Soil Survey of McHenry County, Illinois - USDA · Soil Survey of McHenry County, Illinois Part I In...

United StatesDepartment ofAgriculture

NaturalResourcesConservationService

Soil Survey ofMcHenry County,Illinois

Part I

In cooperation with IllinoisAgricultural ExperimentStation

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is committed to making itsinformation accessible to all of its customers and employees. If you are experiencingaccessibility issues and need assistance, please contact our Helpdesk by phone at1-800-457-3642 or by e-mail at [email protected]. For assistancewith publications that include maps, graphs, or similar forms of information, you mayalso wish to contact our State or local office. You can locate the correct office andphone number at http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app.

NRCS Accessibility Statement

http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/appmailto:[email protected]

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This survey is divided into three parts. Part I includes general information about thesurvey area; descriptions of the general soil map units, detailed soil map units, and soilseries in the area; and a description of how the soils formed. Part II describes the useand management of the soils and the major soil properties. This part may be updatedas further information about soil management becomes available. Part III includes themaps.

The detailed soil maps can be useful in planning the use and management of smallareas.

To find information about your area of interest, locate that area on the Index to MapSheets. Note the number of the map sheet, and turn to that sheet.

Locate your area of interest on the map sheet. Note the map unit symbols that are inthat area. Turn to the Contents in Part I of this survey, which lists the map units andshows the page where each map unit is described.

The Contents in Part II shows which table has data on a specific land use for eachdetailed soil map unit. Also, see the Contents in Part I and Part II for other sections ofthis publication that may address your specific needs.

How To Use This Soil Survey

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Additional information about the Nation’s natural resources is available on theNatural Resources Conservation Service homepage on the World Wide Web. Theaddress is http://www.nrcs.usda.gov.

This soil survey is a publication of the National Cooperative Soil Survey, a joint effortof the United States Department of Agriculture and other Federal agencies, stateagencies including the Agricultural Experiment Stations, and local agencies. TheNatural Resources Conservation Service has leadership for the Federal part of theNational Cooperative Soil Survey.

Major fieldwork for this soil survey was completed in 1995. Soil names anddescriptions were approved in 1997. Unless otherwise indicated, statements in thispublication refer to conditions in the survey area in 1995. This survey was madecooperatively by the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the IllinoisAgricultural Experiment Station. It is part of the technical assistance furnished to theMcHenry County Soil and Water Conservation District. Funding was provided by theMcHenry County Board and the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

Soil maps in this survey may be copied without permission. Enlargement of thesemaps, however, could cause misunderstanding of the detail of mapping. If enlarged,maps do not show the small areas of contrasting soils that could have been shown at alarger scale.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all ofits programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age,disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not allprohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who requirealternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print,audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice andTDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights,Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C.20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunityprovider and employer.

Cover: Ongoing population growth in McHenry County continues to generate changes in landuse.

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Contents

How To Use This Soil Survey ................................ 3Foreword ................................................................. 9General Nature of the Survey Area ......................... 11

History ................................................................ 11Physiography, Relief, and Drainage ................... 12Natural Resources ............................................. 12Urbanization ....................................................... 12Agriculture .......................................................... 13Transportation Facilities ..................................... 14Industry .............................................................. 14Climate ............................................................... 14

How This Survey Was Made .................................. 15Formation and Classification of the Soils .......... 17

Factors of Soil Formation ................................... 17Parent Material ............................................... 17Climate ........................................................... 18Living Organisms ........................................... 18Relief .............................................................. 18Time ............................................................... 19

Classification of the Soils ................................... 19Soil Series and Detailed Soil Map Units ............. 21

Ashkum Series ................................................... 22232A—Ashkum silty clay loam, 0 to 2

percent slopes ............................................. 23Beecher Series ................................................... 23298B—Beecher silt loam, 2 to 4 percent

slopes .......................................................... 24Bowes Series ..................................................... 25792A—Bowes silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes ... 26792B—Bowes silt loam, 2 to 4 percent slopes ... 26Brenton Series ................................................... 26149A—Brenton silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes .......................................................... 27Camden Series .................................................. 28134A—Camden silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes .......................................................... 29134B—Camden silt loam, 2 to 5 percent

slopes .......................................................... 29Caprell Series ..................................................... 30624B—Caprell silt loam, 2 to 4 percent slopes ... 31624C2—Caprell silt loam, 4 to 6 percent

slopes, eroded ............................................. 31624D2—Caprell silt loam, 6 to 12 percent

slopes, eroded ............................................. 32

624E—Caprell silt loam, 12 to 20 percentslopes .......................................................... 32

