LOCATION GESSIE IN+OH

Established Series
Rev. TRZ-GRS-TJE
11/2021

GESSIE SERIES

The Gessie series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in calcareous, loamy alluvium on flood plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 940 mm (37 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 11.1 degrees C (51 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Fluventic Eutrudepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Gessie silt loam, on a nearly level slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of about 195 meters (640 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 15 cm (6 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine and medium granular structure; friable; few fine roots; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. [15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches) thick]

A--15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the A horizon is 15 to 46 cm (6 to 18 inches).]

Bw1--25 to 84 cm (10 to 33 inches); brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; few fine shell fragments; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.

Bw2--84 to 109 cm (33 to 43 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 51 to 127 cm (20 to 50 inches).]

C--109 to 152 cm (43 to 60 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam; massive; friable; thin strata of sandy loam and loamy sand; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Miami County, Indiana; 650 feet north and 70 feet east of the old Mississinewa River bridge in Francis Godfroy Reserve No. 9, T. 27 N., R. 4 E.; USGS Peru, Ind. topographic quadrangle; lat. 40 degrees 45 minutes 29 seconds N. and long. 86 degrees 01 minute 23 seconds W., NAD 27; UTM Zone 16, 582462 easting and 4512364 northing, NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the cambic horizon: 76 to 152 cm (30 to 60 inches)
Series control section: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline, and carbonates are present throughout

Ap or A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: silt loam or loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent

Bw horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: silt loam or loam
Clay content: averages 18 to 27 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent

C horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: silt loam, loam, or sandy loam, with thin strata of loamy sand or sand
Clay content: averages 5 to 20 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Genesee series. Genesee soils do not have carbonates throughout the series control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Gessie soils are on flood plains in areas of Wisconsinan glaciation. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. The soils formed in calcareous, loamy alluvium. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 889 to 1168 mm (35 to 46 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 9.4 to 13.9 degrees C (49 to 57 degrees F). Frost-free period is 140 to 200 days. Elevation is 183 to 305 meters (600 to 1000 feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Eel, Genesee, Shoals, Sloan, and Stonelick soils. The moderately well drained Eel soils are on lower flood-plain steps. The Genesse and Stonelick soils are on higher lying flood-plain steps. The somewhat poorly drained Shoals soils and the very poorly drained Sloan soils are on lower lying flood-plain steps.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. Potential for surface water runoff is negligible to low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high. Permeability is moderate in the solum and moderate or moderately rapid in the substratum.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used to grow corn and soybeans. Native vegetation is mixed hardwood forest.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 111A, 111B, 111D, 111E, 114A, and 114B in central and northern Indiana and southwestern Ohio. The type location is in MLRA 111D. The series is of moderate extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Miami County, Indiana, 1977.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 25 cm (Ap, A horizons).
Cambic horizon: from a depth of 25 to 109 cm (Bw horizon).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.