LOCATION NESIUS IN
Established Series
Rev. LCO-RTS-WDH
11/2021
NESIUS SERIES
The Nesius series consists of deep, moderately well drained, rapidly permeable soils. These soils formed in sandy sediments on outwash plains and lake plains. Slopes range from 1 to 3 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 37 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, mesic Oxyaquic Hapludolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Nesius fine sand - on an east-facing, convex slope of 3 percent in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) fine sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine and very fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.
A--7 to 18 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) fine sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak medium granular structure; very friable; common fine and very fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 10 to 20 inches.)
Bw1--18 to 25 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) fine sand; many medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; few very fine roots; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
Bw2--25 to 31 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) fine sand; many medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
Bw3--31 to 37 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) fine sand; many medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) and dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
Bw4--37 to 44 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sand; many medium distinct brown (7.5YR 5/4) and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; neutral; clear wavy boundary.
Bw5--44 to 51 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) fine sand; many medium faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and common medium distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the B horizons is 30 to 50 inches.)
Cg--51 to 60 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sand; many coarse distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) mottles; single grain; loose; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Jasper County, Indiana; 2550 feet south and 2150 feet east of the northwest corner, sec. 9, T. 28 N., R. 7 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum is 40 to 60 inches. The depth to 2 chroma mottles ranges from 30 to 48 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 3.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. The control section averages more than 50 percent fine sand and less than 20 percent medium coarse, and very coarse sand.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 6. It is fine sand or sand.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Bellechester,
Finchford,
Fruitfield,
Hawick,
Hononegah,
Lasa,
Sparta,
Trempe, and Zumbo series in the same family and the
Ade soils. Bellechester and Hawick soils contain carbonates within a depth of 30 inches. Finchford soils contain 50 percent or more medium and coarse sand and have gravelly sand textures above a depth of 40 inches. Fruitfield soils contain 70 percent medium sand or coarser and are more coarse in the control section. Hononegah soils contain more gravel and have free carbonates in the C horizon. Lasa aoila have texturally stratified B horizons and contain more very fine sand and less medium sand. Sparta soils do not have low chroma mottles in the lower part of the profile. Trempe soils have hue redder than 7.5YR in the control section.
Zumbro soils have mollic epipedons more than 24 inches thick. Ade soils have argillic horizons in the form of lamellae.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nesius soils are on outwash plains and lake plains. Slopes range from 1 to 3 percent. They formed in sandy sediments which have been reworked by wind in many places. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 35 to 39 inches, and mean annual temperature ranges from 48 to 53 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Darroch,
Montgomery,
Rensselaer,
Selma,
Seward,
Strole, and
Watseka soils. Darroch and Strole soils have more clay in the solum and are on slightly lower lying landscape positions. Montgomery, Rensselaer, and Selma soils have gray subsoils and are in lower lying landscape positions. Seward soils are on similar landscape positions but are underlain by silty and clayey sediments above a depth of 40 inches. Watseka soils have gray mottles at a shallower depth and are on slightly lower lying landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Surface runoff is slow and permeability is rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cropped to corn, soybeans, and small grain. The native vegetation was prairie grasses or a combination of widely spaced oak and hickory trees and prairie grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Indiana. They are of minor extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jasper County, Indiana, 1985.
REMARKS: Diagnostic features and horizons recognized are: mollic epipedon - 0 to 18 inches (Ap, A horizons).
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data is available from the National Soil Survey Laboratory (S82IN-073-022).
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.