LOCATION WESLEY IL+INEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aquic Hapludolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Wesley fine sandy loam - on a slope with less than 1 percent gradient in a cultivated field at an elevation of 190 meters (623 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 25 cm (0 to 10 inches); black (10YR 2/1) fine sandy loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate fine granular structure; friable; few very fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.
AB--25 to 33 cm (10 to 13 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots; common distinct black (10YR 2/1) organic coatings on faces of peds; neutral; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the A and AB horizons is 25 to 50 cm (10 to 20 inches).]
Bt1--33 to 46 cm (13 to 18 inches); brown (10YR 4/3) fine sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots; few distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) organo-clay films on faces of peds; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; few fine faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--46 to 69 cm (18 to 27 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; weak fine prismatic structure parting to weak fine angular blocky; friable; few very fine roots; few distinct brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese oxide concretions throughout; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common fine distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
Bt3--69 to 76 cm (27 to 30 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) loamy fine sand; weak fine prismatic structure parting to weak fine angular blocky; very friable; few very fine roots; few distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese oxide concretions throughout; common fine prominent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
Bw--76 to 97 cm (30 to 38 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) loamy fine sand; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese oxide concretions throughout; common fine faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; 5 percent gravel; very slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of Bt and Bw horizons is 15 to 71 cm (6 to 28 inches).]
2BCg--97 to 109 cm (38 to 43 inches); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; weak fine prismatic structure; firm; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese oxide concretions throughout; common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and many medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 5 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. [10 to 43 cm (4 to 17 inches) thick]
2Cg--109 to 152 cm (43 to 60 inches); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; massive; firm; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron-manganese oxide concretions throughout; common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and many medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 6 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
TYPE LOCATION: Livingston County, Illinois, 305 meters (1,000 feet) west and 82 meters (270 feet) north of the southeast corner of sec. 14, T. 30 N., R. 8 E.; USGS Campus topographic quadrangle; lat. 41 degrees 04 minutes 04 seconds N. and long. 88 degrees 16 minutes 22 seconds W., NAD 27; UTM Zone 16T, 393066E, 4547059N, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to the base of soil development typically is 84 to 135 cm (33 to 53 inches) and ranges from 61 to 135 cm (24 to 53 inches). Depth to horizons averaging more than 20 percent clay and less than 50 percent sand range from 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches). Thickness of the mollic epipedon is typically from 25 to 50 cm (10 to 20 inches). Reaction in the upper sandy or loamy material ranges from moderately acid to neutral and the lower material is neutral to moderately alkaline. Carbonates typically are in the lower part of the subsoil and in the substratum.
The upper part of the series control section (A or AB horizon) has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam.
Some pedons have a BA horizon rather than an AB horizon.
The middle part of the series control section (Bt or Bw horizon) has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 through 5, and chroma of 2 through 6. It is fine sand, loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, loamy very fine sand, or very fine sand. Some pedons contain thin strata of sandy clay loam or clay loam.
The lower part of the series control section (2Bt, 2BC, or 2C horizon) has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y, or is neutral; value of 4 through 6; and chroma of 0 through 4. It is silty clay loam, clay loam, or loam. Some pedons contain as much as 5 percent gravel.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Elrin, Grovecity, Hoopeston, Linder, Plumbrook, and Yahara series. All the competing soils average less than 20 percent clay in the lower part of the series control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wesley soils commonly are on low ridges in former glacial lakes or occur as relatively small spots or streaks on till plains. Slope gradients commonly are 0 to 3 percent and range from 0 to 5 percent. The soils formed in loamy or sandy outwash material about 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches) thick over moderately fine textured lacustrine material or till of Wisconsinan Age. The mean annual air temperature ranges from 8 to 12 degrees C (47 to 54 degrees F.), the mean annual precipitation ranges from 740 to 1065 mm (29 to 42 inches), frost free days range from 140 to 190 days, and elevation ranges from 180 to 311 meters (590 to 1,020 feet) above sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: Wesley soils are near the competing Hoopeston soils and the Milford, Oakville, and Watseka soils on nearby landscapes and near Elliot and Varna soils on till plains. The poorly drained Milford soils contain more clay throughout and are in low lying positions. The sandy Oakville soils are well drained and are on higher ridges. The sandy Watseka soils are in similar positions. Elliot and Varna soils formed in silty clay loam till.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. An intermittent perched seasonal high water table is at a depth of 30 to 61 cm (1 to 2 feet) below the surface at some time during the spring in normal years. The potential for surface runoff is low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high or very high (14.11 to 141.11 micrometers per second) in the upper part of the profile and moderately high (1.41 to 4.23 micrometers per second) in the lower part. Permeability is moderately rapid or rapid in the upper part of the profile and moderately slow in the lower part.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for cropland or urban uses. Corn and soybeans are the major crops. Native vegetation was prairie grasses, chiefly bluestem.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana. This soil is of small extent in MLRA 110.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Vermillion County, Illinois, 1931.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 33 cm (13 inches) (Ap and AB horizons); cambic horizon - the zone from about 33 to 97 cm (13 to 38 inches) (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3 and Bw horizons); lithologic discontinuity - the contact between the Bw and 2BCg horizons at 97 cm (38 inches); udic moisture regime.