LOCATION LORAN IL

Established Series
Rev. RAT-JBF-BWR-DJF
01/2011

LORAN SERIES

The Loran series consists of deep, somewhat poorly drained soils on uplands. These soils formed in loess, glacial till, and the underlying residuum weathered from clayey shale. Slope ranges from 0 to 12 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 890 mm (35 inches), and the mean annual temperature is about 8 degrees C (47 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Aquic Argiudolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Loran silt loam on a northwest-facing, linear, 7 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of 290 meters (954 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 15 cm (0 to 6 inches); black (10YR 2/1) silt loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; moderate medium granular structure; friable; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.

A--15 to 33 cm (6 to 13 inches); black (10YR 2/1) silt loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry;moderate medium granular structure; friable, neutral; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the A horizon is 25 to 41 cm (10 to 16 inches).]

Bt1--33 to 43 cm (13 to 17 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silty clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organo-clay films on faces of peds; neutral; clear smooth boundary.

Bt2--43 to 53 cm (17 to 21 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) organo-clay films on faces of peds; few fine faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of iron within the matrix; many prominent black (10YR 2/1) iron and manganese oxide concretions throughout; neutral; clear smooth boundary.

Btg1--53 to 74 cm (21 to 29 inches); dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) and grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; firm; common distinct dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay films on faces of peds; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron in the matrix; many prominent black (10YR 2/1) iron and manganese oxide concretions throughout; neutral; clear smooth boundary.

Btg2--74 to 97 cm (29 to 38 inches); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam; weak medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; common distinct dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; common fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) masses of iron in the matrix; many prominent black (10YR 2/1) iron and manganese oxide concretions throughout; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 51 to 89 cm (20 to 35 inches)]

2Bt--97 to 102 cm (38 to 40 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), brown (7.5YR 5/4), and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) clay loam; weak coarse angular blocky structure; firm; few distinct dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; few prominent black (10YR 2/1) iron and manganese oxide stains and concretions throughout; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [0 to 15 cm (0 to 6 inches) thick]

3BCg--102 to 114 cm (40 to 45 inches); greenish gray (5GY 6/1) clay; weak medium prismatic structure; extremely firm; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. [10 to 30 cm (4 to 12 inches) thick]

3Cr--114 to 152 cm (45 to 60 inches); greenish gray (5GY 6/1) clayey shale, spots and streaks of yellow (10YR 8/6 and 10YR 7/8) masses of iron throughout; massive; extremely firm; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Stephenson County, Illinois; about 4 miles west of German Valley; 1,290 feet west and 620 feet south of the center of sec. 34, T. 26 N., R. 8 E. lat. 42 degrees 12 minutes 23 seconds N. and long. 89 degrees 33 minutes 58 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the solum: 102 to 140 cm (40 to 55 inches)
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches), it includes the upper part of the Bt horizon in some pedons.
Thickness of the loess: 76 to 127 cm (30 to 50 inches)
Depth to a paralithic contact: between 102 and 152 cm (40 and 60 inches)

Ap and A horizons
Hue: 10YR
Value: 2 or 3
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: silt loam
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral

Bt horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: typically silty clay loam, but some pedons are silt loam in the lower part.
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
Other features:
The Bt horizon commonly has redoximorphic features with value of 4 to 7 and chroma of 1 to 8.

2Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: clay loam, loam or silt loam
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral.
Other features:
Some pedons do not have a 2Bt horizon.

3BCg or 3Bg horizon:
Hue: 2.5Y, 5Y, 5GY or 5G
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: silty clay or clay that may contain as much as 50 percent clay.
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline

3Cr horizon:
Hue: 2.5Y, 5Y, 5GY or 5G
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: Clayey shale
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Arrowsmith, Bearpen, Brenton, Edwardsville, Elburn, Grundelein, Hacreek, Harco, Higginsville, Keller, Lafayette, Lawndale, Lisbon, Lismod, Mundelein, Muscatune, Nira, Raub, Rooks, Rowley, and Shannondale series. None of these soils have a paralithic contact within a depth of 152 cm (60 inches). In addition: Arrowsmith, Lismod, and Rooks soils have carbonates present within a depth of 64 to 102 cm (25 to 40 inches). Bearpen, Harco, and Shannondale soils have less clay in the lower part of the sola and formed in silty sediments on stream terraces. Brenton, Elburn, Grundelein, Lafayette, and Mundelein soils have less clay in the lower part of the sola and have the lower part of the B horizon and the C horizon formed in stratified outwash. Edwardsville, Higginsville, and Muscatine soils have less clay in the lower part of the sola and formed in deep loess. Hacreek soils have less clay in the lower part of the sola and formed in alluvium. Keller, Lisbon, and Raub soils have less clay and more sand in the lower part of the sola and have the lower part of the B horizon and the C horizon formed in glacial till. Lawndale and Rowley soils contain less clay and more sand in the lower part of the sola and have the lower part of the B horizon and the C horizon formed in sand.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Loran soils are on nearly level to strongly sloping ridgetops and hillside benches. Slope gradients range from 0 to 12 percent. Loran soils formed in 76 to 127 cm (30 to 50 inches) of loess, a thin layer of glacial till in some pedons, and the underlying residuum weathered from calcareous clayey shale of Pennsylvanian and Ordovician age. The mean annual temperature ranges from 7.8 to 10.6 degrees C (46 to 51 degrees F), and mean annual precipitation ranges from 864 to 940 mm (34 to 37 inches).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Keltner soils, and Calamine, Derinda, Drummer, Eleroy, Ridott, Schapville, and Shullsburg soils. The Keltner soils are moderately well drained or well drained and are downslope from the Loran soils. Calamine soils are poorly drained and are on nearly level or depressional areas, and have a thinner layer of loess. The well drained or moderately well drained Derinda and Eleroy soils lack mollic epipedons, and in addition, the Derinda soils have a thinner layer of loess. They are on similar landscape positions to the Loran soils. Drummer soils are poorly drained and formed in loess and the underlying glacial drift. They are upslope on nearly level positions of the landscape. Ridott soils are poorly drained and have a thinner dark colored surface soil. They are upslope from the Loran soils. Schapville and Shullsburg soils are shallower to the underlying shale than the Loran soils. They are on similar positions on the landscape.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Runoff is medium on gentle slopes and high on steeper slopes. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high to high (4.23 to 14.11 micrometers per second) in the material formed in loess and glacial till and moderately low to moderately high (0.42 to 1.41 micrometers per second) in the residuum weathered from shale. Permeability is moderate in the material formed in loess and glacial till and slow in the residuum weathered from shale.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are cultivated. Corn, soybeans, small grain, and forages are the principal crops. Native vegetation was prairie grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Illinois. LRRs K and M, MLRAs 95B, 105, 108A, 108B, 110, and 115C. This series is of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Stephenson County, Illinois, 1969.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 43 cm (0 to 17 inches) (Ap, A, and Bt1 horizons);
Argillic horizon - from 33 to 102 cm (13 to 40 inches) (Bt1, Bt2, Btg1, and Btg2, and 2Bt horizons);
Paralithic contact with shale at a depth of 114 cm (45 inches).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.