LOCATION OTLEY IA
Established Series
Rev. JDH-JES-RPD
03/2014
OTLEY SERIES
The Otley series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in loess. These soils are on interfluves and side slopes on dissected till plains and on treads and risers on loess covered stream terraces. Slope ranges from 2 to 18 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 10 degrees C (50 degrees F). Mean annual precipitation is about 935 millimeters (36.8 inches).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Oxyaquic Argiudolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Otley silty clay loam, on a south-facing summit of a narrow interfluve, with a slope of about 3 percent, in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 18 centimeters (0 to 7.1 inches); black (10YR 2/1) silty clay loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; friable; few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary.
A1--18 to 30 centimeters (7.1 to 11.8 inches); black (10YR 2/1) silty clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) kneaded, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; friable; few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
A2--30 to 43 centimeters (11.8 to 16.9 inches); very dark brown (10YR 2/2) and very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) kneaded, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and gray (10YR 5/1) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; friable; few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bt1--43 to 66 centimeters (16.9 to 25.9 inches); brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; moderate very fine subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; very few faint clay films on faces of peds and on surfaces along pores; few fine irregular masses of iron-manganese; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Bt2--66 to 80 centimeters (25.9 to 31.4 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay loam; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; few distinct brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; few fine prominent dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) redoximorphic concentrations; few fine distinct dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) redoximorphic depletions; few fine irregular masses of iron-manganese; moderately acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Btg1--80 to 102 centimeters (31.4 to 40.1 inches); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; friable; few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; few distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; few medium distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) and few fine prominent dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) redoximorphic concentrations; few fine irregular masses of iron-manganese; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Btg2--102 to 117 centimeters (40.1 to 46.0 inches); dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) silty clay loam; weak medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; friable; few distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds and on surfaces along pores; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) and common fine and medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations; few fine irregular masses of iron-manganese; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Btg3--117 to 135 centimeters (46.0 to 53.1 inches); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse angular blocky; friable; few distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds and on surfaces along pores; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) redoximorphic concentrations; few fine irregular masses of iron-manganese; moderately acid; diffuse wavy boundary.
Btg4--135 to 155 centimeters (53.1 to 61.0 inches); olive gray (5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse angular blocky; friable; very few distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds and on surfaces along pores; many fine and medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) and common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations; few fine irregular masses of iron-manganese; very few prominent dark brown (10YR 3/3) oxide coats on surfaces along root channels and on surfaces along pores; slightly acid; diffuse smooth boundary.
Cg1--155 to 185 centimeters (61.0 to 72.8 inches); olive gray (5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; massive; friable; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations; few fine irregular masses of iron-manganese; very few prominent dark brown (10YR 3/3) oxide coats on surfaces along root channels and on surfaces along pores; neutral; diffuse smooth boundary.
Cg2--185 to 200 centimeters (72.8 to 78.7 inches); light olive gray (5Y 6/2) silt loam; massive; friable; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations; few fine irregular masses of iron-manganese; very few prominent dark brown (10YR 3/3) oxide coats on surfaces along root channels and on surfaces along pores; neutral
TYPE LOCATION: Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) 108C-Illinois and Iowa Deep Loess and Drift, West Central Part; Keokuk County, Iowa subset; about 2 miles south of Kinross; located about 2,486 feet west and 1,800 feet south of the northeast corner of section 34, T. 77 N., R. 10 W.; USGS Kinross topographic quadrangle; lat. 41 degrees 26 minutes 2 seconds N. and long. 91 degrees 59 minutes and 38 seconds W., NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of mollic epipedon--25 to 49 centimeters (9.8 to 19.3 inches)
Depth to carbonates--greater than 200 centimeters (78.7 inches)
Clay content of the particle-size control section (weighted average)--35 to 42 percent
Sand content of the particle- size control section (weighted average)--less than 5 percent
Ap and A horizons:
Hue--10YR
Value--2 or 3
Chroma--1 to 3
Texture--silt loam or silty clay loam
Clay content--24 to 36 percent
Sand content--less than 5 percent
Reaction--strongly acid to neutral
Thickness--25 to 49 centimeters (9.8 to 19.3 inches)
Bt horizon:
Hue--10YR
Value--4 or 5
Chroma--3 or 4
Texture--silty clay loam or silty clay
Clay content--35 to 45 percent
Sand content--less than 5 percent
Reaction--very strongly acid to slightly acid
Thickness--35 to 70 centimeters (13.8 to 27.6 inches)
Btg horizon:
Hue--10YR to 5Y
Value--4 to 6
Chroma--2 to 4
Texture--silty clay loam
Clay content--28 to 38 percent
Sand content--less than 5 percent
Reaction--strongly acid to neutral
Thickness--40 to 90 centimeters (15.8 to 35.4 inches)
BCg (when present) and Cg horizon:
Hue--10YR to 5Y
Value--5 or 6
Chroma--2 to 8
Texture--silty clay loam or silt loam
Clay content--20 to 34 percent
Sand content--less than 5 percent
Reaction--moderately acid to slightly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Sarcoxie and the
Wenona series.
