LOCATION VISTULA IN

Established Series
Rev. RAB-FF-DAG
11/2021

VISTULA SERIES

The Vistula series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in sandy outwash on outwash terraces and outwash plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 1 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: Mixed, mesic Psammentic Hapludalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Vistula loamy sand, on a convex, 0.5 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of 258 meters (847 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 23 cm (9 inches); dark brown (10YR 3/3) loamy sand, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; the lower 2 inches of the Ap horizon has a mixture of E (10 percent) and A (90 percent) material; weak fine granular structure; very friable; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores with moderate continuity; 5 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches) thick]

E--23 to 36 cm (9 to 14 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) gravelly loamy sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores with moderate continuity; 25 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [8 to 51 cm (3 to 20 inches) thick]

Bt1--36 to 48 cm (14 to 19 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) loamy sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores with moderate continuity; many distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; 2 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Bt2--48 to 64 cm (19 to 25 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) loamy sand; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores with moderate continuity; common faint strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds; 2 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Bt3--64 to 91 cm (25 to 36 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) loamy sand; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores with moderate continuity; few distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; 2 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Bt4--91 to 114 cm (36 to 45 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) loamy sand; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; few distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Bt5--114 to 147 cm (45 to 58 inches); 80 percent dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) and 20 percent brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly loamy sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; many faint dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) clay bridging between sand grains; 16 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 61 to 152 cm (24 to 60 inches).]

C/Bt--147 to 190 cm (58 to 75 inches); 80 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sand (C); single grain; loose; common medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; common medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; 10 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; 20 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loamy sand (Bt); weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; many prominent dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) clay bridging between sand grains; common medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; few fine prominent black (N 2.5/) spherical iron-manganese concretions throughout; common medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; 10 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. [0 to 76 cm (30 inches) thick]

C--190 to 203 cm (75 to 80 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) sand and gravelly sand; single grain; loose; many medium faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; 20 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Elkhart County, Indiana; about 1 mile southeast of Middlebury, along US 20; 1,700 feet south and 2,360 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 23, T. 37 N., R. 7 E.; USGS Middlebury, IN topographic quadrangle; lat. 41 degrees 36 minutes 14 seconds N. and long. 85 degrees 40 minutes 57 seconds W., NAD 27; UTM Zone 16, 609787 easting and 4606642 northing, NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 102 to 203 cm (40 to 80 inches)
Depth to redoximorphic features: 102 to 183 cm (40 to 72 inches)

Ap or A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 2 to 4, 6 or more dry
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loamy sand
Sand content: averages 75 percent or more
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent gravel
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

E horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: loamy sand or gravelly loamy sand
Sand content: averages 75 percent or more
Rock fragment content: 0 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Bt horizon and Bt part of the C/Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 4 to 6; chroma of 2 or 3 may be present below a depth of 40 inches
Texture: loamy sand or sand, or their gravelly analogues
Sand content: averages 75 percent or more
Rock fragment content: 1 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

C horizon and C part of the C/Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: sand or gravelly sand
Rock fragment content: 1 to 30 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 25 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bristol, Gotham, Lilah, Montieth, and Shavenaugh series. Bristol soils do not have redoximorphic features in the lower part of the series control section. Gotham soils are less than 102 cm (40 inches) to the base of the argillic horizon. Lilah soils have a subhorizon in the upper part of the argillic horizon that averages less than 75 percent sand. Montieth soils have a paralithic contact at a depth less than 102 cm (40 inches). Shavenaugh soils hare a Bt horizon that is less than 61 cm (24 inches) in thickness.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Vistula soils are on outwash terraces and outwash plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 1 percent. Vistula soils formed in sandy outwash. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 813 to 1016 mm (32 to 40 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 10.0 to 11.1 degrees C (50 to 52 degrees F). Frost-free period is 130 to 170 days. Elevation is 177 to 311 meters (580 to 1,020 feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Brady, Bristol, Bronson, and Gilford soils. The somewhat poorly drained Brady and moderately well drained Bronson soils are on lower positions of swells on outwash plains and treads on outwash terraces. The excessively drained Bristol soils are on slightly higher swells on outwash plains and treads on outwash terraces and do not have redoximorphic features below 102 cm (40 inches). The poorly drained or very poorly drained Gilford soils are in depressions on outwash plains and outwash terraces.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. Depth to the top of a seasonal high water table ranges from 107 to 183 cm (3.5 to 6 feet) for some time in normal years. Potential for surface runoff is negligible. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high or very high. Permeability is rapid in the solum and very rapid in the underlying material.

USE AND VEGETATION: Soils are mainly used to grow corn, soybeans, and small grain. Some areas are used to grow vegetables. Irrigation is a common practice on cropped areas. A few areas are in trees. Native vegetation is deciduous trees.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 98 in northern Indiana. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Elkhart County, Indiana 1997.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 36 cm (14 inches) (Ap and E horizons).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 36 to 147 cm (14 to 58 inches ) (Bt horizon, and the Bt part of the C/Bt horizon).
Aquic conditions: redoximorphic features in all horizons below a depth of 147 cm (58 inches).

NASIS Data Mapunit ID 124333 represents the typical pedon.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Lab characterization data is available for the typical pedon (S95IN-039-005) from the National Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, NE. Transect data is on file for the typical pedon (T93IN-039-221) at the MLRA project office, Plymouth, Indiana. Transect shows 60 percent Vistula, 30 percent Coloma-wet substratum, and 10 percent unnamed soil.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.