LOCATION WETZEL OH

Established Series
Rev. AR-DDW-DRM
11/2021

WETZEL SERIES

The Wetzel series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils formed in clayey till on till plains and moraines and on lake plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 940 mm (37 inches), and mean annual air temperature is about 11 degrees C (51 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, illitic, mesic Typic Endoaqualfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Wetzel silty clay loam, in a cultivated field on a slope of less than 1 percent at an elevation of about 299 meters (980 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 18 cm (0 to 7 inches); dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) silty clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; many roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches) thick]

AB--18 to 23 cm (7 to 9 inches); dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) silty clay loam; strong fine and medium angular blocky structure; firm; common roots; few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. [0 to 15 cm (6 inches) thick]

Bg--23 to 43 cm (9 to 17 inches); dark gray (N 4/) silty clay; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; firm; common fine roots concentrated along vertical faces of peds; common fine prominent brown (7.5YR 4/4) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; neutral; clear smooth boundary. [0 to 25 cm (10 inches) thick]

Btg1--43 to 63 cm (17 to 25 inches); dark gray (N 4/) silty clay; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; firm; common faint very dark gray (N 3/) clay films on faces of peds; common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4 and 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; about 2 percent gravel; neutral; clear smooth boundary.

Btg2--63 to 81 cm (25 to 32 inches); gray (N 5/) silty clay; weak medium prismatic structure; firm; many faint dark gray (N 4/) clay films on faces of peds and in old root channels; common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4 and 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron and manganese oxide concretions; about 2 percent gravel; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Btg horizon is 25 to 71 cm (10 to 28 inches).]

BCg--81 to 119 cm (32 to 47 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) silty clay loam; weak coarse prismatic structure; firm; common faint clay films on vertical faces of peds; many medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) and prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; few fine black (10YR 2/1) iron and manganese oxide concretions; about 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. [0 to 51 cm (20 inches) thick]

C--119 to 152 cm (47 to 60 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and gray (10YR 5/1) silty clay loam; massive; firm; about 10 percent gravel; few cobblestones; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Union County, Ohio; about 6 miles northeast of Marysville, in Leesburg Township; The Virginia Military District; 1475 feet west and 80 feet south of the intersection of Shortees Road (County Road 176) and Ohio Route 4.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of solum: 91 to 152 cm (36 to 60 inches)
Depth to carbonates: 81 to 140 cm (32 to 55 inches)
Particle-size control section: averages 40 to 50 percent clay, but some subhorizons have as much as 60 percent

Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: silty clay loam, silty clay or clay
Rock fragment content: 2 to 5 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral

A horizon, where present:
Thickness: 10 to 13 cm (4 or 5 inches)
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: silty clay loam, silty clay or clay
Rock fragment content: 2 to 5 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral

Bg or Btg horizon:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y, or is neutral
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: dominantly silty clay or clay with subhorizons of silty clay loam or clay loam
Redox features: common to many high chroma concentrations
Rock fragment content: 2 to 5 percent in the upper part and ranging to 14 percent in the lower part; mainly gravel but some cobbles, stones and boulders
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline in the upper part and neutral to moderately alkaline in the lower part

C horizon:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: clay loam, silty clay loam, or clay
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent
Rock fragment content: 2 to 14 percent; mainly gravel but some cobbles, stones and boulders
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline and carbonates are present

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Canadice series. Canadice soils are derived from glaciolacustrine sediments and have less than 2 percent rock fragments in the series control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Wetzel soils are on nearly level areas or in depressions on Wisconsinan till plains and moraines and on lake plains. Slope gradients are less than 2 percent. The soils formed in clayey till and in places in an overlying deposit up to 46 cm (18 inches) thick of clayey lacustrine sediments. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 838 to 965 mm (33 to 38 inches). Mean annual air temperature ranges from 9 to 12 degrees C (49 to 53 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Blount, Glynwood, Hoytville, Morley, Nappanee, Pewamo, and St. Clair soils. The somewhat poorly drained Blount and Nappanee soils and the moderately well drained Glynwood, Morley, and St. Clair soils are on higher topographic positions or on steeper slopes. In addition, the Nappanee and St. Clair soils contain more clay. The very poorly drained Hoytville and Pewamo soils have a darker colored surface layer and are on similar topographic positions.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff is negligible to medium. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately low. Permeability is moderately slow or slow.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated. Corn, beans, small grains and hay are the principal crops. A small part, especially areas that lack adequate drainage, is in permanent pasture or forest. Native vegetation is forest of soft maple, elm, ash, swamp white oak, and basswood.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and northwestern Ohio and possibly in southeastern Michigan; MLRAs 99 and 111B. The type location is in MLRA 111B. The series is of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Paulding County, Ohio, 1957.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 23 cm (Ap, AB horizons).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 43 to 81 cm (Btg horizon).
Aquic conditions: redox features visible in all horizons below the Ap horizon.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization data is available from The Ohio State University Soil Characterization Laboratory for UN-7, the typical pedon.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.