LOCATION HOUCKTOWN OH
Established Series
Rev. KEM-RMG-RAR
11/2021
HOUCKTOWN SERIES
The Houcktown series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that are deep to dense till. They formed in loamy water-sorted material 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches) thick and in the underlying till. They are on till plains, wave-worked till plains, and lake plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 12 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-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Aquic Hapludalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Houcktown loam, on a north-facing, 3 percent back slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of 239 meters (785 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 inches); dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; weak fine and medium granular structure; friable; common fine and few medium roots; few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 6 percent rock fragments; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [18 to 33 cm (7 to 13 inches) thick]
Bt1--25 to 41 cm (10 to 16 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; few faint brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; common distinct brown (10YR 5/3) coatings on faces of peds; few distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) organic coatings on faces of peds and in pores; common medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; common medium and coarse faint brown (10YR 5/3) and few fine and medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; few fine distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moderately cemented iron and manganese oxide concretions in the matrix; 8 percent rock fragments; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt2--41 to 51 cm (16 to 20 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; common distinct brown (10YR 5/3) clay films on faces of peds; common medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; many medium and coarse faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common fine and medium distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moderately cemented iron and manganese oxide concretions in the matrix; 6 percent rock fragments; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bt3--51 to 69 cm (20 to 27 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; common faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; many medium faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; many medium and coarse faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common medium distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moderately cemented iron and manganese oxide concretions in the matrix; 9 percent rock fragments; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
Bt4--69 to 76 cm (27 to 30 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay loam; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; common medium distinct dark gray (10YR 4/1) iron depletions in the matrix; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and faint dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common medium distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moderately cemented iron and manganese oxide concretions in the matrix; 11 percent rock fragments; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 33 to 74 cm (13 to 29 inches).]
2Bt5--76 to 86 cm (30 to 34 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; many distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; few distinct dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; common medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; common fine and medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common fine distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moderately cemented iron and manganese oxide concretions in the matrix; 3 percent rock fragments; slightly effervescent discontinuously in the matrix; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. [10 to 30 cm (4 to 12 inches) thick]
2BC--86 to 127 cm (34 to 50 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; common distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) coatings on vertical faces of peds; common fine and 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; common fine distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moderately cemented iron and manganese oxide concretions in the matrix; common distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) masses of calcium carbonate accumulation on vertical faces of peds; 4 percent rock fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual irregular boundary. [13 to 51 cm (5 to 20 inches) thick]
2Cd1--127 to 178 cm (50 to 70 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam; massive, with widely spaced vertical fractures; very firm; common distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) coatings on faces of fractures; common fine and 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; common fine distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moderately cemented iron and manganese oxide concretions in the matrix; common distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) masses of calcium carbonate accumulation on faces of fractures; 5 percent rock fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
2Cd2--178 to 203 cm (70 to 80 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam; massive, with widely spaced vertical fractures; very firm; few distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) coatings on faces of fractures; common fine and 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; common fine distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moderately cemented iron and manganese oxide concretions in the matrix; common distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) masses of calcium carbonate accumulation on faces of fractures; 4 percent rock fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Hancock County, Ohio; approximately 2 miles southwest of Benton Ridge, in Union Township; about 2,200 feet north and 480 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 4, T. 1 S., R. 9 E.; USGS McComb, Ohio topographic quadrangle; lat. 40 degrees 59 minutes 13 seconds N. and long. 83 degrees 50 minutes 28 seconds W., NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the solum: 102 to 152 cm (40 to 60 inches)
Depth to a densic contact: 102 to 152 cm (40 to 60 inches)
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 63 to 127 cm (25 to 50 inches)
Depth to the underlying till: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)
Depth to carbonates: 63 to 114 cm (25 to 45 inches)
Rock fragments: glacial erratics of limestone, dolostone, and crystalline lithology
Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 or 4 (6 or more dry)
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, silt loam, or sandy loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
Bt or Btg horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam or the gravelly analogs of these textures; some pedons are stratified with thin subhorizons of fine sandy loam, sandy loam, silt loam, or silty clay loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 25 percent
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral in the upper part and neutral or slightly alkaline in the lower part
2Bt or 2BC horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: clay loam or silty clay loam
Rock fragment content: 1 to 7 percent
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
2Cd horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: clay loam, silt loam, loam, or silty clay loam
Clay content: 23 to 35 percent
Rock fragment content: 1 to 7 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 20 to 30 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Bogart,
Centerburg,
Cygnet,
Haney,
Jenera,
Jugtown,
Nicely,
Reaville,
Scattersville,
Swampoodle,
Thackery,
Tuscola,
Vallonia (T),
Vanlue, and
Williamstown series. Bogart, Haney, and Thackery soils have more than 7 percent rock fragments in the lower part of the series control section. Centerburg, Jenera, Jugtown, Tuscola, and Vallonia, Vanlue soils do not have a densic contact within the series control section. Cygnet soils are deeper than 102 cm (40 inches) to till and do not have the lower part of the argillic horizon formed in till. Nicely soils are deeper than 127 cm (50 inches) to the base of the argillic horizon. Reaville soils have a lithic contact within a depth of 102 cm (40 inches). Scattersville and Swampoodle soils do not have carbonates within a depth of 114 cm (45 inches). Williamstown soils average less than 23 percent clay in the lower part of the series control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Houcktown soils are on till plains, wave-worked till plains, and lake plains of late Wisconsin age. Slope ranges from 0 to 12 percent. The soils formed in loamy water-sorted material 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches) thick and in the underlying till. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 686 to 1067 mm (27 to 42 inches). Mean annual air temperature ranges from 7 to 12 degrees C (45 to 55 degrees F). Frost-free period is 140 to 182 days. Elevation is 213 to 305 meters (700 to 1000 feet) above mean sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the somewhat poorly drained
Aurand and
Haskins soils and very poorly drained
Mermill soils on lake plains; and the moderately well drained
Glynwood soils, somewhat poorly drained
Blount soils, poorly drained
Ziegenfuss soils, and very poorly drained
Pewamo soils on till plains.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained. The depth to the top of an intermittent perched high water table ranges from 30 to 61 cm (1 to 2 feet) between November and April in normal years. The potential for surface runoff is very low to high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high in the upper part of the solum and moderately low in the lower part, and low in the dense till. Permeability is moderate in the upper part of the solum, moderately slow or slow in the lower part of the solum, and slow or very slow in the dense till.
USE AND VEGETATION: A large proportion is under cultivation, primarily corn, soybeans, wheat, and hay. A relatively small proportion is in woodland. Native vegetation is deciduous forest, principally ash, beech, elm, and maple.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 111B in west central Ohio and possibly eastern Indiana, and to a lesser extent in MLRA 99 in northwestern Ohio. The series is of small extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Hancock County, Ohio, 1997.
REMARKS: Houcktown soils are currently being converted from Haney, Haskins, and Rawson soils during modernization projects.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 25 cm (Ap horizon).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 25 to 84 cm (Bt, 2Bt horizons).
Densic contact: at 127 cm (top of the 2Cd1 horizon.
Aquic conditions: redox features in all horizons below a depth of 25 cm.
Supporting laboratory data is needed to confirm the presence of densic materials in the 2Cd horizon.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory characterization data (HK-46) is available from The Ohio State University Soil Characterization Laboratory for the typical pedon.
Representative data mapunit is DMU ID 129999 in MO 11.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.