LOCATION WESTERVILLE MOEstablished Series
The Westerville series consists of deep, somewhat poorly drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in alluvium. These soils are on low terraces and have slopes ranging from 0 to 3 percent. Mean annual temperature is 54 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is 37 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, acid, mesic Aeric Fluvaquents
TYPICAL PEDON: Westerville silt loam - on a nearly level slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 10 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak thick platy structure parting to weak fine granular; very friable; many fine roots; few fine very dark brown (10YR 2/2) concretions (Fe and Mn oxides); very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
AC--10 to 14 inches; mottled dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam; stratified with the appearance of moderate medium platy structure; friable; common fine roots; common brown (7.5YR 4/4) stains; common fine very dark brown (10YR 2/2) concretions (Fe and Mn oxides); very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
C1--14 to 22 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam; many fine faint brown (10YR 4/3) and few fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) mottles; weak subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; many fine pores; many old root channels; thin patchy clay films in pores and root channels; many very dark brown (10YR 2/2) concretions (Fe and Mn oxides); very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
C2--22 to 32 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay loam; many fine faint brown (10YR 5/3) and common fine prominent brown (7.5YR 4/4) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; slightly sticky; common very fine roots; many fine pores; many old root channels; thin patchy clay films in pores and root channels; many very dark brown (10YR 2/2) concretions (Fe and Mn oxides); very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
C3g--32 to 54 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam; common fine distinct light grayish brown (10YR 6/2), dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) mottles; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; firm, slightly sticky; few very fine roots; common fine pores; common old root channels; thin patchy clay films in pores and root channels; many very dark brown (10YR 2/2) concretions (Fe and Mn oxides); strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
C4g--54 to 60 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) silt loam; common fine and medium prominent brown (7.5YR 4/4) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine pores; thin patchy clay films in pores; many very dark brown (10YR 2/2) concretions (Fe and Mn oxides); medium acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Boone County, Missouri; 2,720 feet south and 2 feet west of the NE corner of sec. 21, T. 50 N., R. 14 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum ranges from 6 to 24 inches. The weighted average clay content in the control section is 18 to 35 percent but thin horizons are allowed with up to 42 percent clay content.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 or 3. The AC horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2. The A horizon and AC horizon is silt loam and is very strongly acid or strongly acid.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 through 6, and chroma of 2 in the upper part and chroma of 1 or 2 in the lower part. It contains common or many mottles with hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, and higher chroma. It commonly is silt loam or silty clay loam with less than 35 percent clay, but soils having silty clay texture below 36 inches are within the range. It is strongly acid or very strongly acid in the upper part and strongly acid or medium acid in the lower part.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Stendal series in the same family and the Belknap, Bonnie, Chequest, Coppock, Moniteau, Racoon, Wakeland, and Wilbur series. Stendal soils have more sand and less clay in the lower C horizons. Belknap and Wakeland soils are coarse-silty. The Bonnie and Chequest soils are wetter, having dominant chroma of 1. The Chequest soils, in addition, have mollic epipedons. Coppock, Moniteau, and Racoon soils have argillic horizons and Coppock soils have mollic epipedons. The Wilbur series is coarse-silty.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Westerville soils are on low terraces. The slope gradient is 0 to 3 percent. The soils formed in alluvium. The mean annual temperature varies from 51 to 57 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation varies from 35 to 42 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dockery, Moniteau, Nodaway, Racoon, and Sharon soils. Dockery and Nodaway soils are nonacid and occur on adjacent flood plains or next to stream channels. Sharon soils are coarse-silty and are on adjacent flood plains. Moniteau and Racoon soils have argillic horizons and are on slightly higher stream terraces.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Runoff is slow. Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: Soils are cropped to corn and soybeans. Some areas are used for hay or pasture. Native vegetation was mixed hardwoods.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern and central Missouri along tributary streams of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The series is of small extent, approximately 8,000 acres have been mapped to date.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clark County, Missouri, 1938.
REMARKS: The Westerville series was originally classified as Aeric Fluventic Haplaquepts. When this classification was dropped from Taxonomy, it was transferred to its present classification. Therefore, soils which are wet and show evidence of structural development or lack the criteria needed for argillic horizons are included with the Westerville series.