LOCATION JASPER             IL+IN MO WI
Established Series
Rev. DEC-TJE
04/2008

JASPER SERIES


The Jasper series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in loamy material and stratified loamy sediments on outwash plains. Some pedons have a thin mantle of loess or other silty material. Slopes range from 0 to 18 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 10 degrees C (50 degrees F), and mean annual precipitation is about 914 mm (36 inches).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Argiudolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Jasper loam - on a 2 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of 197 meters (645 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; moderate very fine granular structure; friable; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.

A--25 to 48 cm (10 to 19 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; friable; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the A horizons is 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches).]

Bt1--48 to 69 cm (19 to 27 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay loam; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organo-clay films on faces of peds; common distinct brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary.

Bt2--69 to 97 cm (27 to 38 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; many faint brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; moderately acid; diffuse smooth boundary.

Bt3--97 to 124 cm (38 to 49 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common faint brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; moderately acid; gradual smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 38 to 140 cm (15 to 55 inches).]

C--124 to 170 cm (49 to 67 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) stratified loam, sandy loam, loamy sand, and sand; massive; friable; moderately acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Vermilion County, Illinois; about 1.6 km (1.0 mile) north and 1.2 km (0.75 mile) east of Muncie; 30 m (100 feet) south and 488 m (1,600 feet) west of the northeast corner of sec. 9, T. 19 N., R. 13 W.; USGS Collision topographic quadrangle; lat. 40 degrees 07 minutes 43 seconds N., and long. 87 degrees 49 minutes 54 seconds W.; NAD 27; UTM Zone 16, 0429144 easting and 4442378 northing, NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to the base of the argillic horizon ranges from 89 to 152 cm (35 to 60 inches). The mollic epipedon ranges from 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches) in thickness. Depth to carbonates is more than 89 cm (35 inches). The particle-size control section averages between 20 and 32 percent clay and between 15 and 55 percent fine sand or coarser.

The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is loam, silt loam, or fine sandy loam. Reaction is strongly acid to neutral.

Some pedons have an AB or BA horizon.

The Bt and/or 2Bt horizons have hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is clay loam, sandy clay loam, loam, silty clay loam, or silt loam. Clay content ranges from 20 to 32 percent and sand content ranges from 15 to 55 percent. Rock fragment content is less than 5 percent. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to neutral.

The BC or 2BC horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay loam. Clay content ranges from 12 to 30 percent and sand content ranges from 45 to 65 percent. It has less than 5 percent gravel. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to slightly alkaline.

The C or 2C horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is stratified sandy clay loam, silt loam, loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy sand, fine sand, and sand. Clay content ranges from 5 to 20 percent. Average sand content ranges from 45 to 70 percent, but individual subhorizons can range from 15 to 90 percent sand. Gravel content is less than 10 percent. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Atkinson, Burchard, Calmar, Cokato, Cresco, Cresent, Durand, Friesland, Griswold, Hitt, Joslin, Keosauqua, Kishwaukee, Marbletown, Moingona, Morrill, Nuxmaruhanixete, Pana, Parmod, Penfield, Reedslake, Ringwood, Rockton, Schoolcraft, Shelby, Sibleyville, Velma, and Winnebago series in the same family. Atkinson, Calmar, Hitt, Marbletown, Rockton, and Sibleyville soils have a lithic or paralithic contact within a depth of 152 cm (60 inches). Burchard soils have carbonates within a depth of 89 cm (35 inches). Cokato, Friesland, Moingona, Reedslake, and Velma soils average less than 45 percent sand in the lower part of the series control section. Cresco, Joslin, and Shelby soils have more than 20 percent clay in the lower part of the series control section. Cresent, Keosauqua, and Schoolcraft soils average more than 70 percent sand in the lower part of the series control section. Durand, Morrill and Winnebago soils have hue redder than 7.5YR in some part of the argillic horizon. Griswold, Kishwaukee, Nuxmaruhanixete, Pana, and Ringwood soils have more than 10 percent gravel in the lower part of the series control section. Parmod soils have a well graded sand fraction in the lower part of the series control section. Penfield soils have redoximorphic features with chroma of 2 in the lower part of the series control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Jasper soils are on outwash plains of Wisconsinan Age. Slope ranges from 0 to 18 percent. Jasper soils formed in loamy material and stratified loamy sediments. Some pedons have a thin mantle of loess or other silty material less than 56 cm (22 inches) thick. Mean air annual temperature ranges from 8 to 12 degrees C (46 to 54 degrees F), mean annual precipitation ranges from 740 to 1020 mm (29 to 40 inches), frost free period ranges from 160 to 180 days, and elevation ranges from 155 to 311 m (510 to 1,020 feet) above sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Brenton, Drummer, La Hogue, and Penfield soils. The somewhat poorly drained Brenton soils and the poorly drained Drummer soils are on lower parts of the landscape where the loess in thicker. The somewhat poorly drained La Hogue soils and the well drained Penfield soils form a drainage sequence with the Jasper soils.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. The potential for surface runoff is low or medium. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high (4.23 to 14.11 micrometers per second) to the base of the argillic horizon and moderately high to high or high (4.23 to 42.33 micrometers per second) in the substratum. Permeability is moderate to the base of the argillic horizon and moderate or moderately rapid in the substratum.

USE AND VEGETATION: Soils are cultivated. Corn, soybeans, wheat, and oats are principal crops. Native vegetation is tall prairie grasses, chiefly Big Blue stem.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and northern Illinois, northwestern Indiana, and southern Wisconsin. It is of large extent in MLRAs 95B, 98, 108, and 110.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Newton County, Indiana, 1948.

REMARKS: A sandy substratum phase was previously recognized. It was investigated during MLRA update activities, and as a result the Cresent series was established. A till substratum phase is currently recognized. These soils will be investigated during MLRA update activities to determine if new series is needed.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 48 cm (19 inches) (Ap and A horizons); argillic horizon - the zone from about 48 to 124 cm (19 to 49 inches) (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons); udic moisture regime.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.