Sarcoxie--contain more than 20 percent sand in the lower third of the series control section
Wenona--have clay content of more than 40 percent in the lower third of the series control section
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material--loess
Landform--interfluves and side slopes on dissected till plains and on treads and risers on loess covered stream terraces
Slope--2 to 18 percent
Mean annual air temperature--9 to 11 degrees C (48 to 52 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation--910 to 970 millimeters (35.8 to 38.2 inches)
Elevation--190 to 302 meters above sea level (623 to 990 feet)
Frost-free period--170 to 205 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Mahaska,
Nira,
Sperry, and
Taintor soils.
Mahaska--are at higher elevations on summits of interfluves and have a frequently saturated zone within a depth of 0.3 meter (11.8 inches) during the wettest periods of most years
Nira--are at slightly lower elevations on head slopes, have a cambic horizon, and have a clay content of less than 35 percent in the particle-size control section
Sperry--are in shallow depressions on interfluves, have an albic horizon, and are frequently saturated at the soil surface during the wettest portions of most years
Taintor--are on the flatter parts of summits and have a frequently saturated zone within 0.3 meter (11.8 inches) during the wettest periods of most years
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage class--moderately well drained--a frequently saturated zone occurs at a depth of 0.75 to 1 meter (29.5 to 39.4 inches) during the wettest periods most years and is considered apparent
Saturated hydraulic conductivity--.10 to 10.00 micrometers per second (0.014 to 1.42 in/hr)
USE AND VEGETATION:
Most areas are cultivated. The principal crops are corn, soybeans, small grains, and grass-legume hay. The native vegetation is big bluestem, little bluestem, switchgrass, and other grasses of the tall grass prairie.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Physiographic Division--Interior Plains
Physiographic Province--Central Lowland
Physiographic section--Dissected till plains
MLRA--Illinois and Iowa Deep Loess and Drift (108C)
LRR M; southeastern Iowa
Extent--large
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED:
Jefferson County, Iowa, 1957
REMARKS:
Particle-size control section--the zone from a depth of 43 to 93 centimeters (16.9 to 36.6 inches);
series control section--the zone from the surface to a depth of 155 centimeters (61 inches).
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
mollic epipedon--the zone from the surface to a depth of 43 centimeters (16.9 inches) (Ap, A1 and A2 horizons);
argillic horizon--the zone from a depth of 43 to 155 centimeters (61 inches) (Bt1, Bt2, Btg1, Btg2, Btg3, and Btg4 horizons);
udic moisture regime.
Thickness of the A horizon, depth to the horizon with highest clay content, thickness of Bt horizon, and depth to redoximorphic features decreases as gradient increases on convex slopes.
Oxyaquic subgroup based on a zone of saturation within 100 centimeters (39.4 inches) for 20 or more consecutive days or 30 or more cumulative days in normal years.
Taxonomy version--Keys to Soil Taxonomy, eleventh edition, 2010.
ADDITIONAL DATA:
Pedon data from soil characterization lab at Iowa State University and the KSSL was evaluated in January 2014 in revising the Range in Characteristics.
Laboratory data--National Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, Nebraska-user pedon id 61IA107002 (http://ssldata.sc.egov.usda.gov/).
Laboratory data--Soil Survey Investigations Report No. 3.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.