LOCATION BARCE IN

Established Series
Rev. JRB-WDH-TJE
11/2021

BARCE SERIES

The Barce series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in as much as 51 cm (20 inches) of loess or other silty material and in the underlying loamy outwash and till. Barce soils are on ground moraines and end moraines. Slope ranges from 0 to 12 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 940 mm (37 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 10.6 degrees C (51 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Oxyaquic Argiudolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Barce silt loam, on a northeast-facing, convex, 1 percent slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 15 cm (6 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium granular structure; friable; common fine and very fine roots; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary.

A--15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; friable; common fine and very fine roots; 1 percent gravel; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the A horizon is 25 to 38 cm (10 to 15 inches).]

2Bt1--30 to 43 cm (12 to 17 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and very fine roots; thin discontinuous dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.

2Bt2--43 to 79 cm (17 to 31 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots; thin discontinuous dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; 20 percent gravel; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.

2Bt3--79 to 102 cm (31 to 40 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots; thin discontinuous dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; common fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron; 25 percent gravel; strongly acid; abrupt irregular boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 66 to 102 cm (26 to 40 inches).]

3Bt4--102 to 122 cm (40 to 48 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; thin discontinuous grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; few fine prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) masses of oxidized iron; few very dark gray (10YR 3/1) manganese masses; few medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions; 2 percent gravel; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. [10 to 30 cm (4 to 12 inches) thick]

3C--122 to 152 cm (48 to 60 inches); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) loam; massive; firm; few fine prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) masses of oxidized iron; few very dark gray (10YR 3/1) manganese masses; common medium prominent gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions; 3 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Benton County, Indiana; about 2 miles northwest of Boswell; 1,140 feet south and 180 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 11, T. 24 N., R. 9 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 102 to 152 cm (40 to 60 inches)
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 25 to 38 cm (10 to 15 inches)
Particle-size control section: averages 25 to 30 percent clay

Ap, A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 2 or 3
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: loam or silt loam
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

2Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam, or gravelly sandy clay loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent in the upper part and 10 to 25 percent in the lower part
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral

3Bt horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline; some pedons have carbonates

3C or 3Cd horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: loam or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 25 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent
Moist bulk density: 1.70 to 2.00 g/cc
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline; carbonates are present

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Balmoral, Mona, Symerton, and Wagen Prairie series. Balmoral soils have more than 10 percent rock fragments in the lower part of the series control section. Mona soils have more than 25 percent clay in the lower part of the series control section. Symerton soils average less than 20 percent sand in the lower part of the series control section. Wagen Prairie soils have a paralithic contact within a depth of 100 cm (40 inches).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Barce soils are on ground moraines and end moraines. Slope ranges from 0 to 12 percent. The soils formed in as much as 51 cm (20 inches) of loess or other silty material and in the underlying loamy outwash and till. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 889 to 940 mm (35 to 37 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 10.0 to 11.1 degrees C (50 to 52 degrees F). Frost-free period is 150 to 185 days. Elevation is 143 to 278 meters (470 to 915 feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chalmers, Corwin, Darroch, Drummer, Foresman, Gilboa, Milford, Montmorenci, Odell, and Selma soils. The poorly drained Chalmers, Drummer, Milford, and Selma soils are in depressions. The Corwin soils have thinner sola and are on similar positions. The Foresman soils are formed in outwash and are on similar positions. The somewhat poorly drained Darroch, Gilboa, and Odell soils are on slightly lower elevations. The Montmorenci soils are on similar landscape positions and have loam till within a depth of 102 cm (40 inches).

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained. Depth to the top of an intermittent perched high water table ranges from 46 to 91 cm (1.5 to 3.0 feet) between December and April in normal years. Potential for surface runoff is very low to medium. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high in the solum and low or moderately low in the substratum. Permeability is moderate in the silty and loamy sediments and moderately slow in the loamy till subsoil, and slow or very slow in the till substratum.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated. Corn, soybeans, small grain, and legume hay are the principal crops. A few areas are used for pasture. Native vegetation is tall prairie grasses, chiefly big bluestem.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 110, 111C, and 111D in west-central and northwestern Indiana. The type location is in MLRA 111D. The series is of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Benton County, Indiana, 1985.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 30 cm (Ap, A horizons).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 30 to 122 cm (2Bt, 3Bt horizons).
Aquic conditions: redox features present in horizons below a depth of 79 cm.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Lab data is available from the Purdue University for pedon SIN7-37-(1-8).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.