LOCATION MINNITH MOEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Oxyaquic Hapludalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Minnith silt loam - on an 11 percent convex north-facing slope in pasture at an elevation of 445 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; moderate fine and very fine granular structure; friable; many fine and very fine roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
E--7 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; friable; common fine and very fine roots; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
BE--12 to 18 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam; moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and very fine roots; medium acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
Bt1--18 to 24 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine and very fine roots; common faint clay films on faces of peds; common thin clay depletions; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--24 to 34 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam, weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; firm; common very fine and fine roots; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; common thin clay depletions; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 6 to 24 inches.)
2Bt3--34 to 48 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; firm; few very fine roots; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; common medium distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
2Bt4--48 to 59 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few very fine roots; few faint clay films on faces of peds; common coarse distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
2C--59 to 85 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) loam; massive except for few vertical faces; firm; few very fine roots; few faint clay flows on vertical faces; common medium prominent pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) clay depletions; common fine black stains; medium acid; abrupt wavy boundary.
R--85 inches; sandstone
TYPE LOCATION: Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri; about 2 miles northeast of Minnith; about 3,750 feet east and 1900 feet south of the northwest corner of sec. 15, T. 36 N., R. 9 E. (within Sur. 93); USGS Minnith quadrangle lat. 37 degrees 49 minutes 34 seconds N. and long. 90 degrees 1 minute 17 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Sandstone is below a depth of 60 inches. Depth to the 2Bt horizon ranges from 24 to 40 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is 55 to 59 degrees F.
The Ap or A horizon has value of 3 or 4 and chroma of 2 to 4. The E horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 3 or 4. Texture is silt loam or silty clay loam. Reaction is strongly acid to neutral.
The B horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 3 to 6. It is silty clay loam or silt loam. Reaction is very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The 2B horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR, and rarely 5YR, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 3 to 8 and often mottled with chroma of 2 or less. It is clay loam, loam, silt loam, silty clay loam and rarely sandy clay loam. Sand content increases with depth. Reaction is very strongly acid to slightly acid. Content of coarse fragments ranges from 0 to 5 percent.
The 2C horizon has hue of 10YR to 5YR, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 3 to 6. It is loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam, or sandy loam. It commonly has mottles with values of 5 to 7 and chroma of 3 or less. Reaction is very strongly acid to neutral. Content of coarse fragments ranges from 0 to 5 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Birkbeck, Downsouth, Elco, Grays, Hedrick, Homen, Inton, Iona, Kaneville, Libre, Mayville, Redbud, Rocheport, Windere, Winfield, Wingate, and Zurich series. Birkbeck, Homen, Inton, Iona, and Winfield soils do not have a 2B horizon within 40 inches of the surface. Downsouth, Grays, Hedrick, and Kaneville soils have a surface layer that meets the requirements for mollic except for thickness. Elco soils formed partly in glacial till and have a mean annual soil temperature of less than 55 degrees F. Libre soils have a dense layer in the Bt horizon and have a base saturation of less than 60 percent at the critical depth. Mayville and Zurich soils have carbonates starting at 20 to 40 inches. Redbud soils have more than 35 percent clay in some part of the series control section and formed partly in lacustrine sediments. Rocheport soils have a lithic or paralithic contact at a depth of 40 to 60 inches. Rockfield soils have carbonates within 60 inches of the surface.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Minnith soils are associated with the underlying sandstone formation in rather narrow bands, in some places displaced by faulting, and on side slope and ridgetop positions. Slope gradient ranges from 2 to 14 percent. The soils formed in 24 to 40 inches of loess and the underlying loamy residuum weathered from sandstone. The mean annual temperature ranges from 54 to 57 degrees F, and the mean annual precipitation ranges from 40 to 45 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Menfro and Weingarten soils and the Gasconade, Goss, Holstein, Lily, and Ramsey soils. Menfro soils occupy ridgetops or foot slopes where the loess is thicker. Weingarten soils are on similar positions. Gasconade, Lily, and Ramsey soils have bedrock at depths less than 40 inches and are on lower side slopes. Goss soils have cherty clayey subsoils and are on lower side slopes. Holstein soils are fine-loamy and are on lower side slopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well and moderately well drained. Runoff is medium or rapid. Permeability is moderately slow. Where moderately well drained a perched water table has an upper limit of 3 to 6 feet during November to April.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the Minnith soils are cleared and used for pasture. Cultivated areas are used to grow corn and wheat. Some areas remain in forest of oak and hickory. Native vegetation is mixed hardwoods.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The River Hills area (MLRA 115) and the Ozark Border area (MLRA 116B) of east central and southeast Missouri. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri, 1982.
REMARKS: In the past this soil has been included in the mapping of or considered a taxadjunct to the Winfield series. It is commonly associated with St. Peter and Everton sandstone formations.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this series are:
ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 18 inches (Ap, E and BE horizons);
argillic horizon - the zone from approximately 18 inches to 59 inches (Bt1, Bt2, 2Bt3 and 2Bt4 horizons).