LOCATION PELLA IL+IN MI WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Endoaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Pella clay loam - nearly level in a cultivated field at an elevation of 204 meters (670 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 15 cm (0 to 6 inches); black (10YR 2/1) clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; moderate medium angular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.
A--15 to 33 cm (6 to 13 inches); black (10YR 2/1) clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; moderate and strong medium granular structure; friable; common fine roots; few fine dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) iron-manganese nodules and concretions throughout; neutral; clear smooth boundary.[Combined thickness of the A horizon is 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches).]
BA--33 to 43 cm (13 to 17 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay loam; moderate and strong medium and coarse granular structure; firm; common fine roots; few fine dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) iron-manganese nodules and concretions throughout; common black krotovina; neutral; clear smooth boundary. [0 to 28 cm (0 to 11 inches) thick]
Btg1--43 to 64 cm (17 to 25 inches); olive gray (5Y 4/2) clay loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular and subangular blocky; firm; common fine roots; common faint olive gray (5Y 5/2) clay films on faces of prisms; few fine dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) iron-manganese nodules and concretions throughout; common black krotovina; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
Btg2--64 to 79 cm (25 to 31 inches); olive gray (5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; moderate and strong medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; firm; common fine roots; common faint gray (5Y 5/1) clay films on faces of peds; few fine dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) iron-manganese nodules and concretions throughout; common black krotovina; common fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
2Btg3--79 to 97 cm (31 to 38 inches); gray (5Y 5/1) stratified loam and silt loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium angular and subangular blocky; firm; few fine roots; common faint gray (5Y 5/1) clay films on faces of prisms; few fine dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) iron-manganese nodules and concretions throughout; common black krotovina; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6 and 5/8) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Btg and 2Btg horizons is 23 to 64 cm (9 to 25 inches). ]
2Cg1--97 to 130 cm (38 to 51 inches); gray (5Y 5/1) stratified sandy loam, silt loam, and clay loam; massive; friable and firm; very few fine roots; few fine dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) iron-manganese nodules and concretions throughout; common black krotovina; many coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6 and 5/8) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; slightly effervescent (12 percent calcium carbonate); moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
2Cg2--130 to 152 cm (51 to 60 inches); olive gray (5Y 5/2) stratified sandy loam, silt loam, and clay loam; massive; firm; few fine dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) iron-manganese nodules and concretions throughout; few black krotovina; many medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; strongly effervescent (24 percent calcium carbonate); moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Iroquois County, Illinois; about 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) west and 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) north of Onarga; 187.5 meters (615 feet) east and 30.5 meters (100 feet) south of the center of sec. 16, T. 26 N., R. 10 E.; USGS Onarga West topographic quadrangle; lat. 40 degrees 43 minutes 40 seconds N. and long. 88 degrees 04 minutes 28 seconds W., NAD 27; UTM Zone 16, 409262 easting and 4509098 northing, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to the base of the cambic horizon ranges from 76 to 127 cm (30 to 50 inches). The depth to carbonates ranges from 41 to 102 cm (16 to 40 inches). The mollic epipedon ranges from 25 to 61 cm (10 to 24 inches) in thickness. The particle-size control section averages less than 15 percent fine and coarser sand and averages between 27 and 35 percent clay.
The Ap, A, and/or AB horizon has hue of 10YR or is neutral, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 0 to 2. It is silty clay loam, silt loam, or clay loam. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline. Some pedons contain redoximorphic features in the lower part, and some have organic coatings on faces of peds.
The Btg and/or Bg horizon has hue of 5Y, 2.5Y, or 10YR; value of 4 to 6; chroma of 1 or 2; and has redoximorphic features. In addition to the colors stated, redoximorphic features have chroma that ranges to 8. The Btg or Bg horizon has individual subhorizons that are silty clay loam, clay loam, or silty clay. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline and contains carbonates in some pedons.
The 2Btg, 2BCg, and/or 2Bg horizon has hue of 5Y, 2.5Y, or 10YR; value of 5 or 6; and chroma of 1 to 8; and has redoximorphic features. The 2Btg or 2Bg horizon is stratified. It is dominantly silty clay loam, clay loam, silt loam, or loam, and contains strata of sandy loam, loamy sand, or sand in some pedons. Sand content averages more than 10 percent and is not dominated by fine or very fine sand. Some pedons contain as much as 10 percent rock fragments. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline and contains carbonates in most pedons.
