LOCATION MOLINE             IL
Established Series
SE-JWH
02/2009

MOLINE SERIES


The Moline series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in clayey lacustrine sediments and stratified loamy alluvium on low benches on floodplains. Permeability is very slow in the lacustrine sediments and moderately slow in the underlying material. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 51 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation is about 33 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Vertic Endoaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Moline silty clay on a 1 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of 577 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 7 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silty clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; neutral; clear smooth boundary.

A--7 to 14 inches; black (N 2/0) silty clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; strong medium subangular blocky structure; firm; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 10 to 18 inches.)

Bg1--14 to 24 inches; dark gray (5Y 4/1) clay; strong medium and coarse structure; very firm; common medium black (N 2/0) organic coatings on faces of peds; few medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Bg2--24 to 33 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay; strong medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very firm; common medium distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions; common coarse prominent reddish brown (5YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation; violently effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary.

2B1--33 to 52 inches; reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) clay; strong medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very firm; common gray (10YR 6/1) calcium carbonate concretions; many coarse prominent grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) iron depletions; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.

2B2--52 to 65 inches; reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) clay; strong medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very firm; many gray (10YR 6/1) calcium carbonate concretions; moderately effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the B and 2B horizons is 15 to 51 inches.)

2BC--65 to 75 inches; reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) clay, with several thin (less than 1 cm) olive gray (5Y 5/2) bands of silt loam in the lower part; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; moderately effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary.

3Cg--75 to 100 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silt loam; massive; friable; many coarse prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) masses of iron accumulation; moderately effervescent; slightly alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Henry County, Illinois; about 12 miles west of Geneseo; 60 feet north and 2600 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 16, T. 17 N., R 1 E.; USGS Coal Valley quadrangle; lat. 41 degrees 27 minutes 30 seconds N. and long. 90 degrees 23 minutes 00 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon ranges from 10 to 20 inches thick. It includes the upper part of the B horizon in some pedons. Depth to carbonates ranges from 20 to 50 inches. The particle-size control section averages 45 to 60 percent clay.

The Ap and A horizons have hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or neutral, value of 2 or 3 (3 to 5 dry), and chroma of 0 to 2. They are silty clay or silty clay loam. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline.

The Bg horizon has hue of 5Y or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is clay or silty clay. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline.

The 2B and 2BC horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 to 6. It is clay or silty clay. Reaction ranges from neutral to strongly alkaline. Strata of silt, silt loam and silty clay loam may be present in some pedons.

The 3C horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2, and has redoximorphic features. Redoximorphic features have hue of 2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y; value of 3 to 6; and chroma of 2 to 8. The 3C horizon is dominantly silt loam or silty clay loam, but includes strata of finer or coarser textures in some pedons below a depth of 50 inches. Reaction ranges from slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline. The 3C horizon may not be present in some pedons.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Carlow, Chequest, Cove, Fults, Kalona, Kings, Rosedell (T), Streator, Titus, and Woodbury series. Carlow soils are more acid in the series control section. Chequest soils average 35 to 42 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Cove soils do not have carbonates within 60 inches. Fults soils do not have carbonates within 60 inches. Kalona soils average 30 to 40 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Kings soils formed in stratified calcareous clay and silty clay lacustrine sediments and do not have a lithologic discontinuity. Rosedell (T) soils have less than 45 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Streator soils average 35 to 45 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Titus soils average 35 to 45 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Woodbury soils formed in clayey alluvium and do not have a lithologic discontinuity.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Moline soils are on low, nearly level, first level bedrock controlled benches on floodplains. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Moline soils formed in clayey lacustrine sediments and stratified loamy alluvium. The climate is midcontinental with hot summers and cold winters. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 48 to 53 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 32 to 34 inches.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Coyne, Denrock, and Joslin soils. The well drained Coyne and Joslin soils and somewhat poorly drained Denrock soil are on slightly higher elevations or on higher level benches.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained - intermittent apparent water table is at +0.5 to 1.5 in depth for sometime from January through June in most years. Runoff is very low. Permeability is very slow in the lacustrine sediments and moderate or moderately slow in the stratified loamy alluvium.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated. Corn, soybeans, small grain, and meadow are the principal crops. Native vegetation is prairie grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: LRR M, MLRAs 108B, 115C; Northwestern Illinois. These soils are of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Henry County, Illinois, 2001.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches; series control section - the zone from o to 65 inches; mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to 14 inches (Ap and A horizons); cambic horizon - the zone from 14 to 65 inches (Bg1, Bg2, 2B1, and 2B2 horizons); aquolls suborder based on low chroma matrix and prominent redox concentrations of the zone from 14 to 24 inches (Bg1 horizon). Taxonomic version - Second edition, 1999.

These soils were formerly mapped as a taxadjunct of the Montgomery series in Rock Island County, IL, and included with the Booker series in Henry County, IL. They are primarily situated on a low first terrace of the Rock River valley between these two counties, and to a lesser extent along the Mississippi River in the former county.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.