LOCATION JAVA               SD
Established Series
Rev. PRJ-WJB
11/98

JAVA SERIES


The Java series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in glacial till on uplands. Permeability is moderate in the solum and moderately slow in the underlying material. Slopes range from 1 to 40 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 17 inches and mean annual air temperature is about 46 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Entic Haplustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Java loam - on north-facing slope of 5 percent in native grass. When described the soil was moist to 10 inches and dry below. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated).

A--0 to 3 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)

Bw--3 to 8 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; neutral; few pebbles; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)

Bk1--8 to 12 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few pebbles; few medium accumulations of carbonate; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

Bk2--12 to 40 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few pebbles; common fine and medium accumulations of carbonate; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bk horizon is 16 to 40 inches)

C--40 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few pebbles; few fine iron stains of yellowish red (5YR 5/8) moist; strong effervescence; slightly alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Sully County, South Dakota; about 6 miles south and 18 miles east of Onida; 2,047 feet west and 596 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 14, T. 113.N., R. 74 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to free carbonates is less than 10 inches. Java soils typically have carbonates to the surface when cultivated. The soil is neutral or slighty alkaline through the Bw horizon and slightly or moderately alkaline below. It can contain up to 15 percent by volume of pebbles and/or cobbles.

The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is loam or clay loam but is gravelly or stony loam in some pedons.

The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is loam or clay loam. A part or all of the Bw horizon is incorporated in the Ap horizon where cultivated. Some pedons have an AC horizon up to 10 inches thick and it has color and texture similar to the Bk horizon.

The Bk horizons have hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y; value of 5 to 7 and 4 to 6 moist; and chroma of 2 to 4. It is clay loam or loam. Few or common, fine to coarse, accumulations of carbonate are in the Bk horizons.

The C horizon has color and texture like the Bk horizon. Mottles or iron stains inherent to the parent material are in most pedons. Few or common nests of gypsum and other salts are in the C horizon in some pedons.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Armo and Hayness series. Armo soils have a higher mean annual temperature and formed in loamy sediments derived from limestone. Hayness soils have hues of 7.5YR or redder.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Java soils are gently sloping to moderately steep on glaciated uplands. Slopes typically are short, irregular and convex in shape. Slope gradients range from 1 to 40 percent. These soils formed in friable, loam or clay loam glacial till. The mean annual temperature ranges from about 45 to 48 degrees F; mean annual precipitation from 17 to 21 inches. Growing season is about 130 to 155 days; average growing season precipitation from 13 to 18 inches; and growing degree days are about 2800 to 3400.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Betts, Eakin, Glenham, and Highmore soils. Betts soils do not have a mollic epipedon and are on ridgetops and crests of knolls. Eakin and Highmore soils have an argillic horizon and are typically on smooth side slopes below the Java soils. Glenham soils have an argillic horizon and are on smooth side slopes and toe slopes below the Java soils.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; surface runoff is medium or rapid; permeability is moderate in the upper part and moderately slow in the underlying till.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used as rangeland and cropland. Corn, small grain, and alfalfa are the main crops. Native vegetation includes green needlegrass, western wheatgrass, needleandthread, blue grama, little bluestem, sideoats grama, big bluestem, and sedges.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and south-central South Dakota; it is of large extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Hughes County, South Dakota, 1970.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of about 8 inches (A and Bw horizons).


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.