LOCATION CHALMERS IN

Established Series
Rev. DWW-SKK-TJE
11/2021

CHALMERS SERIES

The Chalmers series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in loess and the underlying till. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 889 mm (35 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 10.6 degrees C (51 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Endoaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Chalmers silty clay loam, on a level slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 23 cm (9 inches); black (10YR 2/1) silty clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; moderate medium granular structure; friable; common fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [18 to 30 cm (7 to 12 inches) thick]

A--23 to 33 cm (9 to 13 inches); black (10YR 2/1) silty clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; moderate medium granular structure; friable; common fine roots; few fine distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; neutral; clear smooth boundary. [0 to 13 cm (5 inches) thick]

Bg1--33 to 46 cm (13 to 18 inches); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; thin patchy very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic coatings on faces of peds; thick continuous black (10YR 2/1) material from A horizon in old root channels; common medium faint gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions and distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; few fine gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Bg2--46 to 69 cm (18 to 27 inches); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; few fine roots; thin continuous dark gray (10YR 4/1) organic and silt coatings on faces of peds; common medium faint gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions and common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; few fine gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of B2g horizon is 25 to 64 cm (10 to 25 inches).]

2Bg3--69 to 96 cm (27 to 38 inches); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; few fine roots; thin continuous dark gray (10YR 4/1) organic and silt coatings on faces of peds; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; 2 percent fine gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [2 to 30 cm (1 to 12 inches) thick]

2BC--96 to 124 cm (38 to 49 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; thin patchy dark gray (10YR 4/1) organic and silt coatings on faces of peds and in old root channels; many medium prominent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; 2 percent fine gravel; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. [15 to 38 cm (6 to 15 inches) thick]

2C--124 to 152 cm (49 to 60 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam; massive; firm; common medium faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: White County, Indiana; 500 feet north and 580 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 25, T. 25 N., R. 6 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the cambic horizon: 102 to 152 cm (40 to 60 inches)
Thickness of the loess: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)

Ap or A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 2 or 3
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: silty clay loam or silt loam
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Bg horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y, or is neutral
Value: 3 to 6
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: silty clay loam or silt loam
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline

2Bg or 2BC horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 to 6
Texture: silty clay loam, loam, or silt loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline

2C or 2Cg horizons:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y, or is neutral
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 0 to 4
Texture: silt loam or loam
Clay content: 12 to 18 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Chetomba, Dolbee, Drummer, Dunham, Elpaso, Elvira, Garwin, Gillett Grove, Hartsburg, Madelia, Marcus, Mascoutah, Maxcreek, Maxfield, Maxmore, Ossian, Patton, Pella, Rushmore, Sable, and Wacousta series. Chetomba, Hartsburg, Madelia, Pella, Rushmore, and Wacousta soils have carbonates within a depth of 102 cm (40 inches). Dolbee, Gillett Grove, Maxcreek, Maxfield, Maxmore, Ossian, and Patton soils average more than 18 percent clay in the lower part of the series control section. Drummer, Elpaso, Garwin, Marcus, Mascoutah, and Sable soils are deeper than 102 cm (40 inches) to layers containing more than 15 percent sand. Dunham soils have more than 10 percent rock fragments in the lower part of the series control section. Elvira soils have common or many dark red to reddish brown iron-manganese masses in the mollic epipedon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Chalmers soils are on nearly level to slightly depressed areas on till plains and moraines. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Chalmers soils formed in loess and the underlying silt loam or loam till. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 813 to 965 mm (32 to 38 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 10.0 to 11.1 degrees C (50 to 52 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Lisbon, Saybrook, Toronto, and Wingate soils. The somewhat poorly drained Lisbon and Toronto soils are on nearby nearly level slopes. The moderately well drained Saybrook and Wingate soils are on higher lying gently sloping and moderately sloping areas.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Poorly drained. Potential for surface water runoff is low or negligible. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high. Permeability is moderate in the solum and moderately slow in the underlying material.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated. Corn and soybeans are the principal crops. Native vegetation is prairie grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 110, 111C, and 111D in northern Indiana. The series is of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Newton County, Indiana, l948.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 33 cm (13 inches)(Ap, A).
Cambic horizon: from a depth of 33 to 124 cm (13 to 49 inches) (Bg, 2Bg, 2BC horizons).
Aquic conditions: redoximorphic features in the lower part of the mollic epipedon and in all underlying horizons.

Range in characteristics were updated with the 11/2010 revision based on data collected during the Fountain County, Indiana update project.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.