LOCATION ALVADA OH

Established Series
Rev. KEM-RMG-RAR
11/2021

ALVADA SERIES

The Alvada series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils formed in loamy, sandy, and gravelly outwash or glaciolacustrine deposits 102 to 152 cm (40 to 60 inches) thick overlying till. They are on outwash plains, lake plains, and till plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 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 Typic Argiaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Alvada loam, on a planar surface in a cultivated field at an elevation of 238 meters (780 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate fine and medium granular structure; friable; common fine roots; 3 percent rock fragments; neutral; clear smooth boundary. [25 to 38 cm (10 to 15 inches) thick]

Btg1--25 to 41 cm (10 to 16 inches); dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay loam; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common faint dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay films on faces of peds; few distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) organic coatings on vertical faces of peds; few fine and medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and common fine and medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common fine faint very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moderately cemented iron and manganese oxide concretions in the matrix; 3 percent rock fragments; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.

Btg2--41 to 53 cm (16 to 21 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; common faint dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay films on faces of peds; common medium faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; common fine and medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and common fine and medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common fine faint very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moderately cemented iron and manganese oxide concretions in the matrix; 3 percent rock fragments; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Btg3--53 to 71 cm (21 to 28 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; common fine and medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and common fine and medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common fine faint very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moderately cemented iron and manganese oxide concretions in the matrix; 4 percent rock fragments; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.

Bt--71 to 99 cm (28 to 39 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) loam with thin strata of sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; common medium and coarse faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; few fine and medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and common medium and coarse faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common fine faint very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moderately cemented iron and manganese oxide concretions in the matrix; 10 percent rock fragments; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt irregular boundary.

B'tg--99 to 117 cm (39 to 46 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly loam with thin strata of fine sandy loam and strata of silty clay loam; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds and as bridging between sand grains; few medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and common medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 20 percent rock fragments; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 76 to 114 cm (30 to 45 inches).]

BCg--117 to 127 cm (46 to 50 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) very gravelly sandy loam; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; few medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 35 percent rock fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. [0 to 25 cm (10 inches) thick]

2C--127 to 203 cm (50 to 80 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam; massive, with widely spaced vertical fractures; firm; few medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions oriented along fractures; 5 percent rock fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Hancock County, Ohio; approximately 4.5 miles east of Findlay, in Marion Township; about 200 feet north and 760 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 14, T. 1 N., R. 11 E.; USGS Arcadia, Ohio topographic quadrangle; lat. 41 degrees 02 minutes 12 seconds N. and long. 83 degrees 33 minutes 26 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the solum: 89 to 140 cm (35 to 55 inches)
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 25 to 38 cm (10 to 15 inches)
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 102 to 140 cm (40 to 55 inches)
Depth to the till substratum: 102 to 152 cm (40 to 60 inches)
Depth to carbonates: 61 to 140 cm (24 to 55 inches)
Rock fragments: glacial erratics, primarily of limestone, dolomite, and crystalline lithology

Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or is neutral
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3 (5 or less dry)
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Btg, Bt, or B'tg horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 1 or 2; chroma of 3 is allowed in the lower part
Texture: clay loam, loam, sandy clay loam, or silty clay loam or the gravelly analogs of these textures
Sand content: 25 to 60 percent; more than 60 percent of the sand fraction is medium sand or coarser
Rock fragment content: 2 to 25 percent
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline

BCg or BC horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: sandy loam, loamy sand, or loam or the gravelly or very gravelly analogs of these textures
Sand content: 50 to 95 percent
Rock fragment content: 2 to 40 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

Some pedons have a 2BC or 2BCg horizon.

2C or 2Cg horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 1 to 6
Texture: clay loam, silty clay loam, or loam
Clay content: 22 to 35 percent
Rock fragment content: 1 to 7 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 30 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family. Series in related families are the Barry, Brookston, Millgrove, Navunon, Radioville, Rensselaer, Tallmadge, and Westland series. All of these series have a CEC to clay ratio of 0.6 or more, and have a superactive cation-exchange activity class. In addition, Barry, Millgrove, Rensselaer, and Westland soils have less than 22 percent clay in the lower part of the series control section. Brookston and Radioville soils have, in the middle part of the series control section, less than 60 percent of the sand fraction dominated by medium or coarser sand. Navunon soils are less than 102 cm (40 inches) to the base of the argillic horizon. Tallmadge soils have a lithic contact within a depth of 152 cm (60 inches).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Alvada soils are on outwash plains, lake plains, and till plains of late Wisconsin age. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Alvada soils formed in loamy, sandy, and gravelly outwash or glaciolacustrine deposits 102 to 152 cm (40 to 60 inches) thick overlying till. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 813 to 1067 mm (32 to 42 inches). Mean annual air temperature ranges from 9 to 13 degrees C (49 to 55 degrees F). Frost-free period is 150 to 180 days. Elevation is 213 to 305 meters (700 to 1000 feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the well drained Shawtown, moderately well drained Thackery, and somewhat poorly drained Lamberjack soils on outwash plains; and the somewhat poorly drained Aurand and moderately well drained Cygnet soils on lake plains.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Very poorly drained. The depth to the top of an intermittent perched high water table ranges from 30 cm (1 foot) above the surface to 30 cm (1 foot) below between November and May in normal years. The potential for surface runoff is negligible to low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high in the solum and moderately high or moderately low in the substratum. Permeability is moderate in the upper part of the solum, moderately rapid in the lower part of the solum, and moderately slow or slow in the substratum.

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, primarily ash, beech, elm, and maple.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 111B in west-central Ohio, and possibly eastern Indiana, and to a smaller extent in MLRA 99 in northwestern Ohio. The type location is in MLRA 111B. The series is of small extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Hancock County, Ohio, 1997.

REMARKS: Alvada soils are being converted from Millgrove and Mermill soils during modernization projects in MLRA 99 and 111.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 25 cm (Ap horizon).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 25 to 117 cm (Btg, Bt, and B'tg horizons).
Aquic conditions: redox features visible in all horizons below the mollic epipedon.

Representative data mapunit is DMU ID 129956.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.