LOCATION BENNINGTON OH

Established Series
Rev. JAG
11/2021

BENNINGTON SERIES

The Bennington series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils formed in loamy till of medium lime content. These soils are on ground moraines and end moraines. Slope ranges from 0 to 6 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 914 mm (36 inches), and mean annual air temperature is about 11 degrees C (51 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, illitic, mesic Aeric Epiaqualfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Bennington silt loam, on a 1 percent slope in weeds (formerly cultivated) at an elevation of 295 meters (976 feet) above mean sea level. (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, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; friable; few fine and medium roots; 2 percent rock fragments; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [13 to 28 cm (5 to 11 inches) thick]

BE--20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; many distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) clay depletions on faces of peds and in pores; few medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 2 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. [0 to 13 cm (5 inches) thick]

Btg--25 to 38 cm (10 to 15 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay loam; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; few distinct brown (10YR 5/3) clay films on faces of peds; few distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) organic coatings in root channels; many medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 2 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.

Bt1--38 to 58 cm (15 to 23 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky and moderate fine subangular blocky; firm; few very fine roots; many distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and few distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay films on faces of peds; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; few medium distinct gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions in the matrix; few medium distinct black (10YR 2/1) iron and manganese concretions in the matrix; 2 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.

Bt2--58 to 74 cm (23 to 29 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few very fine roots; few distinct dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay films on faces of peds; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common medium distinct gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions in the matrix; 2 percent rock fragments; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Btg and Bt horizons is 20 to 76 cm (8 to 30 inches).]

BCt--74 to 137 cm (29 to 54 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common distinct gray (10YR 6/1) clay films on faces of peds; few distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) organic coatings in old root channels; common medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; few medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 5 percent rock fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. [10 to 76 cm (4 to 30 inches] thick)

C--137 to 203 cm (54 to 80 inches); brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay loam; massive; firm; few distinct gray (10YR 6/1) carbonate coatings on partings; common medium faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 5 percent rock fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Delaware County, Ohio; about 0.75 mile west of Berkshire, in Berkshire Township; 80 feet south and 3,660 feet west of the intersection of US36/OH37 and South Galena Rd.; USGS Kilbourne, Ohio topographic quadrangle; lat. 40 degrees 15 minutes 53.8 seconds N. and long. 82 degrees 55 minutes 22.2 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the ochric epipedon: 13 to 41 cm (5 to 16 inches)
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 66 to 102 cm (26 to 40 inches)
Thickness of the solum: 63 to 178 cm (25 to 70 inches)
Depth to carbonates: 62 to 152 cm (25 to 60 inches)
Rock fragments: dominantly sandstone and shale with some limestone and crystalline erratics
Particle-size control section: averages 35 to 42 percent clay, with individual subhorizons ranging from 27 to 45 percent clay

Ap or A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 (more than 5.5 dry)
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: dominantly silt loam but is loam in areas where till "outliers" occur within the lake plain
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

E horizon, where present:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: silt loam or loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid

BE horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: silt loam, loam, or silty clay loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid

Bt or Btg horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: clay loam, silty clay loam, clay, or silty clay
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent above 51 cm (20 inches) and 2 to 15 percent below 51 cm (20 inches)
Reaction: moderately acid to very strongly acid in the upper part and moderately acid to neutral in the lower part

BCt or BC horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 1 to 6
Texture: clay loam, silty clay loam, silt loam, or loam
Rock fragment content: 2 to 15 percent
Reaction: slightly acid to moderately alkaline

C horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: clay loam, silty clay loam, silt loam, or loam
Rock fragment content: 2 to 15 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 8 to 22 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Blount, Del Rey, Fulton, Kimmell, Mahoning, and Nappanee series. Blount and Kimmell soils have more than 22 percent calcium carbonate equivalent in the C horizon. Del Rey and Fulton soils average less than 2 percent rock fragments below 51 cm (20 inches). Mahoning soils have rock fragments in the lower part of the series control section that are dominantly shale and siltstone. Nappanee soils average more than 42 percent clay in the particle-size control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bennington soils are on flats and slight rises on ground moraines and end moraines of Wisconsin age. Slope ranges from 0 to 6 percent. They formed in loamy till of medium calcium carbonate content. Rock fragments are mainly sandstone and shale. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 864 to 1067 mm (34 to 42 inches). Mean annual air temperature ranges from (9 to 13 degrees C 49 to 55 degrees F). Frost-free period is 145 to 180 days. Elevation is 244 to 366 meters (800 to 1,200 feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alexandria, Amanda, Cardington, Centerburg, Condit, and Pewamo soils that are in toposequences with Bennington soils. The well drained Alexandria and Amanda soils are on gently sloping to steep ridges and side slopes along drainageways. The moderately well drained Cardington and Centerburg soils are on summits, shoulders, and back slopes. The very poorly drained Condit soils are in depressions. The very poorly drained Pewamo soils have mollic epipedons and are in depressions.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. The depth to the top of an intermittent perched water table ranges from 15 to 30 cm (0.5 to 1 foot) between November and May in normal years. The potential for surface runoff is negligible to medium. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately low. Permeability is slow.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated. Corn, soybeans, small grain, and hay are the principal crops. Some areas are in pasture or woodland. Native vegetation is mixed hardwoods.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and north-central Ohio; MLRAs 111E and 139. The type location is in MLRA 111E. The series is of large extent, about 450,000 acres.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Licking County, Ohio, 1930.

REMARKS: Existing data on clay mineralogy is not conclusive. Areas of Bennington soils in MLRA 99 will be evaluated for a new series during modernization projects. Bennington soils were mapped on lake plain physiography in Sandusky, Huron, and Erie counties.

The area of the present type location is undergoing urbanization. A new pedon and location will need to be selected in the near future.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 25 cm (Ap, BE horizons).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 25 to 74 cm (Btg, Bt horizons).
Aquic conditions: redox features in all horizons between a depth of 20 and 137 cm.

A bedrock substratum phase is recognized.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory characterization data is available for a pedon near DL-16, the typical pedon, and for pedons DL-21, ER-31, FR-43, FR-55, HU-10, HU-12, HU-16, LC-23, and MD-20 from the Soil Characterization Laboratory at The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.