LOCATION GRUNDELEIN ILEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Aquic Argiudolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Grundelein silt loam - on a 1 percent southwest-facing slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of 270 meters (885 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 18 cm (0 to 7 inches); black (10YR 2/1) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine and medium granular; friable; common very fine roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
A--18 to 28 cm (7 to 11 inches); very dark brown (10YR 2/2) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common very fine roots; common distinct black (10YR 2/1) organic coatings on faces of peds; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the A horizon is 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches).]
Bt1--28 to 48 cm (11 to 19 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common very fine roots; common distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; few distinct black (10YR 2/1) organic coatings on faces of peds and in pores; few fine black (5YR 2.5/1) very weakly cemented iron-manganese oxide concretions throughout; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common fine faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--48 to 74 cm (19 to 29 inches); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) silty clay loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; friable; few very fine roots; common distinct dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; few fine black (5YR 2.5/1) very weakly cemented iron-manganese oxide concretions throughout; many medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; many fine and medium distinct grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
Bt3--74 to 84 cm (29 to 33 inches); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) silty clay loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; few very fine roots; few distinct olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) and dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; common medium very dark gray (10YR 3/1) worm casts; few fine black (5YR 2.5/1) very weakly cemented iron-manganese oxide concretions throughout; common fine and medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; many medium and coarse distinct grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 30 to 76 cm (12 to 30 inches).]
2BCg--84 to 99 cm (33 to 39 inches); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay loam; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots; common medium very dark brown (10YR 2/2) worm casts; few fine black (5YR 2.5/1) very weakly cemented iron-manganese oxide concretions throughout; common fine and medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 5 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [8 to 38 cm (3 to 15 inches) thick]
3C1--99 to 117 cm (39 to 46 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) stratified gravelly sandy loam and gravelly loamy sand; massive; very friable; common fine distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 20 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
3C2--117 to 152 cm (46 to 60 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) stratified gravelly loamy sand, gravelly sand, and gravelly sandy loam; single grain; loose; common fine distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 20 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: McHenry County, Illinois, about 4.8 km (3 miles) southwest of Harvard; 572 m (1,875 feet) south and 770 m (2,526 feet) west of the northeast corner of sec. 15, T. 45 N., R. 5 E.; USGS Capron, Illinois, topographic quadrangle; lat. 42 degrees 22 minutes 48 seconds N. and long. 88 degrees 38 minutes 14 seconds W., NAD 27; UTM Zone 16, 365209 easting and 4693269 northing, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to the base of soil development ranges from 91 to 127 cm (36 to 50 inches). The depth to horizons with more than 15 percent sand ranges from 61 to 114 cm (24 to 45 inches). The depth to horizons with more than 75 percent sand and more than 15 percent rock fragments ranges from 81 to 127 cm (32 to 50 inches). The mollic epipedon ranges from 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches) in thickness. The depth to carbonates ranges from 69 to 127 cm (27 to 50 inches). The series control section ranges from moderately acid to neutral in the upper two parts and from slightly acid to moderately alkaline in the lower two parts.
The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 3. It dominantly is silt loam.
Some pedons have an AB or BA horizon.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is silty clay loam in the upper part and silty clay loam or silt loam in the lower part.
The 2Bt, 2Btg, 2BC, or 2BCg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 6. Redoximorphic features have chroma of 1 to 8. Texture is loam, clay loam, silt loam, sandy loam, or their gravelly analogs. Rock fragment content ranges from 0 to 20 percent.
The 3C or 3Cg horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y; value of 4 to 7; and chroma of 1 to 8. It ranges from gravelly sandy loam to extremely gravelly coarse sand. Rock fragment content ranges from 15 to 70 percent. Sand content ranges from 75 to 98 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Arrowsmith, Bearpen, Brenton, Edwardsville, Elburn, Hacreek, Harco, Higginsville, Keller, Lafayette, Lawndale, Lisbon, Lismod, Loran, Mundelein, Muscatune, Raub, Rooks, Rowley, and Shannondale series. All competing series except the Lafayette series contain less than 15 percent rock fragments in the lower part of the series control section. Lafayette soils are greater than 127 cm (50 inches) to the base of soil development.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Grundelein soils are on nearly level positions on outwash plains and stream terraces. Slope gradients range from 0 to 2 percent. Grundelein soils formed in 61 to 114 cm (24 to 45 inches) of loess or other silty material and in the underlying loamy outwash over sandy and gravelly deposits. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 7 to 12 degrees C (44 to 53 degrees F.), mean annual precipitation ranges from 740 to 1020 mm (29 to 40 inches), frost free days range from 140 to 180 days, and the elevation ranges from 155 to 311 meters (510 to 1020 feet) above mean sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Bowes, Dunham, Millstream, and Waupecan soils. The well drained Bowes and Waupecan soils are on higher positions on the landform. Bowes soils do not have a mollic epipedon. The poorly drained Dunham soils are on lower positions on the landform. Dunham and Waupecan soils form a drainage sequence with Grundelein soils. Millstream soils do not have a mollic epipedon and are on similar landform positions nearby.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. An intermittent apparent high water table is at a depth of 30 to 61 cm (1.0 to 2.0 feet) below the surface at some time between January and May in most years. The potential for surface runoff is low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high (4.23 to 14.11 micrometers per second) in the solum and very high (greater than 141.11 micrometers per second) in the underlying material. Permeability is moderate in the solum and very rapid in the underlying material.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used to grow corn and soybeans. Some areas are used for growing small grain or hay. Native vegetation is tall prairie grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Illinois. The extent is small in MLRAs 95B and 110.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: McHenry County, Illinois, 1996. The name is coined from a phase of a similar series, Mundelein gravelly substratum. (Gr)avelly + M(undelein) = Grundelein
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 28 cm (11 inches) (Ap and A horizons); argillic horizon - the zone from approximately 28 to 84 cm (11 to 33 inches) (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons); lithologic discontinuities from loess to loamy outwash at a depth of 84 cm (33 inches) and from loamy outwash to gravelly and sandy deposits at a depth of 99 cm (39 inches).