The 2Cg horizon has hue of 5Y, 2.5Y, or 10YR; value of 5 or 6; and chroma of 1 to 8. In addition to the colors stated, some redoximorphic features have hue of 7.5YR. Typically some part of the matrix has chroma of 1 or 2 and redoximorphic features of higher chroma. This part is stratified silt loam, loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, or sandy loam, and some pedons contain thin lenses of sand or loamy sand. Sand content averages more than 10 percent and is not dominated by fine or very fine sand. Some pedons contain as much as 20 percent rock fragments. Reaction is moderately alkaline, or less commonly, slightly alkaline and contains carbonates.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Chalmers, Chetomba, Dolbee, Drummer, Dunham, Elpaso, Elvira, Garwin, Gillett Grove, Hartsburg, Madelia, Marcus, Mascoutah Maxcreek, Maxfield, Maxmore, Ossian, Patton, Rushmore, Sable, and Wacousta soils. Chalmers, Chetomba, Dolbee, Drummer, Elpaso, Garwin, Maxfield, Maxmore, Ossian, Patton, and Sable soils do not have carbonates above a depth of 102 cm (40 inches). Dunham soils average more than 15 percent gravel in the lower part of the series control section. Elvira soils have iron and manganese oxides in the B horizon and iron and manganese accumulations in the A horizon. Gillett Grove soils formed in 102 to 152 cm (40 to 60 inches) of loess and in the underlying glacial till. Hartsburg, Mascoutah, and Sable soils average less than 10 percent sand in the lower half of the series control section. Madelia soils have in the lower half of the series control section a sand fraction dominated by very fine sand or fine sand. Marcus soils average less than 10 percent sand in the lower part of the B horizon, and the C horizon is not stratified in the series control section. Maxcreek and Rushmore soils have well graded sand fractions lower two parts of the series control section. Wacousta soils have the base of the cambic horizon within a depth of 76 cm (30 inches).
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Pella soils are on nearly level or depressional areas on outwash plains and till plains thought to be of Wisconsin Age. They have plane or convex slopes with gradients typically less than 1 percent, but ranging from 0 to 3 percent. They formed in 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches) of silty material with less than 15 percent sand coarser than very fine sand and the underlying stratified loamy sediments. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 7 to 12 degrees C (45 to 54 degrees F), mean annual precipitation ranges from 71 to 102 cm (28 to 40 inches), frost-free period ranges from 140 to 180 days, and elevation ranges from 152 to 311 meters (500 to 1020 feet) above mean sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Drummer soils and the Barrington, Brenton, Elburn, Harpster, Mundelein, Peotone, and Wauconda soils. Drummer soils are slightly higher on the landform and commonly are adjacent to or surround areas of Pella. The moderately well drained Barrington soils and somewhat poorly drained Mundelein soils are on higher parts of the landform and form a drainage sequence with Pella. The somewhat poorly drained Brenton and Elburn soils have argillic horizons, lack carbonates within a depth of 102 cm (40 inches), and are on higher part of the landform. Harpster soils are on similar or slightly lower parts of the landform and are calcareous throughout. Peotone soils are on similar or slightly lower positions, have mollic epipedons more than 61 cm (24 inches) thick, and lack carbonates within a depth of 102 cm (40 inches). Wauconda soils lack mollic epipedons and are on slightly higher parts of the landscape.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Poorly drained. An apparent seasonal high water table is at 15 cm (0.5 foot) above the surface to 31 cm (1.0 foot) below the surface at some time during spring in most years. The potential for surface runoff is negligible to low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high (4.23 to 14.11 micrometers per second). Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of these soils are used for cultivated crops. Corn and soybeans are the principal crops. Native vegetation is probably marsh grasses and sedges.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin in MLRA 95A, 95B, 98, 99, 108A, 108B, 110, 111A. 111B, 111C, 111D, and 115C. These soils are of large extent with more than 80,000 hectares (200,000 acres) mapped.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ford County, Illinois, 1929.
REMARKS: This pedon in Iroquois County is pedon number 84 in appendix IV of Soil Taxonomy. A till substratum, stratified sandy substratum, and occasionally flooded phases are recognized. These phases will be evaluated during MLRA update activities to determine if new series are needed.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 0 to 43 cm (0 to 17 inches) (Ap, A, and BA horizons): cambic horizon - the zone from approximately 33 to 97 cm (13 to 38 inches) (BA, Btg1, Btg2 and 2Btg3).