LOCATION LIBRE OH

Established Series
Rev. GMG-RMG-JWH
11/2021

LIBRE SERIES

The Libre series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches) of loess and the underlying outwash. These soils are on terraces, outwash plains, kames, and eskers. Slope ranges from 0 to 15 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 991 mm (39 inches), and mean annual air temperature is about 12 degrees C (54 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Oxyaquic Hapludalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Libre silt loam, on a 2 to 6 percent slope, in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 inches); brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; weak fine granular structure parting to weak thin platy; friable; common fine roots; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches) thick]

Bt1--25 to 38 cm (10 to 15 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; few faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.

Bt2--38 to 74 cm (15 to 29 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds; few fine black (10YR 2/1) masses of iron and manganese accumulation on faces of peds; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.

Bt3--74 to 84 cm (29 to 33 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds; few fine black (10YR 2/1) masses of iron and manganese accumulation on faces of peds; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 36 to 86 cm (14 to 34 inches).]

2Btd1--84 to 99 cm (33 to 39 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak medium platy; firm; few faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds; few medium prominent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.

2Btd2--99 to 135 cm (39 to 53 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) and brown (10YR 5/3) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak medium platy; firm; common distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds; few medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; 2 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the 2Btd horizon is 15 to 61 cm (6 to 24 inches).]

2Bt1--135 to 180 cm (53 to 71 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; many distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds; many black (10YR 2/1) masses of iron and manganese accumulation on faces of peds; 2 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.

2Bt2--180 to 203 cm (71 to 80 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds; 2 percent gravel; very strongly acid. [Combined thickness of the 2Bt horizon is 20 to 102 cm (8 to 40 inches).]

TYPE LOCATION: Ross County, Ohio; about 0.3 mile southeast of Londonderry, in Liberty Township; about 1,860 feet south and 2,940 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 14, T. 8 N., R. 20 W.; USGS Londonderry, Ohio topographic quadrangle; lat. 39 degrees 15 minutes 46 seconds N. and long. 82 degrees 47 minutes 19 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: more than 203 cm (80 inches)
Thickness of the loess: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)
Base saturation: between 35 and 60 percent at a depth of 127 cm (50 inches) below the top of the argillic horizon

Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: silt loam
Clay content: 12 to 24 percent
Sand content: less than 20 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to slightly acid

Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: silt loam or silty clay loam
Clay content: ranges from 15 to 35 percent, averaging 18 to 32 percent
Sand content: averages 5 to 12 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid

2Btd horizon:
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: silt loam, loam, or clay loam
Clay content: ranges from 10 to 32 percent, averaging 18 to 30 percent
Sand content: ranges from 20 to 50 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid

2Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: clay loam, loam, or sandy clay loam
Clay content: ranges from 15 to 30 percent
Sand content: ranges from 25 to 60 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Baraboo, Birkbeck, Cadiz, Campton, Elco, Eleroy, Homen, Inton, Iona, Mayville, Minnith, Morningsun, Redbud, Rocheport, Rockfield, Somonauk, Uniontown, Winfield, and Zurich series. None of these soils have a dense layer (2Btd horizon) in the middle part of the argillic horizon. In addition, all of these soils have base saturation of greater than 60 percent at a depth of 127 cm (50 inches) below the top of the argillic horizon or at a lithic contact if shallower.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Libre soils are on loess-capped terraces, outwash plains, kames, and eskers in areas of till of Illinoian age. Slope ranges from 0 to 15 percent. The soils formed in 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches) of loess and the underlying loamy outwash. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 914 to 1118 mm (36 to 44 inches). Mean annual air temperature ranges from 10 to 13 degrees C (50 to 56 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alford, Pike, Rainsboro, and Taggart soils. The well drained Alford and Pike soils are on similar landforms. The Rainsboro soils are on similar landforms and have a fragipan. Taggart soils are somewhat poorly drained and are generally on swales and depressions.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained. The depth to the top of an intermittent perched high water table ranges from 76 to 107 cm (2.5 to 3.5 feet) between January and April in normal years. The potential for surface runoff is low to medium. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high. Permeability is moderate in the silty material, moderately slow in the dense zone, and moderate or moderately slow in the underlying material.

USE AND VEGETATION: Libre soils are cultivated or in pasture. Principal crops are corn, soybeans, and wheat. Native vegetation is mixed hardwood forest.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Ohio; MLRA 114A. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ross County, Ohio, 1997.

REMARKS: Libre soils were previously mapped as Parke soils.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 25 cm (Ap horizon).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 25 to 203 cm (Bt, 2Btd, 2Bt horizons).
Aquic conditions: redox depletions present between a depth of 84 and 150 cm (2Btd horizon).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data is available from The Ohio State University Soil Characterization Laboratory for pedon RO-96.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.