LOCATION CHEROKEE KS+AR MO OK
Established Series
Rev. ACP-DAG-PRF
06/2023
CHEROKEE SERIES
The Cherokee Series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in fine textured sediments of the Cherokee Prairies (MLRA 112). Cherokee soils are on terraces, upland benches or in head of drains. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 1143 mm (45 inches), and the mean annual air temperature is about 14 degrees C (57 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, thermic Typic Albaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Cherokee silt loam, in a cultivated field on a terrace, at an elevation of 254 meters (833 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 15 cm (O to 6 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), crushed silt loam; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine moderate continuity tubular pores; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. [10 to 25 cm (4 to 10 inches) thick]
A--15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) crushed, silt loam; moderate coarse platy structure parting to moderate coarse granular; soft, very friable; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine moderate continuity tubular pores and common coarse moderate continuity tubular pores; common fine distinct olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist irregular oxidized iron throughout; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. [0 to 15 cm (0 to 6 inches) thick]
E--30 to 38 cm (12 to 15 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) crushed, silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak medium granular; soft, very friable; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine moderate continuity tubular pores; common fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist irregular oxidized iron throughout; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [8 to 20 cm (3 to 8 inches) thick]
2Btg1--38 to 66 cm (15 to 26 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) exterior, silty clay loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; extremely hard, very firm; common very fine roots between peds; common very fine low continuity tubular pores; many faint continuous very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), moist, clay films on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist irregular oxidized iron throughout; few fine rounded black (N 2/0) hard iron-manganese concretions pedogenic throughout; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [13 to 38 cm (5 to 15 inches) thick]
3Btg2--66 to 79 cm (26 to 31 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) crushed, silty clay; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate coarse subangular blocky; extremely hard, very firm; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate continuity tubular pores; common distinct continuous very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), moist, clay films on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; common coarse prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist irregular oxidized iron throughout; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. [0 to 38 cm (0 to 15 inches) thick]
3Btg3--79 to 89 cm (31 to 35 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) crushed, silty clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate continuity tubular pores; few faint continuous dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), moist, clay films on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; common medium rounded very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) soft clay bodies pedogenic throughout and few medium rounded white (10YR 8/1) soft nests of gypsum pedogenic throughout; common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist irregular oxidized iron throughout; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. [0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 inches) thick]
3Btg4--89 to 107 cm (35 to 42 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) crushed, silty clay loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, friable; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine moderate continuity tubular pores; few faint discontinuous dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), moist, clay films on vertical faces of peds and few distinct continuous very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist, organic stains in root channels and/or pores; few medium rounded white (10YR 8/1) soft nests of gypsum pedogenic throughout; common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist irregular oxidized iron throughout and common fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) moist irregular oxidized iron throughout; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. [0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 inches) thick]
3Btg5/E--107 to 137 cm (42 to 54 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) exterior, silty clay loam; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable; common very and fine roots throughout; many very fine and fine moderate continuity tubular pores; few faint discontinuous dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist clay films on vertical faces of peds and few distinct continuous very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist, organic stains in root channels and/or pores; common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist irregular oxidized iron throughout; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. [0 to 38 cm (0 to 15 inches) thick]
3Btg6/E--137 to 175 cm (54 to 69 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) exterior, silty clay loam; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable; common very fine and fine roots throughout; many very fine and fine moderate continuity tubular pores; few faint continuous grayish brown (10YR 5/2), moist, clay films on vertical faces of peds and few distinct continuous dark grayish brown(10YR 4/2) moist silt coatsin root channels and/or pores; common coarse prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist irregular oxidized iron throughout and common coarse prominent dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist irregular oxidized iron throughout; common fine rounded black (N 2/0) soft iron/manganese concretions pedogenic throughout; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. [0 to 51 cm (0 to 20 inches) thick]
3Btg7/E--175 to 218 cm (69 to 86 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) exterior, silty clay loam; weak coarse prismatic structure; slightly hard, very friable; few very fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine moderate continuity tubular pores; few faint discontinuous dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), moist, clay films on vertical faces of peds and few distinct continuous grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist, silt coats in root channels and/or pores; common coarse prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist irregular oxidized iron throughout and common fine prominent dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist irregular oxidized iron throughout; common fine rounded black (N 2/0) soft iron/manganese concretions pedogenic throughout and few medium irregular brown (10YR 5/3) soft clay bodies pedogenic in cracks; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. [0 to 51 cm (0 to 20 inches) thick]
3Btg8/E--218 to 246 cm (86 to 97 inches); 80 percent light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2), 15 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8), and 5 percent strong brown (7.5YR4/6) exterior, silty clay loam; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse subangular blocky; extremely hard, firm; few very fine roots throughout; common very fine low continuity tubular pores; few faint discontinuous grayish brown (10YR 5/2), moist, clay films on vertical faces of peds and few prominent continuous black (N 2/0) moist, manganese or iron-manganese stains on vertical faces of peds; 10 percent light gray (10YR 7/1) silt deposits filling cracks; very strongly acid. [0 to 51 cm (0 to 20 inches) thick]