Casco Series ...................................................... 32323B—Casco loam, 2 to 4 percent slopes ......... 33323C2—Casco loam, 4 to 6 percent slopes,

eroded ......................................................... 33323C3—Casco clay loam, 4 to 6 percent

slopes, severely eroded ............................... 34323D2—Casco loam, 6 to 12 percent slopes,

eroded ......................................................... 34323D3—Casco clay loam, 6 to 12 percent

slopes, severely eroded ............................... 35969E2—Casco-Rodman complex, 12 to 20

percent slopes, eroded ................................ 35969F—Casco-Rodman complex, 20 to 30

percent slopes ............................................. 36Comfrey Series .................................................. 361776A—Comfrey loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes, undrained, occasionally flooded ....... 378776A—Comfrey loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes, occasionally flooded ........................ 37Dakota Series ..................................................... 38379A—Dakota loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes ........ 38379B—Dakota loam, 2 to 4 percent slopes ........ 39Danabrook Series .............................................. 39512A—Danabrook silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes .......................................................... 40512B—Danabrook silt loam, 2 to 5 percent

slopes .......................................................... 40Dickinson Series ................................................ 4187A—Dickinson sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes .......................................................... 4287B—Dickinson sandy loam, 2 to 5 percent

slopes .......................................................... 4287B2—Dickinson sandy loam, 2 to 5 percent

slopes, eroded ............................................. 42Dresden Series .................................................. 43325A—Dresden silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes .......................................................... 43325B—Dresden silt loam, 2 to 4 percent

slopes .......................................................... 44Drummer Series ................................................. 44152A—Drummer silty clay loam, 0 to 2

percent slopes ............................................. 45

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Dunham Series .................................................. 45523A—Dunham silty clay loam, 0 to 2

percent slopes ............................................. 47Elburn Series ...................................................... 47198A—Elburn silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes .... 48Elliott Series ....................................................... 49146A—Elliott silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes ...... 49146B—Elliott silt loam, 2 to 4 percent slopes ...... 50Fox Series .......................................................... 50327A—Fox silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes ........ 51327B—Fox silt loam, 2 to 4 percent slopes ........ 51327C2—Fox silt loam, 4 to 6 percent slopes,

eroded ......................................................... 52327D2—Fox loam, 6 to 12 percent slopes,

eroded ......................................................... 52Geryune Series .................................................. 53625A—Geryune silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes .......................................................... 54625B—Geryune silt loam, 2 to 5 percent

slopes .......................................................... 54Griswold Series .................................................. 54363B—Griswold loam, 2 to 4 percent slopes ...... 55363C2—Griswold loam, 4 to 6 percent slopes,

eroded ......................................................... 56363D2—Griswold loam, 6 to 12 percent

slopes, eroded ............................................. 56Grundelein Series .............................................. 56526A—Grundelein silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes .......................................................... 57Harpster Series .................................................. 5867A—Harpster silty clay loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes .......................................................... 591067A—Harpster silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes, undrained ........................................ 59Harvard Series ................................................... 60344A—Harvard silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes .......................................................... 60344B—Harvard silt loam, 2 to 5 percent

slopes .......................................................... 61Herbert Series .................................................... 6162A—Herbert silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes .... 62Hoopeston Series ............................................... 63172A—Hoopeston sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes .......................................................... 64Hooppole Series ................................................. 64

488A—Hooppole loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes .... 651488A—Hooppole loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes, undrained ........................................ 65Houghton Series ................................................ 66103A—Houghton muck, 0 to 2 percent slopes ... 661103A—Houghton muck, 0 to 2 percent

slopes, undrained ........................................ 674103A—Houghton muck, 0 to 2 percent

slopes, ponded ............................................ 67Kane Series ....................................................... 67343A—Kane silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes ...... 69Kidami Series ..................................................... 69527B—Kidami silt loam, 2 to 4 percent

slopes .......................................................... 70527C—Kidami silt loam, 4 to 6 percent

slopes .......................................................... 71527C2—Kidami loam, 4 to 6 percent slopes,

eroded ......................................................... 71527D—Kidami silt loam, 6 to 12 percent

slopes .......................................................... 72527D2—Kidami loam, 6 to 12 percent

slopes, eroded ............................................. 72527D3—Kidami clay loam, 6 to 12 percent

slopes, severely eroded ............................... 73Kidder Series ...................................................... 73361B—Kidder loam, 2 to 4 percent slopes ......... 74361C—Kidder loam, 4 to 6 percent slopes ......... 74361C2—Kidder loam, 4 to 6 percent slopes,

eroded ......................................................... 75361C3—Kidder clay loam, 4 to 6 percent

slopes, severely eroded ............................... 75361D2—Kidder loam, 6 to 12 percent slopes,

eroded ......................................................... 75361D3—Kidder clay loam, 6 to 12 percent

slopes, severely eroded ............................... 76361E—Kidder loam, 12 to 20 percent slopes ..... 76361E2—Kidder loam, 12 to 20 percent

slopes, eroded ............................................. 77361F—Kidder silt loam, 20 to 30 percent

slopes .......................................................... 77Kish Series ......................................................... 77626A—Kish loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes ............. 781626A—Kish loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes,

undrained ..................................................... 79Lahoguess Series .............................................. 79

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528A—Lahoguess loam, 0 to 2 percentslopes .......................................................... 80

