LOCATION ELON IAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Aquic Udifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Elon silt loam on a nearly level bottomland in cultivated field. (colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 9 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
C1--9 to 16 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1), dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam; common medium distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) mottles; massive with horizontal cleavage due to the stratification; friable; common very fine roots; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
C2--16 to 38 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), very dark gray (10YR 3/1), dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam; few fine distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) mottles; massive with horizontal cleavage due to the stratification; friable; few very fine roots in the upper part; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
C3--38 to 50 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1), very dark gray (10YR 3/1) and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam; common fine distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) mottles; massive with horizontal cleavage due to the stratification; friable; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.
C4--50 to 53 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1), dark gray (10YR 4/1), black (10YR 2/1) and grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam; common medium distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) mottles; massive with horizontal cleavage due to the stratification; friable; mildly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.
C5--53 to 60 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) and grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam; common medium distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) mottles; massive with horizontal cleavage due to the stratification; friable; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Allamakee County, Iowa; about 1/2 mile west of Volney; 1550 feet north and 2600 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 13, T. 96 N., R. 5 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum is less than 10 inches and corresponds to the thickness of the A or Ap. These soils contain free carbonates throughout the control section but the A or Ap horizon is noncalcareous in some pedons.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 and chroma of 1 or 2.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 through 5 and chroma of 1 through 3. It is silt loam with 10 to 18 percent clay.
In some pedons a buried A horizon is present below 40 inches. It has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 1 or 2. It is silt loam.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. Similar soils are the Blake, Haynie, the proposed Ion, McPaul, Orion and Rawles series. The Blake, Orion and Rawles soils are fine-silty. The Orion soils are also noncalcareous in the control section. The Haynie, Ion and McPaul soils are better drained and do not have 2.5Y strata in the C horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Elon soils are on flood plains with gradients of 0 to 2 percent. These soils formed in recently deposited silt loam alluvium 40 or more inches thick over a buried silt loam soil. Mean annual temperature is about 45 to 50 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation is about 29 to 38 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the proposed Ion, the Eitzen and Orion soils. The Eitzen and Orion soils are on similar landscapes and are noncalcareous. The Ion soils are on similar landscapes and are moderately well drained.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. These soils are subject to flooding. Runoff is slow. Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated and used for growing corn. Native vegetation was mainly prairie grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeast Iowa and possibly southeast Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES PROPOSED: Allamakee County, Iowa, 1990. The name is from a village in the county.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of approximately 9 inches (Ap horizon).