TYPE LOCATION: Cherokee County, Kansas; about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) southwest of Hallowell; 305 meters (1000 feet) east and 61 meters (200 feet) north of the southwest corner of section 17, T. 33 S., R. 22 E; USGS Oswego, Kansas topographic quadrangle; lat. 37 degrees 9 minutes 54 seconds N and long. 95 degrees 1 minute 36 seconds W., UTM zone 15, 320055 easting and 4115099 northing, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is aquic
Depth to abrupt textural change: 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches)
Depth to albic horizon: 10 to 25 cm (4 to 10 inches)
Depth to argillic horizon: 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches)
Depth to redox concentrations: 10 to 41 cm (4 to 16 inches)
Depth to episaturation: 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches) from January to May
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 35 to 60 percent
Sand content: 2 to 10 percent
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 to 5, 4 to 7 dry
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: silt loam, silt
Clay content: 5 to 20 percent
Base saturation: 60 to 90 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral (4.5 to 7.3 pH)
E horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 to 7, 6 to 8 dry
Chroma: 1 or 2
Redoximorphic features: none to many iron accumulations in shades of brown, yellow, or red, none to many iron-manganese concretions, none to many iron stains in root channels and/or pores in shades of brown, none to common soft iron concretions in shades of brown
Texture: silt loam, silt
Clay content: 5 to 20 percent
Base saturation: 55 to 90 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral (4.5 to 7.3 pH)
2Btg horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 6
Chroma: 1 or 2
Redoximorphic features: few to many iron accumulations in shades of brown, yellow, or red, none to few iron-manganese concretions, none to common soft masses of iron-manganese
Texture: clay, silty clay
Clay content: 40 to 60 percent
Base saturation: 45 to 90 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid (4.5 to 6.0 pH)
3Btg horizon: (where present)
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 or 2
Redoximorphic features: few to many iron accumulations in shades of brown, yellow, or red, none to common iron-manganese concretions, none to common soft masses of iron-manganese, none to common black stains
Texture: clay, silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay loam
Clay content: 30 to 60 percent
Base saturation: 45 to 90 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid (4.5 to 6.0 pH)
3Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR
Value: 5
Chroma: 8
Texture: silty clay
Clay content: 40 to 60 percent
Base saturation: 45 to 90 percent
Reaction: strongly acid to moderately acid (5.1 to 6.0 pH)
4Btg horizon: (where present)
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 1 or 2
Redoximorphic features: few to many iron accumulations in shades of brown or yellow, none to common soft masses of iron-manganese, none to common black stains
Texture: clay, silty clay, silty clay loam, or clay loam
Clay content: 30 to 65 percent
Base saturation: 75 to 90 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral (4.5 to 7.3 pH)
4Bt horizon (where present):
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 3 to 8
Redoximorphic features: none to common iron accumulations in shades of brown or yellow, none to common soft masses of iron-manganese
Texture: silty clay loam or silty clay
Clay content: 30 to 65 percent
Reaction: 5.1 to 6.0
C horizon (where present):
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 1 or 2
Redoximorphic features: none to common iron accumulations in shades of brown or yellow, none to common soft masses of iron-manganese
Texture: silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Reaction: 4.5 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES:
Meggett: contains more sand and less silt throughout
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cherokee soils are on terraces, upland benches, or in head of drains on river valleys in the Cherokee Prairie. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. The soils formed in eolian sediments and alluvium. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 889 to 1143 mm (35 to 45 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 14 to 18 degrees C (57 to 65 degrees F). Frost-free period is 190 to 210 days. Elevation is 215 to 355 meters (705 to 1165 feet) above mean sea level. Thornthwaites Annual P-E Index ranges from 64 to 80.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Barden,
Dennis,
Hepler, Lenna,
Lightning,
Medoc,
Opolis,
Parsons, and
Taloka soils. Barden soils are moderately well drained, have thicker, dark colored surface horizons and are on ridges and side slopes on uplands. Dennis soils have thicker, dark colored surface horizons and are on summits, shoulders and side slopes. Hepler soils are commonly flooded, have less clay in the argillic horizon and have a thicker, dark colored surface horizon.
Leanna soils have a mollic epipedon and are on flood plain steps. Lightning soils are commonly flooded and do not have an abrupt textural change and are on floodplains. Medoc soils have a brown subsoil within 75 cm of the soil surface and are on summits on uplands. Opolis soils are moderately well drained and are on summits and shoulders on uplands. Parsons soils have a mollic epipedon and are on summits on uplands and on paleoterraces. Taloka soils have a mollic epipedon and are on paleoterraces.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Depth to the top of a perched seasonal high water table ranges from 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches) between January and May in normal years. Potential for surface runoff is low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is Low. Permeability is very slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly cultivated with sorghum, wheat, and soybeans the principal crops. Native vegetation is tall prairie grasses with a few deciduous trees, especially in the eastern extent of the series.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 112 and 116 in southeastern Kansas, northwestern Arkansas, southwestern Missouri, and northeastern Oklahoma. The type location is in MLRA 112. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cherokee County, Kansas, 1912.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: The zone from 38 to 89 cm (15 to 35 inches). (Btg, 2Btg, and 3Btg horizons)
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 30 cm (0 to 12 inches). (Ap and A1 horizons)
Albic horizon: The zone from 30 to 38 cm (12 to 15 inches). (E horizon)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 38 to 89 cm (15 to 35 inches). (Bt horizon).
Redoximorphic concentrations: In the zone from 38 to 246 cm (15 to 97 inches). (Btg, 2Btg, 3Btg1, 3Btg2, 3Btg3/E, 3Btg4/E, 3Btg5/E, and 4Btg horizons)
Episaturation: The zone of saturation at 30 to 38 cm (12 to 15 inches). (E horizons)
Abrupt textural change: At the upper boundary of the Btg horizon.
Lithologic discontinuity: At the upper boundary of the Btg horizon.
NASIS data mapunit ID 699757 represents the typical pedon.
ADDITIONAL DATA: The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is supported by (User Pedon ID 1994KS021001 or Lab Pedon Number 84P0825, and user pedon ID 1993MO097003).
Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014
TABULAR SERIES DATA:
Series T Value: 3
Surface Kw value: .43 or .49
Surface Wind Erodibility Group: 5 or 6
Surface Wind Erodibility Index: 56 or 48
Modified format by RGC in 2015 to include metric conversion and to update series RIC.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.