LOCATION SAWABASH                IN

Established Series
Rev. TRZ-WDH-TJE
11/2021

SAWABASH SERIES

The Sawabash series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils that formed in calcareous, silty alluvium on flood plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 914 mm (36 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 10.0 degrees C (50 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Cumulic Endoaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Sawabash silty clay loam, on a nearly level slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 23 cm (0 to 9 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silty clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate medium granular structure; friable; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary.

A1--23 to 46 cm (9 to 18 inches); very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) silty clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; friable; common very fine and fine pores; thin discontinuous red (2.5YR 4/6) iron-manganese stains on faces of peds and pores; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

A2--46 to 91 cm (18 to 36 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; firm; common very fine and fine pores; thin discontinuous red (2.5YR 4/6) iron-manganese stains on faces of peds and pores; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

A3--91 to 117 cm (36 to 46 inches); very dark gray (N 3/) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common very fine pores; few medium distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) iron depletions; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the A horizon is 61 to 122 cm (24 to 48 inches).]

Bg--117 to 140 cm (46 to 55 inches); dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) silty clay loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; few medium distinct olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) masses of oxidized iron; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. [8 to 51 cm (3 to 20 inches) thick]

Cg--140 to 152 cm (55 to 60 inches); dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay loam; massive; firm; common medium distinct brown (10YR 4/3) masses of oxidized iron; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Tippecanoe County, Indiana; 1.5 miles southeast of Battle Ground; 2,240 feet west and 660 feet north of the southeast corner of sec. 25, T. 24 N., R. 4 W.; USGS Lafayette East, Ind. topographic quadrangle; UTM Zone 16, 515364 easting and 4482300 northing, NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 61 to 122 cm (24 to 48 inches)
Depth to the base of the cambic horizon: 102 to 152 cm (40 to 60 inches) or more
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline throughout
Depth to carbonates: usually present throughout the series control section; some pedons do not effervesce in the upper 25 cm (10 inches)
Particle-size control section: averages 27 to 35 percent clay
Soil moisture: moist in all parts of SMCS for more than 90 days cumulative out of the 120 days following the summer solstice
Mean annual soil temperature: averages 11 to 12 degrees C (52 to 54 degrees F)

Ap, A horizon:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or is neutral
Value: 2, 2.5 or 3
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: silty clay loam

Bg horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 5Y, or is neutral
Value: 4
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: silty clay loam

Cg horizon:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or is neutral
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: silty clay loam or silt loam

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Badus, Calco, Devilsgait, Lamo, Obert, Salmo, and Wingdale series. Badus, Devilsgait, Lamo, and Salmo soils are not moist in all parts of the SMCS for as much as 90 days cumulative out of the 120 days following the summer solstice. Calco and Wingdale soils are in areas that average less than 11 degrees C (52 degrees F) in the soil temperature control section and less than 864 mm (34 inches) of mean annual precipitation. Obert soils do not have cambic horizons.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sawabash soils are on flood plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Sawabash soils formed in calcareous, silty alluvium. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 864 to 1016 mm (34 to 40 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 10 to 11 degrees C (50 to 52 degrees F). Frost-free period is 150 to 185 days. Elevation is 149 to 257 meters (490 to 845 feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Battleground and Tice soils. The well drained Battleground and somewhat poorly drained Tice soils are on adjacent higher lying parts of the floodplain.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Very poorly drained. Depth to the top of an intermittent apparent high water table ranges from 0 to 15 cm (0 to 0.5 foot) above the surface to 0 to 15 cm (0 to 0.5 foot) below the surface between November and May in normal years. Potential for surface runoff is negligible. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high. Permeability is moderate. This soil is subject to frequent flooding.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used to grow corn and soybeans. Other areas are used for hayland, unimproved pasture or woodland. Native vegetation is deciduous forest.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 111C and 111D in west-central Indiana.The type location is in MLRA 111D. The series is of small extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Tippecanoe County, Indiana 1993.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 117 cm (Ap, A horizons).
Cambic horizon: from a depth of 117 to 140 cm (Bg horizon).
Aquic conditions: redoximorphic features present in the lower part of the mollic epipedon and in all underlying horizons.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Lab data available for this pedon (S86IN157-4-1), Purdue University.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.