LOCATION MEQUON WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, mesic Udollic Endoaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Mequon silt loam - on a 2 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of about 760 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak medium granular structure; friable; many fine fibrous roots; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)
Bt--8 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay loam; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine fibrous roots; few faint clay films; few fine faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) iron accumulations in the matrix; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
2Btg1--12 to 17 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay; strong medium angular blocky structure; very firm; few fine fibrous roots; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic coatings on faces of peds; many fine and distinct clay films; few fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
2Btg2--17 to 24 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) coatings; strong medium angular blocky structure; very firm; few fine fibrous roots, common distinct clay films; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
2Bt-- 24 to 30 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very firm; very few fine fibrous roots; few distinct clay films; common medium distinct and prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6 and 5/8) masses of iron in the matrix; common medium distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) iron depletions in the matrix; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of 2Bt horizons is 14 to 22 inches)
2C--30 to 60 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) silty clay loam; massive; firm; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin; about 1 1/2 miles west of Mequon; 1,100 feet south and 2,463 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 28, T. 9 N., R. 21 E. USGS Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin Topographic Quadrangle; lat. 43 degrees 13 minutes 7 seconds N., and long. 88 degrees 0 minutes 52 seconds W., NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the base of the argilic horizon ranges from 24 to 40 inches and corresponds with the depth to carbonates. Thickness of the loess mantle ranges from 8 to 18 inches. The particle-size control section averages between 35 and 60 percent clay and from 5 to 15 percent fine sand or
coarser but clay content exceeds 45 percent in the upper part of the 2Bt horizon. Volume of gravel in the solum and substratum ranges from 0 to 10 percent and rock fragments larger than 3 inches range from 0 to 2 percent. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline in the upper part of the solum. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline in the lower part of the solum and in the substratum.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 3. The lower color values are typical of the unplowed soils.
Some pedons have an E horizonwith hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is silt loam.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is silt loam or silty clay loam.
The 2Btg or 2Bt horizons have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay.
The 2C horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 or 3. Some pedons exhibit weak stratification in the C horizons. Texture is silty clay loam. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 35 to 50 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Mequon soils are in shallow drainageways and on foot slope positions on ground moraines. Slope ranges from 1 to 3 percent. Mequon soils formed in highly calcareous silty clay loam till with a thin loess mantle. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 26 to 35 inches. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 45 to 52 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kewaunee, Lamartine, Manawa, Mayville, Ozaukee, and Theresa soils. The well drained Ozaukee soils have more sloping relief and form a drainage sequence with Mequon soils. Where the Mequon soils border on the reddish clay drift areas, the well drained Kewaunee soils and somewhat poorly drained Manawa soils are on nearby landscapes. The well drained Theresa soils, the moderately well drained Mayville soils, and somewhat poorly drained Lamartine soils are in areas where the silty clay loam till borders on till with a loam texture.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff is high . Permeability is moderately slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Many areas are used for cropland. Common crops are corn, small grain, and hay. Some areas are used for pastureland and some for woodland. Native vegetation is mixed hardwood forest.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Wisconsin. This soil is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, l970.
REMARKS: Formerly included with Blount soils. These soils, as previously mapped in some areas of Wisconsin, appear to fit more nearly with the Aquollic Hapludalfs.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are;
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 8 inches (Ap); Argillic horizon - 8 to 30 inches (Bt1, 2Bt2, 2Bt3, 2Bt4);
Udollic feature ? has an Ap horizon that meets all the requirements of a mollic epipedon except thickness and has color value of 4 and chroma of 3 in a horizon below the Ap and within 30 inches.