LOCATION CASTALIA OH

Established Series
Rev. RAR-DNM
09/2012

CASTALIA SERIES

The Castalia series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils formed in beach or eolian deposits mixed with glacially displaced limestone or dolostone fragments of local origin. These soils are on reefs on lake plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 18 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 889 mm (35 inches), and mean annual air temperature is about 11 degrees C (51 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, mesic Inceptic Haprendolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Castalia extremely channery loam, on an east-facing, convex, 1 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of 218 meters (715 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) extremely channery loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; strong fine granular structure; friable; many fine roots; 60 percent limestone channers 2.5 to 13 cm (1 to 5 inches) in diameter and 1.2 to 2.5 cm (1/2 to 1 inch) thick; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. [18 to 23 cm (7 to 9 inches) thick]

Bw--20 to 41 cm (8 to 16 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) extremely channery loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; many fine roots; 80 percent limestone channers 2.5 to 13 cm (1 to 5 inches) in diameter and 1.2 to 2.5 cm (1/2 to 1 inch) thick; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. [10 to 41 cm (4 to 16 inches) thick]

C--41 to 61 cm (16 to 24 inches); 90 percent limestone channers and flagstones and 10 percent brown (10YR 4/3) loam; massive; friable; common fine and medium roots; 90 percent limestone channers and flagstones 8 to 25 cm (3 to 10 inches) in length and 1.2 to 5 cm (1/2 to 2 inches) thick; fragments are displaced slightly from original bedding; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual irregular boundary. (2 to 28 inches thick)

R--61 cm (24 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) limestone with vertical fractures 30 to 61 cm (1 to 2 feet) apart.

TYPE LOCATION: Erie County, Ohio; about 8 miles southwest of Sandusky, in Groton Township; about 300 feet south and 500 feet east of the intersection of Portland Road and State Route 99; Quadrangle 2; T. 5 N., R. 24 W.; USGS Bellevue, Ohio topographic quadrangle; lat. 41 degrees 21 minutes 03 seconds N. and long. 82 degrees 45 minutes 11 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 18 to 23 cm (7 to 9 inches)
Depth to the base of the cambic horizon: 25 to 63 cm (10 to 25 inches)
Depth to lithic contact: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)
Rock fragments: dominantly of limestone or dolostone lithology and are 2.5 to 46 cm (1 to 18 inches) long
Clay content in the fine-earth fraction: 12 and 20 percent
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 15 degrees C

Ap or A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 2, 2.5 or 3 (5 or less dry)
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: fine-earth fraction is loam, silt loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam. Rock fragment content: averages from 15 to 80 percent, dominantly channers, flagstones, cobbles, or stones
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

Bw horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: fine-earth fraction is loam, silt loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam
Rock fragment content: averages from 35 to 80 percent, dominantly channers, flagstones, cobbles, or stones
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

Some pedons have a BC horizon.

C horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: fine-earth fraction is loam, silt loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam
Rock fragment content: averages from 50 to 90 percent, dominantly flagstones or stones
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

Some pedons have a Cr horizon.

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Donnelsville series. Donnelsville soils do not have a lithic contact within a depth of 102 cm (40 inches).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Castalia soils are on reefs on lake plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 18 percent. The soils formed in beach or eolian deposits mixed with glacially displaced limestone or dolostone fragments of Silurian or Devonian age. Glacial ice fractured the solid limestone or dolostone and transported the fragments short distances. Subsequent wave erosion from Glacial Lake Maumee removed the thin till cap leaving behind glacial erratics and locally displaced limestone or dolostone on the surface. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 686 to 914 mm (27 to 36 inches). Mean annual air temperature ranges from 7 to 12 degrees C (45 to 52 degrees F). Frost-free period is 140 to 165 days. Elevation is 183 to 238 meters (600 and 780 feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dunbridge, Marblehead, Milton, and Millsdale soils. Dunbridge soils have argillic horizons with less than 35 percent rock fragments. They are on positions on reefs where loamy sediments have accumulated. The Marblehead soils formed in 10 to 25 cm (4 to 10 inches) of loamy glacial drift over limestone or dolostone and are on summits or north-facing slopes of relict reefs. Milton soils have an argillic horizon formed in till. They are on positions on the relict reefs that have till deposits. Millsdale soils are very poorly drained and have an argillic horizon formed in till. They are on level areas adjacent to reefs.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. The potential for surface runoff is negligible to medium. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high or very high. Permeability is rapid.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for pasture, woodland, and idle land. Some areas are used for cropland. Small grains and hay are the principal crops in the cropland areas. Native vegetation is hardwood forest with a dense cover of grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Ohio, including the Lake Erie Islands; MLRA 99. The series is of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Erie County, Ohio, 1967.

REMARKS: The Castalia series is being converted from Romeo map units during modernization updates in MLRA 99. Some pedons contain stones and boulders from water sorting of till and a stony phase is recognized for these pedons.

Diagnostic features and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 20 cm (Ap horizon).
Cambic horizon: from a depth of 20 to 41 cm (Bw horizon).
Lithic contact: at 61 cm (top of the R layer).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Data for samples SN-6769-6772 are on file at The Ohio State University Soil Characterization Laboratory.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.