LOCATION WAUBEEK                 IA+MN

Established Series
Rev. RID-SRS-TWN
06/2023

WAUBEEK SERIES


The Waubeek series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in 50 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches) of loess and the underlying glacial till. These soils are on convex summits of interfluves and upper side slopes on dissected uplands. Slopes range from 0 to 14 percent. Mean annual air temperature is about 9 degrees C (49 degrees F). Mean annual precipitation is about 83 centimeters (33 inches).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Mollic Hapludalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Waubeek silt loam, on a convex slope of 3 percent, in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 18 centimeters (0 to 7 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [13 to 23 centimeters (5 to 9 inches) thick]

E--18 to 33 centimeters (7 to 13 inches); brown (10YR 4/3) and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak medium platy and weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; many silt coats on faces of peds; few very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) worm casts; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary. [0 to 20 centimeters (0 to 8 inches) thick]

Bt1--33 to 48 centimeters (13 to 19 inches); brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay loam; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common distinct clay films on vertical faces of peds; common distinct light gray (10YR 7/1) silt coats on vertical faces of peds; few very fine very dark brown (10YR 2/2) accumulations (oxides); moderately acid; clear smooth boundary.

Bt2--48 to 74 centimeters (19 to 29 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam; moderate fine angular and subangular blocky structure; friable; common distinct clay films on vertical faces of peds; common distinct light gray (10YR 7/1) silt coats on vertical faces of peds; few medium sand grains on vertical faces of peds in lower part; common fine very dark brown (10YR 2/2) accumulations (oxides); few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and few fine faint brown (7.5YR 4/4) redoximorphic concentrations in the lower part; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 25 to 40 centimeters (10 to 16 inches).]

2Bt3--74 to 86 centimeters (29 to 34 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) loam; moderate medium subangular and angular blocky structure; friable; very few distinct clay films on vertical faces of peds; common distinct light gray (10YR 7/1) silt coats on vertical faces of peds; common fine very dark brown (10YR 2/2) accumulations (oxides); few fine prominent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) redoximorphic depletions; about 5 percent rock fragments (2 to 75 millimeters in diameter); strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.

2Bt4--86 to 114 centimeters (34 to 45 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) loam; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse subangular and angular blocky; firm; few distinct clay films on surfaces along root channels; common fine very dark brown (10YR 2/2) accumulations (oxides); few fine faint yellowish red (5YR 4/6) redoximorphic concentrations and many fine and medium prominent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) redoximorphic depletions; about 5 percent rock fragments (2 to 75 millimeters in diameter); strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. [25 to 107 centimeters (10 to 42 inches) thick]

2BC1--114 to 145 centimeters (45 to 57 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam; extremely coarse prismatic structure dissected by few oblique fractures; firm; few very dark brown (10YR 2/2) accumulations (oxides); few fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations and many fine and medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) redoximorphic depletions; about 5 percent rock fragments (2 to 75 millimeters in diameter); slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)

2BC2--145 to 203 centimeters (57 to 80 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam; extremely coarse prismatic structure dissected by few oblique fractures; firm; few fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations and many fine and medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) redoximorphic depletions; about 5 percent rock fragments (2 to 75 millimeters in diameter); neutral.

TYPE LOCATION: Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) 104-Eastern Iowa and Minnesota Till Prairies; Iowa County, Iowa subset; about 1 mile east and 2 miles north of East Amana; located about 291 meters (956 feet) north and 428 meters (1,404 feet) west of the southeast corner of section 12, T. 81 N., R. 9 W.; USGS Amana quadrangle; lat. 41 degrees 50 minutes 4.9 seconds N. and long. 91 degrees 50 minutes 10.4 seconds W., NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to carbonates--more than 150 centimeters (59 inches)
Depth to glacial till--50 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches)
Clay content in the particle-size control section (weighted average)--24 to 34 percent
Sand content in the particle-size control section (weighted average)--5 to 25 percent
Special feature--some pedons have a stone line or thin layer, 2 to 13 centimeters (1 to 5 inches) thick of gravelly and sandy materials at the base of the silty or loamy sediments

Ap or A horizon:
Hue--10YR
Value--2 or 3
Chroma--1 or 2
Texture--silt loam
Clay content--19 to 24 percent
Sand content--less than 15 percent
Reaction--moderately acid to neutral

E horizon (when present):
Hue--10YR
Value--4 or 5
Chroma--2 or 3
Texture--silt loam
Clay content--19 to 24 percent
Sand content--less than 15 percent
Reaction--moderately acid to neutral

BE horizon (when present):
Hue--10YR
Value--4
Chroma--3
Texture--silt loam or silty clay loam
Clay content--24 to 30 percent
Sand content--less than 15 percent
Reaction--moderately acid to neutral

Bt horizon:
Hue--10YR
Value--4 or 5
Chroma--3 or 4
Texture--silt loam or silty clay loam
Clay content--25 to 34 percent
Sand content--less than 15 percent
Reaction--strongly acid to slightly acid

2Bt horizon:
Hue--7.5YR or 10YR
Value--5
Chroma--4 to 8
Texture--loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam
Clay content--20 to 28 percent
Sand content--30 to 55 percent
Rock fragment content--2 to 15 percent
Reaction--strongly acid to neutral

2BC and 2C (when present) horizons:
Hue--7.5YR or 10YR
Value--4 to 8
Chroma--4 to 8
Texture--loam
Clay content--18 to 27 percent, mean of 22 percent
Sand content--35 to 50 percent, mean of 44 percent
Rock fragment content--2 to 12 percent
Reaction--slightly acid to moderately alkaline
Moist bulk density--1.75 to 1.9 gm/cc

