LOCATION BRISTOL IN

Established Series
Rev. RAB-FF-TRZ
09/2012

BRISTOL SERIES

The Bristol series consists of very deep, excessively drained soils formed in sandy outwash on outwash plains, outwash terraces, or kames. Slope ranges from 0 to 30 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 914 mm (36 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 10.0 degrees C (50 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, mesic Psammentic Hapludalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Bristol loamy sand, on a convex, 0 to 1 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of 248 meters (812 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 25 cm (10 inches); brown (10YR 4/3) loamy sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; few very fine and fine roots throughout; 3 percent gravel; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches) thick]

E--25 to 53 cm (10 to 21 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loamy sand; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few very fine and fine roots throughout; few fine tubular pores; 7 percent gravel; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. [13 to 76 cm (5 to 30 inches) thick]

Bt1--53 to 89 cm (21 to 35 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) loamy coarse sand; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots throughout; common faint brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; 13 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary.

Bt2--89 to 102 cm (35 to 40 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) sand; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; common faint brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; 2 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary.

Bt3--102 to 140 cm (40 to 55 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay bridging between sand grains; 1 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 61 to 152 cm (24 to 60 inches).]

Bt/C--140 to 203 cm (55 to 80 inches); 60 percent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sand (Bt); weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay bridging between sand grains; 2 percent gravel; slightly alkaline; the Bt part is in the form of tongues; 40 percent brown (10YR 5/3) sand (C); single grain; loose; 2 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Elkhart County, Indiana; about 7 miles west of Middlebury; 785 feet north and 60 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 8, T. 37 N., R. 6 E.; USGS Bristol, IN topographic quadrangle; lat. 41 degrees 40 minutes 9 seconds N. and long. 85 degrees 52 minutes 8 seconds W., NAD 27; UTM Zone 16, 594160 easting and 4613669 northing, NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 102 to more than 203 cm (40 to more than 80 inches)

Ap or A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 2 to 4; where the value is 2 or 3, the horizon is less than 18 cm (7 inches) thick, or the dry value is 6 or more
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loamy sand
Sand content: averages 75 percent or more
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent gravel
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

E horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: loamy sand
Sand content: averages 75 percent or more
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent gravel
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: sand, loamy sand, or loamy coarse sand, or their gravelly analogues
Rock fragment content: 0 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

Bt/C or C horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR (Bt part); 10YR (C part)
Value: 4 or 5 (Bt part); 5 (C part)
Chroma: 4 to 6 (Bt part); 3 or 4 (C part)
Texture: sand, gravelly sand, loamy sand, or gravelly loamy sand
Rock fragment content: 0 to 30 percent gravel
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline; carbonates are present in the C part

COMPETING SERIES: Gotham, Lilah, Montieth, Shavenaugh, and Vistula series. Gotham soils are less than 102 cm (40 inches) to the base of the argillic horizon. Lilah soils average less than 75 percent sand in the upper part of the series control section and the upper part of the particle-size control section. Montieth soils have a paralithic contact at depths of less than 102 cm (40 inches). Shavenaugh soils have a Bt horizon that is less than 61 cm (24 inches) thick. Vistula soils have redoximorphic features in the lower part of the series control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bristol soils are on narrow ridges on outwash plains, outwash terraces, or kames. Slope ranges from 0 to 30 percent. Bristol soils formed in sandy outwash. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 813 to 102 cm (32 to 40 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 10.0 to 11.1 degrees C (50 to 52 degrees F). Frost-free period is 130 to 170 days. Elevation is 177 to 311 meters (580 to 1,020 feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Brady, Bronson, Gilford, and Vistula soils. The somewhat poorly drained Brady and moderately well drained Bronson soils are on lower positions of swells on outwash plains and treads on terraces. The poorly drained or very poorly drained Gilford soils are in depressions on outwash plains and outwash terraces. The well drained Vistula soils are on slightly lower positions of swells on outwash plains and treads on terraces and have redoximorphic features below depths of 102 cm (40 inches).

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Excessively drained. Potential for surface runoff is negligible to low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high or very high. Permeability is rapid in the solum and very rapid in the underlying material.

USE AND VEGETATION: Soils are mostly used to grow corn, soybeans, and small grain. Some areas are used to grow vegetables. Irrigation is a common practice on cropped areas. A few areas are in trees or planted to Christmas trees. Native vegetation is hardwood trees.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 98 in northern Indiana. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Elkhart County, Indiana, 1997.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 53 cm (21 inches) (Ap and E horizons).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 53 to more than 203 cm (21 to more than 80 inches) (Bt horizon, and the Bt part of the Bt/C horizon).

NASIS Data Mapunit ID 124249 represents the typical pedon.
NASIS Data Mapunit ID 124250 represents Bristol B slope (2 to 5 percent) phase in north-central Indiana.
NASIS Data Mapunit ID 124251 represents Bristol C slope (5 to 10 percent) phase in north-central Indiana.
NASIS Data Mapunit ID 124252 represents Bristol D slope (10 to 18 percent) phase in north-central Indiana.
NASIS Data Mapunit ID 124253 represents Bristol E slope (18 to 30 percent) phase in north-central Indiana.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Lab characterization data is available for the typical pedon (S93IN-039-5) from the National Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, NE. Transect data is on file for the typical pedon (T92IN-039-060) at the MLRA project office, Plymouth, Indiana. Transect shows 60 percent Bristol, 20 percent Oshtemo, and 20 percent Tyner soils.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.