LOCATION BEECHER IL+IN WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, illitic, mesic Udollic Epiaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Beecher silt loam - on a south-facing slope with a gradient of less than 1 percent in a cultivated field at an elevation of about 200 meters (655 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 23 cm (0 to 9 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak very fine granular structure; friable; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches) thick]
BE--23 to 33 cm (9 to 13 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam; moderate very fine granular structure; friable; common distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic coatings on faces of peds; few fine faint brown (10YR 5/3) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. [0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 inches) thick]
2Bt1--33 to 41 cm (13 to 16 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam; moderate very fine subangular blocky structure; firm; few distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organo-clay films on faces of peds; common distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese oxide concretions throughout; many fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 1 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary.
2Bt2--41 to 53 cm (16 to 21 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; firm; few distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organo-clay films on faces of peds; common distinct dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay films on faces of peds; many fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 2 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary.
2Bt3--53 to 69 cm (21 to 27 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; firm; few distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organo-clay films on faces of peds; common distinct dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay films on faces of peds; few fine dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) and black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese oxide concretions throughout; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6 and 10YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 2 percent gravel; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
2Bt4--69 to 81 cm (27 to 32 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; firm; few distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organo-clay films on faces of peds; common distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese oxide concretions throughout; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; many medium prominent gray (5Y 5/1) iron depletions in the matrix; 2 percent gravel; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the 2Bt horizons is 25 to 71 cm (10 to 28 inches).]
2BCt--81 to 94 cm (32 to 37 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; few distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organo-clay films on faces of peds; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese oxide concretions throughout; many coarse prominent gray (5Y 5/1) iron depletions in the matrix; 2 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. [0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 inches) thick]
2Cd--94 to 152 cm (37 to 60 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay loam; massive; very firm; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese oxide concretions throughout; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common fine prominent greenish gray (5GY 5/1) iron depletions in the matrix; common medium prominent greenish gray (5G 6/1) iron depletions on cleavage planes; 5 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Kankakee County, Illinois; about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) northeast of Bourbonnais; 104 meters (340 feet) south and 20 meters (65 feet) west of the northeast corner of sec. 14, T. 31 N., R. 12 E.; USGS Bradley, Illinois, topographic quadrangle; lat. 41 degrees 10 minutes 36 seconds N. and long. 87 degrees 47 minutes 56 seconds W., NAD 27; UTM Zone 16, 432988 easting and 4558680 northing, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to the base of soil development is commonly 74 to 102 cm (29 to 40 inches) but ranges from 61 to 114 cm (24 to 45 inches). The depth to carbonates ranges from 51 to 107 cm (20 to 42 inches). The particle-size control section averages 35 to 50 percent clay.
The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is silt loam. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to neutral.
The E horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma or 1 or 2. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to neutral.
The BE, 2Bt, or Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. Either the matrix or ped faces have dominant chroma of 2 or less with at least one horizon between the Ap or A horizon and 30 inches (76 cm) which has chroma of 3 or more in the matrix. Texture is silty clay loam or silty clay. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly alkaline.
The 2BCt or 2Cd horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 6. Texture is silty clay loam or clay loam. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Carbonates are present.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Frankfort series. Frankfort soils average more than 50 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Beecher soils are typically on convex slopes in the relatively undissected till plains of Wisconsinan Age. Slopes commonly have gradients of 1 to 4 percent but range from 0 to 6 percent. They formed in silty clay loam or clay loam glacial till that in many places has a mantle of loess or silty material up to 46 cm (18 inches) thick. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 7 to 13 degrees C (45 to 55 degrees F), mean annual precipitation ranges from 740 to 1020 mm (29 to 40 inches), frost-free period ranges from 140 to 180 days, and the elevation ranges from 165 to 311 meters (540 to 1020 feet) above mean sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ashkum, Blount, Elliott, and Markham soils. The poorly drained Ashkum soils are in depressions and drainageways. The somewhat poorly drained Elliott and Blount soils form a biosequence and are on similar landform positions. The moderately well drained Markham soils are on higher landform positions.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. An intermittent perched high water table is at a depth of 15 to 61 cm (0.5 foot to 2.0 feet) at some time between January and May in normal years. The potential for surface runoff is low to high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately low to moderately high (0.42 to 1.41 micrometers/s). Permeability is slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly used as cropland. Main crops grown are corn, soybeans, small grains, and hay. Some areas are used as pasture. Native vegetation is a mixture of hardwood trees and prairie grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Illinois, southeastern Wisconsin, and northwestern Indiana. Extent is moderate in MLRAs 95B, 108A, and 110.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Will County, Illinois, 1948.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon (mollic intergrade) - the zone from the surface to 23 cm (9 inches) (Ap horizon); argillic horizon - the zone from 33 to 81 cm (13 to 32 inches) (2Bt1, 2Bt2, 2Bt3, and 2Bt4 horizons).