LOCATION MCHENRY IL+WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Hapludalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: McHenry silt loam - on a south facing convex slope of 2 percent in a wooded area at an elevation of about 262 meters (860 feet) above mean sea level. (All colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 13 cm (0 to 5 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silt loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; moderate fine and medium granular structure; friable; common very fine and fine roots; many distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) organic coatings on faces of peds and in pores; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [8 to 15 cm (3 to 6 inches) thick]
E--13 to 25 cm (5 to 10 inches); brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam; weak thin platy structure; friable; common very fine roots; few distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) organic coatings on faces of peds and in pores; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 inches) thick]
BE--25 to 36 cm (10 to 14 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common very fine roots; few distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) organic coatings on faces of peds and in pores; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. [0 to 15 cm (0 to 6 inches) thick]
Bt1--36 to 56 cm (14 to 22 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common very fine roots; few distinct brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. [10 to 25 cm (4 to 10 inches) thick]
2Bt2--56 to 81 cm (22 to 32 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common very fine roots; few distinct brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 4 percent gravel; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
2Bt3--81 to 94 cm (32 to 37 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) fine sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common very fine roots; common distinct brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; few distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) organo-clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 8 percent gravel; neutral; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the 2Bt horizon is 15 to 51 cm (6 to 20 inches).]
2C--94 to 152 cm (37 to 60 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly sandy loam; massive; friable; common medium strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) very weakly cemented iron oxide concretions throughout; 21 percent gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: McHenry County, Illinois; about 1.6 km (1 mile) east of Wonder Lake, 18 m (60 feet) south and 274 m (900 feet) east of the northwest corner of sec. 17, T. 45 N., R. 8 E.; USGS Richmond topographic quadrangle; lat. 42 degrees 23 minutes 07 seconds N., and long. 88 degrees 19 seconds 56 seconds W., NAD 27; UTM Zone 16, 390337 easting and 4693425 northing, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to the base of soil development and the depth to carbonates ranges from 76 to 127 cm (30 to 50 inches). The depth to horizons with greater than 25 percent sand ranges from 38 to 76 cm (15 to 30 inches). The series control section ranges from moderately acid to neutral in the upper part and neutral to moderately alkaline in the lower part.
The upper part of the series control section (Ap, A, and/or E horizon) is silt loam. The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 to 4 [6 or more dry if more than 18 cm (7 inches) thick], and chroma of 1 to 3.
The E horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4.
The second part of the series control section (Bt horizon) has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is silty clay loam or silt loam. The clay content ranges between 22 and 35 percent.
The third part of the series control section (2Bt and/or 2BC horizon) has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 8. Texture is clay loam, sandy clay loam, loam, or sandy loam. The clay content ranges between 18 and 30 percent, the sand content between 25 and 65 percent, and the rock fragment content averages between 5 and 15 percent.
The lower part of the series control section (2C horizon) has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 through 6, and chroma of 3 through 8. It is sandy loam or fine sandy loam or their gravelly analogs. The clay contents ranges between 5 and 15 percent, the sand content between 55 and 70 percent, and the rock fragment content between 10 and 40 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bluemount, Douds, Grellton, Kendallville, Kliever, Letort, Lindley, Mandeville, Mifflin, Nodine, Norden, Ott, Pecatonica, Plumcreek, Renova, Rockbridge, Theresa, Westville, Whalan, and Wykoff series. Bluemount, Mandeville, Mifflin, Norden, Ott, and Whalan soils have a lithic or paralithic contact within a depth of 152 cm (60 inches). Douds, Kliever, Letort, Nodine, Rockbridge, and Wykoff soils do not contain carbonates within a depth of 127 cm (50 inches). Grellton soils average more than 25 percent sand in the upper one-third of the series control section. Kendallville, Lindley, and Renova soils average more than 15 percent clay in the lower part of the series control section. Pecatonica and Westville soils have a hue as red as 5YR in some subhorizon in the middle part of the series control section. Plumcreek soils do not have rock fragments in the series control section. Theresa soils have a calcium carbonate equivalent greater than 30 percent in the lower part of the series control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: McHenry soils are on moraines and till plains. Slopes range from 0 to 30 percent. They formed in 38 to 76 cm (15 to 30 inches) of silty material and in the underlying loamy till. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 6 to 11 degrees C (43 to 52 degrees F), mean annual precipitation ranges from 740 to 1020 mm (29 to 40 inches), frost free days range from 140 to 180 days, and elevation ranges from 207 to 366 m (680 to 1,200 feet) above sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Batavia, Kendall, Kidder, Griswold, Ringwood, and Virgil soils. The well drained Batavia, Griswold, Kidder, and Ringwood soils are on similar landform positions. In addition, Griswold and Ringwood soils have mollic epipedons. The somewhat poorly drained Kendall and Virgil soils are in lower landform positions. In addition, Kendall and Virgil soils have thicker loess mantles.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. The potential for surface runoff is low to high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high (4.23 to 14.11 micrometers per second) in the solum and high (14.11 to 42.33 micrometers per second) in the underlying material. Permeability is moderate in the solum and moderately rapid in the underlying material.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cropped. Corn, soybeans, and small grain are the principal crops. Some areas are used for meadow or are still in woods. Native vegetation is mixed hardwood forest.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Extent is moderate in MLRAs 95B, 108, and 110.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: McHenry County, Illinois, 1960.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 36 cm (14 inches) (A, E, and BE horizons); argillic horizon - the zone from approximately 36 to 94 cm (14 to 37 inches) (Bt1, 2Bt2, and 2Bt3 horizons); discontinuity at a depth of 56 cm (22 inches) - the contact between the Bt1 and 2Bt horizons; udic moisture regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: From typical pedon 92IL111035, 12/1/92, NSSL Lab Sample No. 93P4486N-93P4493N.