LOCATION RODNEY IA
Established Series
Rev. BCJ-WND-RJB
06/2015
RODNEY SERIES
The Rodney series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils formed in alluvium on flood plains. Permeability is slow. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual air temperature averages 49 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation averages 27 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty over clayey, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Mollic Fluvaquents
TYPICAL PEDON: Rodney silty clay on a less than 1 percent slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay; moderate fine granular structure parting to moderate very fine granular; firm; few very fine roots; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)
Cg1--8 to 16 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2), and grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam; common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) redox concentrations; few fine distinct dark gray (10YR 4/1), and gray (10YR 5/1) redox depletions; massive, parting along horizontal planes of weakness; friable; few very fine roots; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
Cg2--16 to 28 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2), and grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam; common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6), and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; few fine distinct dark gray (10YR 4/1) and gray (10YR 5/1) redox depletions; massive; friable; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of C horizon is 16 to 28 inches)
2Ab--28 to 35 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay; common fine distinct dark yellowish brown 10YR 4/4) redox concentrations; moderate very fine prismatic parting to moderate very fine subangular blocky structure; firm; few very fine roots; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches)
2Bgb--35 to 54 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) and dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay; common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) redox concentrations; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; firm; few very fine roots; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (15 to 30 inches)
3Cgb--54 to 80 inches; dark gray (5Y 4/1); clay loam; common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) redox concentrations; massive; firm; very few fine roots; few fine irregular carbonate concretions; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Monona County, Iowa; about 1 mile North of Albaton; 100 feet West and 100 feet North of the SE corner of sec. 3, T. 85 N., R. 47 W. at elevation 1075 feet above mean sea level. U.S.G.S. Albaton, Iowa Topographic Quadrangle; latitude 42 degrees, 12 minutes, and 00 seconds N., longitude 96 degrees, 17 minutes, and 27 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is 6 to 9 inches and corresponds to the thickness of the Ap or A horizon. Rodney soils are typically calcareous throughout, however some pedons are leached to a depth of 10 inches. The upper silty clay material extends to a depth of about 9 inches.
The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 1 or 2. It is silty clay or clay with a clay content range from 40 to 60 percent. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. The C horizon is typically silt loam. It is less commonly loam. Thin strata of sandy loam or loamy sand are within the range. Clay content ranges from 14 to 26 percent. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The 2Ab horizon has hue of 10YR through 5Y, value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 1 or 2. The 2Ab horizon is silty clay or clay and ranges from 40 to 65 percent clay. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The 2Bg horizons have hue of 10YR through 5Y, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 1 or 2. They are silty clay or clay with a clay content of 40 to 60 percent clay. The 3Cg horizon or strata with silt loam, sandy loam or clay loam textures below 40 inches are within the range for the series. They are moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the family. Closely similar soils are the
Blue Earth and
Moundprairie series. Blue Earth soils formed in coprogenous earth and have 10 to 30 percent organic matter in the upper 2/3 of the series control section. Moundprairie soils have less than 40 percent clay throughout the solum.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Rodney soils are on nearly level flood plains of the Missouri River. Slope gradient is 0 to 2 percent. They formed in recently deposited clayey and loamy alluvium. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 45 to 50 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation ranges from about 24 to 30 inches. Annual frost free days range from 140 to 160 days. Elevation ranges from 700 to 1200 feet above mean sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Albaton,
Lossing,
Onawa and
Owego series. Albaton soils are on lower landscape positions and are silty clay throughout. Lossing soils are in similar landscape positions and are silt loam in the 10 to 40 inch control section and are somewhat poorly drained. Onawa soils have silty clay textures 18 to 30 inches deep and are somewhat poorly drained. Owego soils have silty clay texture 12 to 24 inches deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Depth to seasonal high water table is 1 to 3 feet. Permeability is slow. These soils are rarely or occasionally flooded for brief periods when the river overflows.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most Rodney soils are cultivated. Some Rodney soils are also irrigated. Corn and soybeans are the principal crops. The native vegetative cover is a herbaceous wetland community commonly inhabited with Prairie Cordgrasses, Big Bluestems, Switchgrasses, Grays Sedges, Fox Sedges, Tall Tickseeds, and Great St. John Worts.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Flood plains of the Missouri River in Iowa, and possibly adjacent areas of Nebraska, Missouri and South Dakota. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Monona County, Iowa, 1995. Source of name, village in Monona County.
REMARKS: This soil was formerly included with the Owego series.
Diagnostic Horizons and features recognized in the pedon are: ochric epipedon - zone from the surface to a depth of 8 inches. (Ap horizon); Aquic moisture regime.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.