LOCATION WESTBORO OHEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, active, mesic Aeric Epiaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Westboro silt loam, on a 0 percent slope in a meadow. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak medium granular; very friable; common fine roots; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches) thick]
Bt1--20 to 38 cm (8 to 15 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; common distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; many medium prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions; many medium prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay depletions on faces of peds; common distinct brown (10YR 4/3) organic coatings in root channels and pores; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. [13 to 25 cm (5 to 10 inches) thick]
E/Bt--38 to 51 cm (15 to 20 inches); pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam (E part) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay loam (Bt part); weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; friable; common fine roots; common distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds; many medium faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix and on faces of peds; few medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; E material completely surrounds Bt part; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. [10 to 18 cm (4 to 7 inches) thick]
Bt/Eg--51 to 61 cm (20 to 24 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay loam (Bt part) and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam (E part); weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; friable; common fine roots; common distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds; common medium prominent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; many prominent pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay depletions on faces of peds; common medium faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; 2 percent igneous rock fragments; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. [0 to 25 cm (10 inches) thick]
B't1--61 to 79 cm (24 to 31 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) silty clay loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; few fine roots; many prominent gray (10YR 6/1) and common distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds; common medium prominent gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions in the matrix; many prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay depletions on vertical faces of peds; common medium distinct yellowish brown(10YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; 4 percent igneous rock fragments; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
2Bt2--79 to 102 cm (31 to 40 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm, few fine roots; many prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay films on faces of peds; common distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; common medium prominent gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions in the matrix; few medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; common fine prominent black (10YR 2/1) masses of iron and manganese accumulation on faces of peds; 4 percent igneous rock fragments; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
2Bt3--102 to 124 cm (40 to 49 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) clay loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; few fine roots; many prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay films on faces of peds; common distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; common medium prominent gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions in the matrix; few medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; many medium prominent black (10YR 2/1) masses of iron and manganese accumulation on faces of peds; common fine prominent black (10YR 2/1) iron and manganese concretions in the matrix; 5 percent igneous rock fragments; 20 percent brittle in yellowish brown part; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary.
2Bt4--124 to 150 cm (49 to 59 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; many prominent gray (10YR 6/1) clay films on vertical faces of peds; common prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and common distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; common medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; common medium distinct black (10YR 2/1) masses of iron and manganese accumulation on faces of peds; common fine distinct black (10YR 2/1) iron and manganese concretions in the matrix; 5 percent igneous rock fragments; 20 percent brittle in the yellowish brown part; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
2Bt5--150 to 175 cm (59 to 69 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; few fine roots; many prominent gray (10YR 5/1) clay films on vertical faces of peds; common prominent gray (10YR 5/1) clay films on horizontal faces of peds; common prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; few medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; common medium distinct black (10YR 2/1) masses of iron and manganese accumulation on faces of peds; common fine distinct black (10YR 2/1) iron and manganese concretions in the matrix; 5 percent igneous rock fragments; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
2Bt6--175 to 203 cm (69 to 80 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; few fine roots; common prominent gray (10YR 6/1) and few faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; many prominent gray (10YR 5/1) clay films on vertical faces of peds; few medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; common coarse distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; common medium distinct black (10YR 2/1) masses of iron and manganese accumulation on faces of peds; common fine distinct black (10YR 2/1) iron and manganese concretions in the matrix; 6 percent igneous rock fragments; slightly alkaline. [Combined thickness of the 2Bt horizon is 114 to 152 cm (45 to 60 inches).]
TYPE LOCATION: Brown County, Ohio; about 0.75 miles west southwest of Shiloh, in Pike Township; about 570 feet east of the junction of Locust Ridge Road and Robinson Road along Locust Ridge Road, then about 750 feet south; USGS Hamersville topographic quadrangle; lat. 38 degrees 59 minutes 13 seconds N. and long. 83 degrees 58 minutes 25 seconds W., NAD 27
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: greater than 203 cm (80 inches)
Depth to carbonates: greater than 152 cm (60 inches)
Thickness of the loess: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)
Rock fragments: igneous gravel
Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: silt loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 2 percent
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
Some pedons have a BE horizon.
Bt horizon formed in loess:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: silty clay loam or silt loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 2 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid
E/Bt or Bt/E horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: silty clay loam or silt loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 2 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid
B't horizon (in loess) or 2Bt horizon (in till):
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 to 8
Texture: silty clay loam, clay loam, or loam
Clay content: 24 to 35 percent
Silt content: 35 to 55 percent
Rock fragment content: 2 to 10 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to slightly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Canal, Lauer, Lieber, Taggart, and Tiro series. Canal and Tiro soils are less than 203 cm (80 inches) to the base of the argillic horizon. Lauer soils do not have rock fragments in the lower part of the series control section. Lieber soils have a mantle of loess thicker than 102 cm (40 inches) and have subhorizons within the argillic horizon with brittle characteristics. Taggart soils do not have a secondary zone of leaching (E/Bt horizon) below the upper part of the argillic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Westboro soils are on flats and knolls on the loess capped Illinoian till plain. Slope ranges from 0 to 4 percent. The soils formed in 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches) of loess and the underlying till. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 889 to 1143 mm (35 to 45 inches). Mean annual air temperature ranges from 11 to 14 degrees C (51 to 57 degrees F). Frost-free period is 160 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Clermont, Jonesboro, Rossmoyne, Schaffer, and Secondcreek soils. The poorly drained Clermont soils are on lower lying flats. The moderately well drained Jonesboro and Rossmoyne soils are on swells or knolls. The Schaffer soils have a fragipan and are on similar landscapes. The very poorly drained Secondcreek soils are in depressions.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. The depth to the top of an intermittent perched high water table ranges from 15 to 61 cm (0.5 to 2.0 feet) between January and May in normal years. The potential for surface runoff is low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high. Permeability is moderate in the loess and moderately slow in the till.
USE AND VEGETATION: Westboro soils are cultivated. Principal crops are corn, wheat, soybeans, grasses and legumes, and tobacco.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Ohio; MLRA 114A. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Brown County, Ohio, 1999.
REMARKS: Westboro soils were previously mapped as Avonburg soils, but lack diagnostic criteria for a fragipan.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 20 cm (Ap horizon).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 20 to more than 203 cm (Bt, E/Bt, Bt/Eg, Bt, 2Bt horizons).
Aquic conditions: redox features immediately below Ap horizon to a depth of over 203 cm.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization data for this soil, BN-20, is available through The Ohio State University Soil Characterization Laboratory.