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Batavia, Bowes, Churchtown, Deroin, Downs, Ella, Festina, Frankville, Gladek, Greenbush, Harvard, Hersey, Knox, Luana, Mannon, Massbach, Mellott, Mt. Carroll, Myrtle, Nasset, Newhouse, Watkins and Yutan series.
Batavia--have a sand content of less than 10 percent in the upper two thirds of the series control section
Bowes--have a sand content of more than 60 percent and have a rock fragment content of more than 15 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Churchtown--have a sand content of 10 to 55 percent in the upper half of the series control section
Deroin--have a matrix hue of 5YR or 7.5YR in the lower two thirds of the series control section and have a sand content of 5 to 25 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Downs--have a sand content of less than 10 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Ella--do not have rock fragments in the series control section
Festina--have a rock fragment content of 0 to 2 percent in the lower half the series control section
Frankville--have a lithic contact with limestone between depths of 50 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches)
Gladek--have carbonates within depths of 76 to 152 centimeters (30 to 60 inches)
Greenbush--have a frequently saturated zone within depths of 122 to 152 centimeters (48 to 60 inches) in normal years and have a sand content of less than 10 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Harvard--have subhorizons (strata) of loamy sand or sand with a sand content of more than 75 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Hersey--have a clay content of 18 to 27 percent in the particle-size control section and have a frequently saturated zone within depths of 1 meter to 1.8 meters (3.5 to 6 feet) in normal years
Knox--are in areas that have mean annual air temperature greater than 12 degrees C (54 degrees F) and have a sand content of less than 5 percent throughout the series control section
Luana--have a rock fragment content of 10 to 35 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Mannon--have a clay content of 18 to 27 percent in the particle-size control section and have a frequently saturated zone within depths of 1.2 to 1.5 meters (4 to 5 feet) in normal years
Massbach--have a paralithic contact with calcareous silty clay or clay shale within depths of 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches)
Mellott--have carbonates within depths of 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches)
Mt. Carroll--have a sand content of less than 15 in the lower third of the series control section
Myrtle--have a hue of 5YR on faces of peds or in the matrix in at least one subhorizon of the series control section
Nassett--have a lithic contact with limestone between depths of 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches)
Newhouse--have a clay content of 18 to 27 percent in the particle-size control section and have 5 to 35 percent chert and sandstone fragments in the lower third of the series control section
Watkins--have a sand content of less than 15 percent in the lower third of the series control section
Yutan--have a sand content of less than 15 percent in the lower third of the series control section

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material--50 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches) of loess and the underlying glacial till
Landform--convex summits of interfluves and upper side slopes on dissected uplands
Slopes--0 to 14 percent
Elevation--650 to 1,100 feet above sea level
Mean annual air temperature--7 to 12 degrees C (45 to 53 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation--75 to 90 centimeters (30 to 35 inches)
Frost-free period--130 to 186 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Atterberry, Bassett, and Downs soils.
Atterberry--are at higher elevations on interfluves and have a frequently saturated zone within depths of 0.3 to 1.1 meter in normal years
Bassett--are at lower elevations on side slopes and have a sand content of 30 to 70 percent in the particle-size control section
Downs--in landscape positions similar to those of the Waubeek soils and have a sand content of less than 10 percent in the lower third of the series control section

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage class--moderately well drained-a frequently saturated zone occurs within depths of 1.2 to 1.8 meters (4 to 6 feet) during April to June in normal years and both perched and apparent saturation can occur on this soil based on the season and intensity of rainfall during a given period of time
Saturated hydraulic conductivity--4.25 to 14.00 micrometers per second in the loess and 0.4 to 1.4 micrometers per second in the glacial till
Surface runoff potential--low or medium

USE AND VEGETATION:
Most areas are cultivated. The principal crops are corn, soybeans, small grains, and hay. The native vegetation is big bluestem, little bluestem, switchgrass, other grasses of the tall grass prairie and mixed deciduous trees.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Physiographic Division--Interior Plains
Physiographic Province--Central Lowland
Physiographic sections--Dissected till plains and Wisconsin driftless section
MLRAs--Eastern Iowa and Minnesota Till Prairies (104), Northern Mississippi Valley Loess Hills (105), and Illinois and Iowa Deep Loess and Drift (108)
LRR M; eastern Iowa and southeastern Minnesota
Extent--moderate

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Iowa County, Iowa, l965

REMARKS:
Particle-size control section--the zone from a depth of 33 to 83 centimeters (13 to 33 inches) (Bt1, Bt2 and 2Bt3 horizons);
series control section--the zone from the surface to a depth of 150 centimeters (0 to 59 inches) (Ap, E, Bt1, Bt2, 2Bt3, 2Bt4, 2BC1, and 2BC2 horizons).

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
ochric epipedon--the zone from the surface to a depth of 33 centimeters (0 to 13 inches (Ap and E horizons);
argillic horizon--the zone from a depth of 33 to 114 centimeters (13 to 45 inches (Bt1, Bt2, 2Bt3, and 2Bt4 horizons);
udic moisture regime.

Some pedons have vertical seams or wedges of sand or loamy sand about 5 to 15 centimeters (2 to 6 inches) wide and about 0.9 to 1.2 meters (3 to 4 feet) deep extending downward from the stone line into the glacial till.

Cation-exchange activity class is inferred from lab data from similar soils in the surrounding area.

Taxonomy version--Keys to Soil Taxonomy, ninth edition, 2003.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.