LOCATION MEADOWBANK ILEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Argiudolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Meadowbank silt loam - on a nearly level terrace summit in a cultivated field in sweet clover. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate fine granular structure; friable; few very fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (Thickness ranges from 7 to 10 inches)
A--8 to 19 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine root; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (Thickness ranges from 3 to 10 inches.)
Bt1--19 to 26 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots; many distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay films on faces of peds; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--26 to 36 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; few very fine roots; many distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 15 to 25 inches.)
2Bt3--36 to 45 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; friable; few very fine roots; common distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
2Bt4--45 to 49 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the 2Bt horizons is 10 to 30 inches.)
2E&Bt--49 to 80 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sand (E part); strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy loam and loamy sand lamellae (Bt part); single grain and loose (E part); massive very friable (Bt part); common distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) clay bridges (Bt part); lamella are individually 1/2 to 3 inches thick; thicker lamella have weak coarse blocky structure; combined thickness of lamella is about 10 inches; slightly acid. (Thickness of the 2E&Bt horizon is 20 to 40 inches.)
TYPE LOCATION: White County, Illinois; about 4 miles east - southeast of Carmi; 180 feet east and 740 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 22, T. 5 S., R. 10 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the series control section ranges from 50 to more than 80 inches. The thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 10 to 19 inches. The thickness of the loess ranges from 24 to 40 inches. Free carbonates are at depths of 72 inches or more. The content of gravel is less than 10 percent.
The Ap and A horizons have value and chroma of 2 or 3. It is strongly acid to neutral.
The upper one-third of the control section (Bt horizon) has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 6. The average clay content ranges from 27 to 35 percent and the average sand content is less than 10 percent. Individual subhorizons have as little as 20 percent clay or as much as 38 percent clay. It is strongly acid to neutral.
The middle one-third of the control section (2Bt horizon) has colors similar to the Bt horizon. It averages from 20 to 35 percent clay and from 20 to 50 percent sand.
Individual subhorizons have as little as 10 percent clay and/or as much as 70 percent sand. It is very strongly acid to neutral.
The lower one-third of the control section (2E&Bt horizon) has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR. It averages less than 15 percent clay and more than 50 percent sand. It is strongly acid to neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ashdale, Assumption, Barrington, Broadwell, Catlin, Cotter, Dana, Dinsdale, Douglas, Elkhart, Elmont, Harrison, Healing, Keltner, Malcolm, Mendota, Ogle, Plano, Proctor, Reading, Richwood, Ripon, Saybrook, Sibley, Sidell, Tama, Toddville, Troxel, Wakenda, Waupecan, and Wiota series. Ashdale, Assumption, Dana, and Dinsdale soils have greater than 15 percent sand in the lower part of the control section. Barrington, Ogle, Proctor, Richwood, Sidell, Toddville, Waupecan, and Wiota soils have a dryer moisture control section and cooler temperature control section at a depth of 20 inches. Broadwell, Catlin, Douglas, Elmont, Harrison, Plano, Tama, and Wakenda soils average less than 20 percent sand in the middle one-third of the control section. Cotter, Reading, Sibley, and Troxel soils have a mollic epipedon more than 24 inches in thickness. Elkhart, Malcolm, Mendota, and Saybrook soils have a series control section that does not extend to below a depth of 40 inches. Healing soils average more than 10 percent sand in the upper one-third of the control section. Ripon soils have a lithic contact within a depth of 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Meadowbank soils are on terraces. They formed in 24 to 40 inches of loess and in loamy and sandy outwash. Slope gradients range from 0 to 5 percent. Mean annual temperature ranges from 54 to 57 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation varies from 40 to 48 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alvin, Newhaven, Ridgway, Skelton, Springerton, and Tippecanoe soils. Alvin and Skelton soils formed in loamy and sandy material and are on ridge crests and side slopes. The somewhat poorly drained Newhaven soils and poorly drained Springerton soils are loamy throughout and are in lower positions on the terrace. Ridgway soils are the forest equivalent of the Meadowbank soils. Tippecanoe soils are loamy throughout and are in similar positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Runoff is slow in nearly level areas and more sloping areas. Permeability is moderate in the upper part and rapid in the lower part.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for cultivated crops. Principal crops are corn, soybeans, small grain, and meadow for hay. Some areas are used for pasture. Native vegetation is prairie grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central and southern Illinois and possibly southern Indiana. Extent is small.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: White County, Illinois, 1990.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon-the zone from the surface to a depth of 19 - inches (Ap and A horizons); argillic horizon-the zone from approximately 19 to 80 inches (Bt1, Bt2, 2Bt3, 2Bt4, and the Bt part of the 2E&Bt horizons); a lithologic discontinuity from loess to outwash at a depth of 36 inches.