand, or the gravelly analogs. Reaction naturally ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid, but ranges to neutral where the soil is limed.
The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is sand, coarse sand, or the gravelly analogs. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Acquando(T), Biltmore, Boplain(T), Caesaer, Chute, Dabney, Hodge, Oakville, Pahuk(T), Penwood, Perks, Pinegrove, Plainfield, Sarpy, Spessard, Suncook, Tyner, Westport, and Windsor series. None of these soils have a water table and saturation within the series control section for as much as 1 month per year in 6 or more out of 10 years.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Aldo soils are on valley trains in glaciofluvial valleys. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. These soils formed in sandy outwash. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 33 inches. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 46 to 51 degrees F. Frost free period ranges from about 135 to 160 days. Elevation ranges from 600 to 1000 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: Near the Type Location these include the Farrington(T), Newson, and Plainfield series. The excessively drained Plainfield, the somewhat poorly drained Farrington(T), and the poorly drained Newson soils are part of a drainage sequence with the Aldo soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Runoff is very slow. Permeability is rapid or very rapid. Aldo soils have an apparent seasonal high water table, 3.5 to 6 feet below the surface, for 1 month or more per year at some time during the period of October to June in 6 or more out of 10 years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Aldo soils are used for cropland. Corn, soybeans, small grains, and hay are the principal crops. Some areas have been planted to pine trees and a few areas remain in woodland. Native vegetation is mixed deciduous and pine forest.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West-central Wisconsin. MLRA K91 inclusion in M105. The soil is of small extent to date, but it is anticipated that as soil surveys are updated, the acreage will increase significantly (possibly 100,000+ acres in Wisconsin).
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Pepin County, Wisconsin, 1998. The name is coined.
REMARKS: Prior to 1996, in Wisconsin, the concept of the Aldo series was included in the Brems series and the wet substratum phase of the Plainfield series (WI0380).
Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - 0 to 9 inches (Ap)
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record - WI0595