LOCATION MCGARY IN+IL KY OH VA WV

Established Series
Rev. BGN-TJE
11/2011

MCGARY SERIES

The McGary series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils on lake plains, and less commonly on flood-plain steps. They formed in loess and the underlying calcareous, fine-textured lacustrine deposits. Slope ranges from 0 to 10 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 1067 mm (42 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 12 degrees C (54 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, mesic Aeric Epiaqualfs

TYPICAL PEDON: McGary silt loam, on a nearly level lake plain flat in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 28 cm (11 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; weak coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine and medium granular; friable; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches) thick]

2Bt--28 to 38 cm (11 to 15 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; many faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; common fine distinct gray (10YR 6/1) iron depletions in the matrix; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary.

2Btg1--38 to 56 cm (15 to 22 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay; weak fine and medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; firm; many distinct gray (10YR 5/1) clay films on faces of peds; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese concretions; neutral; clear smooth boundary.

2Btg2--56 to 69 cm (22 to 27 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; firm; many distinct gray (10YR 5/1) clay films on faces of peds; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; slightly effervescent in places; slightly alkaline; gradual irregular boundary.

2Btg3--69 to 107 cm (27 to 42 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) silty clay; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; firm; common distinct gray (10YR 6/1) clay films on faces of peds; common fine distinct light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; few fine and medium weakly cemented carbonate nodules; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear irregular boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 46 to 97 cm (18 to 38 inches).]

2BCtkg--107 to 127 cm (42 to 50 inches); gray (10YR 6/1) silty clay; weak coarse angular blocky structure; firm; few faint gray (10YR 5/1) clay films on faces of peds; common fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; common fine and medium weakly cemented carbonate nodules; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. [0 to 30 cm (12 inches) thick]

2Cg--127 to 152 cm (50 to 60 inches); gray (10YR 6/1) stratified silty clay loam and silty clay; massive; firm; common fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; common fine and medium weakly cemented carbonate nodules; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Greene County, Indiana; at the north edge of Marco; 2,050 feet east and 700 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 24, T. 6 N., R. 7 W.; USGS Sandborn, IN topographic quadrangle; lat. 38 degrees 56 minutes 21 seconds N. and long. 087 degrees 8 minutes 30 seconds W. NAD 27; UTM Zone 16, 487722 easting and 4310041 northing, NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 61 to 127 cm (24 to 50 inches)
Depth to carbonates: 56 to 142 cm (22 to 56 inches)
Thickness of the loess: 0 to 51 cm (20 inches)
Particle-size control section: averages 40 to 50 percent clay and 2 to 6 percent sand

Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: silt loam or silty clay loam
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

A horizon, where present:
Thickness: 3 to 8 cm (1 to 3 inches)
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 1 to 3

2Bt, 2Btg, Bt, or Btg horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 to 6
Texture: silty clay or silty clay loam
Clay content: 35 to 55 percent
Sand content: 2 to 6 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 15 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral in the upper part and neutral or slightly alkaline in the lower part

2BCtkg, 2BCg, or 2BC horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 to 6
Texture: commonly silty clay or silty clay loam, and less commonly clay
Clay content: 35 to 55 percent
Sand content: 1 to 20 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 30 percent
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

2C or 2Cg horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 to 6
Texture: commonly stratified silty clay and silty clay loam, and less commonly includes thin strata of clay and silt loam
Clay content: 24 to 55 percent
Sand content: 1 to 20 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 40 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Crosby, Hyatts, Pyrmont, and Smothers series. Crosby soils have more than 20 percent sand in the lower part of the series control section. Hyatts soils have a paralithic contact within a depth of 152 cm (60 inches). Pyrmont soils have carbonates within a depth of 56 cm (22 inches). Smothers soils have a lithic contact within a depth of 102 cm (40 inches).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: McGary soils are typically on flats on lake plains, and less commonly on flood-plain steps. Slope gradients are dominantly 0 to 2 percent, but range to 10 percent. These soils formed in 0 to 51 cm (0 to 20 inches) of loess and in the underlying calcareous, fine-textured lacustrine deposits of Wisconsin age. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 889 to 1168 mm (35 to 46 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 10 to 14 degrees C (50 to 57 degrees F). Frost-free period is 150 to 210 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: McGary soils are commonly associated with the Markland, Montgomery, Shircliff, and Zipp soils. They are also associated with the Booker and Kings soils. The well drained Markland are on risers and moderately well drained Shircliff soils are on treads of dissected lake plains. The poorly drained or very poorly drained Booker, Kings, Montgomery, and Zipp soils are on flats and depressions on lake plains.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. In undrained areas, depth to the top of an intermittent perched high water table ranges from 15 to 46 cm (0.5 to 1.5 feet) between December and April in normal years. Potential for surface runoff is low to high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is low or moderately low. Permeability is slow or very slow. On flood-plain steps, this soil is subject to frequent to rare periods of flooding.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of this soil are being used to grow corn and soybeans. A few areas are used for growing wheat and hay, and a few areas are used for pasture or forest. Native vegetation is mixed hardwood forest.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 111B, 113, 114A, 114B, 115A, 120A, 120B, 121, 122, 124, 126 and 147 in Illinois Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. The type location is on the boundary between MLRA's 114B and 115A. The series is of large extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gibson County, Indiana, 1926.

REMARKS: The typical pedon does not exhibit episaturation very well and the type location may need to be moved to one that does. Flooded, non-flooded, drained, and undrained phases are presently recognized.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 28 cm (11 inches) (Ap horizon).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 28 to 107 cm (11 to 42 inches) (2Bt, 2Btg1, 2Btg2, 2Btg3 horizons).
Aquic conditions: redoximorphic features present in all horizons below the ochric epipedon.

11/2011 Revision: updated competing series; minor formatting changes.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Lab data is available from the National Soil Survey Lab: S60IN-28-2 (typical pedon), S60IN-28-1, S91IN-123-101; lab data is available from the Agricultural Experiment Station, Purdue University: S76IN-83-5, S79IN-125-16, S80IN-71-3, S81IN-101-7, and S81IN-175-3.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.