LOCATION CREAL IL+IA

Established Series
Rev. DLW-JCD
07/2011

CREAL SERIES

The Creal series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in a mixture of loess and silty local alluvium on uplands and terraces. Slope ranges from 0 to 7 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 1067 mm (42 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 13 degrees C (55 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Aeric Endoaqualfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Creal silt loam, on a nearly level area in a cultivated field at an elevation of about 125 meters (412 feet) above mean sea level (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 22 cm (0 to 9 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; moderate medium granular structure; friable; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches) thick]

E--22 to 46 cm (9 to 18 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam; weak thick platy structure; friable; few thin dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) organic coatings on faces of peds; few medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; common medium faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) iron and manganese masses; few fine distinct black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese nodules; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary.

Eg--46 to 69 cm (18 to 27 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam; weak thick platy structure; friable; common medium vesicular pores; common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; common coarse prominent black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese nodules; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the E and Eg horizon is 36 to 66 cm (14 to 26 inches).]

Btg1--69 to 81 cm (27 to 32 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay loam; moderate medium angular and subangular blocky structure; firm; many distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.

Btg2--81 to 104 cm (32 to 41 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; firm; many distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; many medium prominent black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese nodules; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.

Btg3--104 to 140 cm (41 to 55 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay loam; weak coarse prismatic structure; firm; few faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay films on faces of peds; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; common medium prominent black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese nodules; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 25 to 91 cm (10 to 36 inches).]

BCg--140 to 152 cm (55 to 60 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam; weak coarse prismatic structure; friable; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; slightly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Hamilton County, Illinois; about 2 miles west of Belle Prairie City; 2,244 feet north and 110 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 36, T. 3 S., R. 5 E.; USGS Belle Prairie City, IL topographic quadrangle; lat. 38 degrees 13 minutes 07 seconds N. and long. 88 degrees 35 minutes 37 seconds W.; UTM Zone 16, 360500 easting and 4231284 northing, NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the top of the argillic horizon: 61 to 91cm (24 to 36 inches)
Particle-size control section: averages 25 to 35 percent clay and less than 15 percent sand

Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: silt loam
Clay content: 20 to 27 percent
Sand content: less than 15 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 2 percent
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

A horizon, where present:
Thickness: less than 13 cm (5 inches)
Value: 3 or 4, 5 or 6 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3

E or Eg horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: silt loam
Clay content: averages 18 and 25 percent
Sand content: less than 15 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 2 percent
Reaction: extremely acid to strongly acid; ranges to neutral in the upper part in some pedons in areas that have been limed

Btg or Bt horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: silty clay loam or silt loam
Clay content: averages 25 to 35 percent
Sand content: less than 10 percent
Redoximorphic features: hue of 10YR or 7.5YR; value of 4 to 7; and chroma of 1 to 8
Other features: Clay films have value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 1 to 3
Rock fragment content: 0 to 2 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to slightly acid

BCg, 2Btg, or 2BCg horizon, where present
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: silt loam or silty clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent
Sand content: 3 to 20 percent
Redoximorphic features: hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 to 8
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Aptakisic, Caseyville, Fitchville, Iva, Kendall, Starks, Stronghurst, Waynetown and Yeddo soils in the same family. All of these soils are less than 61 cm (24 inches) to the top of the argillic horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Creal soils are on uplands and terrace treads. Slope ranges from 0 to 7 percent. Creal soils formed in a mixture of loess and silty local alluvium. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 965 to 1143 mm (38 to 45 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 11 to 14 degrees C (52 to 57 degrees F). Frost-free period is 180 to 210 days. Elevation is 107 to 183 meters (350 to 600 feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ava, Banlic, Belknap, Bluford, Parke, and Racoon soils. The moderately well drained Ava soils have a fragipan horizon and are on adjacent or nearby similar or steeper slopes in the uplands. Banlic soils average less than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section and are on adjacent or nearby low terraces or elevated positions on flood plains typically at lower elevations than Creal soils. Belknap soils are on flood plains below Creal soils. Bluford soils contain more clay in the control section and are on broad upland ridges and knolls typically above Creal soils. The well drained Parke soils contain more sand in the lower part of the solum and typically are above Creal soils on loess-mantled ridges nearby. The poorly drained Racoon soils are on low terraces or elevated positions on the flood plains below Creal soils.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Depth to the top of an intermittent perched high water table ranges from 31 to 91cm (1.0 to 3.0 feet) between February and May in normal years. Potential for surface runoff is low to high depending on slope gradient. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high. Permeability is moderately slow.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cropped to corn, soybeans, small grain, or meadow. Native vegetation is hardwood forest.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 113, 114B, 115A, and 115C in southern Illinois and southeast Iowa. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Williamson County, Illinois, 1952.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 67 cm (27 inches) (Ap, E, and Eg horizons).
Albic horizon: from a depth of 46 to 69 cm (18 to 27 inches) (Eg horizon).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 69 to 139 cm (27 to 55 inches) (Btg horizon).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.