LOCATION KOMRO WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, mesic Entic Hapludolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Komro loamy sand - on a plane slope of less than 1 percent in cropland at an elevation of about 825 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 10 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) loamy sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few very fine and fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
A--10 to 14 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loamy sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few very fine and fine roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
AB--14 to 18 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) sand, brown (10YR 4/3) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few very fine and fine roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
Bw1--18 to 32 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; few very fine and fine roots; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Bw2--32 to 38 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sand; single grain; loose; few very fine and fine roots; few medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; about 2 percent gravel; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizon ranges from 5 to 24 inches)
C--38 to 72 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sand; single grain; loose; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation; about 2 percent gravel; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Pepin County, Wisconsin; about 2 miles north and 4 miles east of Durand; 1500 feet south and 100 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 7, T. 25 N., R. 12 W. USGS Meridean, WI quad.; lat. 44 degrees, 39', 54" N.; long. 91 degrees, 52', 24" W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum ranges from 30 to 50 inches. Thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 10 to 24 inches. The particle-size and series control sections average a total of 25 to 65 percent medium, coarse and very coarse sand; 15 to 35 percent coarse and very coarse sand; and less than 50 percent fine sand or very fine sand. Volume of gravel typically ranges from 0 to 15 percent throughout the soil but ranges to 35 percent in individual subhorizons in the lower part of the solum and in the substratum. Volume of cobbles ranges from 0 to 5 percent throughout. Redox features occur within 72 inches. Saturation occurs at 40 to 72 inches for some time in most years.
The Ap and A horizon have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. Reaction naturally ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid but ranges to neutral, where the soil is limed.
The AB horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR and chroma of 2 or 3. It is sand, coarse sand, loamy coarse sand, or loamy sand. Reaction naturally ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid but ranges to neutral where the soil is limed.
The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 6. It is typically sand, coarse sand, loamy coarse sand, or loamy sand but subhorizons in some pedons are the gravelly analogs. Reaction naturally ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid but ranges to neutral, where the soil is limed.
The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 6, or it is multicolored. It is sand or coarse sand but subhorizons in some pedons are the gravelly analogs. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bellechester, Finchford, Fruitfield, Hawick, Honengah, Lasa, Sparta, Trempe, and Zumbro series. None of these soils, except Lasa and Zumbro have redox features or a water table within the series control section. Lasa soils average more than 50 percent fine sand and less than 5 percent medium sand in the series control section. Zumbro soils have a mollic epipedon more than 24 inches thick and have free carbonates within the series control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Komro soils are on outwash terraces of valley trains. Slope gradients range from 0 to 3 percent. These soils formed in sandy outwash. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 33 inches. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 46 to 51 degrees F. The frost free period ranges from about 135 to 160 days. Elevation ranges from 700 to 1000 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Finchford and Farrington(T) soils. The excessively drained Finchford soils and the somewhat poorly drained Farrington soils form a drainage sequence with Komro soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Runoff is slow. Permeability is rapid or very rapid. Komro soils have an apparent seasonal high water table at a depth of 3.5 to 6 feet for 1 month or more per year at some time during the period of October to June in 6 or more out of 10 years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Komro soils are used for cropland. Corn, soybeans, small grain, and hay are the principal crops. Some areas are used for pastureland. Native vegetation is tall grass prairie.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West central Wisconsin. These soils are of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Pepin County, Wisconsin, 1998. The name is coined.
REMARKS: (Lab data from associated soils indicates that Komro soils have base saturation of 50 percent or more (by NH4OAc) in all horizons between the mineral soil surface and a depth of 180 cm. However, it is suspected that the very low CEC in the sandy outwash results in drastic changes in base saturation with the addition of few bases from fertilization in cropland areas. These soils may be Inceptisols in their natural state.) Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon: mollic epipedon - 0 to 14 inches (Ap, A); wetness feature - redox features and saturation at 40 to 72 inches at some time in most years.
Prior to 1994, this soil was mapped Sparta Variant or Sparta moderately well drained phase.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record - WI0577