LOCATION GRAYS IL+MN WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Mollic Oxyaquic Hapludalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Grays silt loam - on a south-facing, convex slope of 2 percent in a cultivated field at an elevation of 241 meters (790 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silt loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; weak fine granular structure; friable; common very fine roots; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. [15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches) thick]
BE--20 to 28 cm (8 to 11 inches); 70 percent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and 30 percent brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common very fine and fine roots; common distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) and few distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic coatings on faces of peds; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. [0 to 15 cm (0 to 6 inches) thick]
Bt1--28 to 46 cm (11 to 18 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common very fine roots; few distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic coatings on faces of peds; common distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt2--46 to 61 cm (18 to 24 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; friable; common very fine roots; few distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic coatings on faces of peds and pores; many distinct brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt3--61 to 86 cm (24 to 34 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; friable; common very fine roots; few distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) organic coatings on faces of peds and in pores; common distinct brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; common fine black (10YR 2/1) iron and manganese oxide concretions throughout; common fine distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 25 to 56 cm (10 to 22 inches).]
2Bt4--86 to 107 cm (34 to 42 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common very fine roots; few distinct brown (10YR 5/3) clay films on faces of peds; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common fine and medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; 2 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. [15 to 51 cm (6 to 20 inches) thick]
2C1--107 to 127 cm (42 to 50 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam; massive; friable; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) and common medium faint light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common medium and coarse distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions in the matrix; 4 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
2C2--127 to 152 cm (50 to 60 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) stratified loam and sandy loam; massive; friable; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 6 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Lake County, Illinois; about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) north of Grayslake; 175 meters (575 feet) north and 457 meters (1,500 feet) east of the southwest corner of sec. 14, T. 45 N., R. 10 E.; USGS Grayslake, Illinois, topographic quadrangle; lat. 42 degree 22 minutes 22 seconds N. and long. 88 degrees 02 minutes 16 seconds W., NAD 27; UTM Zone 16T, 414550 Easting and 4691691 Northing, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to the base of soil development ranges from 61 to 114 cm (24 to 45 inches). The depth to horizons averaging more than 15 percent sand ranges from 56 to 102 cm (22 to 40 inches). The depth to carbonates ranges from 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches).
The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is silt loam. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to neutral.
Some pedons have an E horizon. Where present, the E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is silt loam.
The Bt or BE horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR, or 2.5Y; value of 4 or 5; and chroma of 3 to 6. It is silty clay loam or silt loam. The clay content ranges from 25 to 35 percent.
The 2Bt or 2BC horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 2 to 8. It is stratified silt loam, sandy loam, loam, loamy sand, and sand (including fine and very fine analogs). Clay content ranges from 8 to 25 percent. Sand content averages 15 to 60 percent, with more than 50 percent of the sand fraction composed of fine and very fine sand. The content of rock fragments averages less than 10 percent. Reaction is neutral to moderately alkaline.
The 2C horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 2 to 8. It is stratified silt loam, sandy loam, loam, loamy sand, and sand (including fine and very fine analogs). Clay content ranges from 5 to 20 percent. Sand content averages 15 to 70 percent, with more than 50 percent of the sand fraction dominated by fine and very fine sand. The content of rock fragments averages less than 15 percent. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Barony, Downsouth, Hedrick, Juda, Kaneville, Newvienna, Richview, Throckmorton, Vasa, Windere, and Wingate series. Barony, Richview, Vasa, and Throckmorton soils contain carbonates at depths more than 102 cm (40 inches). Downsouth, Hedrick, Kaneville, and Newvienna soils average less than 10 percent sand above a depth of 102 cm (40 inches). Juda has more than 20 percent clay in the lower part of the series control section. Windere and Wingate soils have a well graded sand fraction in the lower one-half of the series control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Grays soils are on convex slopes of outwash plains and lake plains of Wisconsin Age. Slopes range from 0 to 12 percent. The soils formed in loess or other silty material and calcareous stratified sediments. Average annual air temperature ranges from 7 to 11 degrees C (45 to 52 degrees F). Average annual precipitation ranges from 690 to 1020 mm (27 to 40 inches), frost free days ranges from 130 to 180 days, and elevation ranges from 177 to 415 meters (580 feet to 1360 feet) above mean sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Pella, Wauconda, and Zurich soils. The somewhat poorly drained Wauconda and poorly drained Pella soils are on lower positions on the landscape. Zurich soils have lighter colored surface layers and are on similar positions.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained. An apparent seasonal high water table is at a depth of 61 to 107 cm (2.0 to 3.5 feet) below the surface at some time between February and April in normal years. The potential for surface runoff ranges from negligible to medium. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high (4.23 to 14.11 micrometers per second). Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated. Corn, soybeans, and small grains are the principal crops. Native vegetation is mixed hardwood trees and prairie grass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Illinois, southeastern Wisconsin, and northern Indiana. The soil is of small extent in MLRAs 90, 95A, 95B, 103, and 110.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ela Township, Lake County, Illinois, 1961.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 20 cm (8 inches) (Ap horizon); argillic horizon - the zone from 28 to 107 cm (11 to 42 inches) (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, and 2Bt4 horizons); udic moisture regime.