La Rose Series ................................................... 8060C2—La Rose loam, 5 to 10 percent

slopes, eroded ............................................. 81Lena Series ........................................................ 81210A—Lena muck, 0 to 2 percent slopes ........... 821210A—Lena muck, 0 to 2 percent slopes,

undrained ..................................................... 82Lisbon Series ..................................................... 8359A—Lisbon silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes ...... 8459B—Lisbon silt loam, 2 to 4 percent slopes ...... 84Lismod Series .................................................... 84635A—Lismod silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes .......................................................... 86635B—Lismod silt loam, 2 to 4 percent

slopes .......................................................... 86Lorenzo Series ................................................... 86318A—Lorenzo loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes ....... 87318B—Lorenzo loam, 2 to 4 percent slopes ....... 88318C2—Lorenzo loam, 4 to 6 percent slopes,

eroded ......................................................... 88318D2—Lorenzo loam, 6 to 12 percent

slopes, eroded ............................................. 88Martinsville Series .............................................. 89570A—Martinsville silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes .......................................................... 90570B—Martinsville silt loam, 2 to 4 percent

slopes .......................................................... 90570C2—Martinsville silt loam, 4 to 6 percent

slopes, eroded ............................................. 90Martinton Series ................................................. 91189A—Martinton silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes .......................................................... 92McHenry Series .................................................. 92310B—McHenry silt loam, 2 to 4 percent

slopes .......................................................... 93Millbrook Series .................................................. 93219A—Millbrook silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes .......................................................... 94Millington Series ................................................. 951082A—Millington silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes, undrained, occasionally flooded ....... 96

8082A—Millington silt loam, 0 to 2 percentslopes, occasionally flooded ........................ 96

Millstream Series ................................................ 96557A—Millstream silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes .......................................................... 98Nappanee Series ............................................... 98228B—Nappanee silt loam, 2 to 4 percent

slopes .......................................................... 99Octagon Series .................................................. 99656B—Octagon silt loam, 2 to 4 percent

slopes ........................................................ 100656C2—Octagon silt loam, 4 to 6 percent

slopes, eroded ........................................... 100802B—Orthents, loamy, undulating .................. 101Ozaukee Series ................................................ 101530B—Ozaukee silt loam, 2 to 4 percent

slopes ........................................................ 102530C2—Ozaukee silt loam, 4 to 6 percent

slopes, eroded ........................................... 103530C3—Ozaukee silty clay loam, 4 to 6

percent slopes, severely eroded ................ 103530D2—Ozaukee silt loam, 6 to 12 percent

slopes, eroded ........................................... 103530D3—Ozaukee silty clay loam, 6 to 12

percent slopes, severely eroded ................ 104530E—Ozaukee silt loam, 12 to 20 percent

slopes ........................................................ 104Palms Series .................................................... 105100A—Palms muck, 0 to 2 percent slopes ....... 1051100A—Palms muck, 0 to 2 percent slopes,

undrained ................................................... 106Parmod Series ................................................. 106636B—Parmod silt loam, 2 to 5 percent

slopes ........................................................ 107Parr Series ....................................................... 107221B—Parr silt loam, 2 to 5 percent slopes ..... 108221C2—Parr silt loam, 5 to 10 percent

slopes, eroded ........................................... 108Pella Series ...................................................... 109153A—Pella silty clay loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes ........................................................ 110153A+—Pella silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes, overwash ....................................... 110

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1153A—Pella silty clay loam, 0 to 2 percentslopes, undrained ...................................... 111

Peotone Series ................................................. 111330A—Peotone silty clay loam, 0 to 2

percent slopes ........................................... 1121330A—Peotone silty clay loam, 0 to 2

percent slopes, undrained .......................... 112Piscasaw Series ............................................... 112543B—Piscasaw silt loam, 2 to 4 percent

slopes ........................................................ 113865—Pits, gravel .............................................. 114Proctor Series .................................................. 114148A—Proctor silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes ........................................................ 115148B—Proctor silt loam, 2 to 5 percent

slopes ........................................................ 115Ringwood Series .............................................. 116297A—Ringwood silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes ........................................................ 117297B—Ringwood silt loam, 2 to 4 percent

slopes ........................................................ 117Rockton Series ................................................. 117503B—Rockton silt loam, 2 to 6 percent

slopes ........................................................ 118Rodman Series ................................................ 119969E2—Casco-Rodman complex, 12 to 20

percent slopes, eroded .............................. 119969F—Casco-Rodman complex, 20 to 30

percent slopes ........................................... 120Rush Series ..................................................... 120791A—Rush silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes .... 121791B—Rush silt loam, 2 to 4 percent slopes .... 121791C2—Rush silt loam, 4 to 6 percent

slopes, eroded ........................................... 122Selmass Series ................................................ 122529A—Selmass loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes .... 1231529A—Selmass loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes, undrained ...................................... 124Senachwine Series .......................................... 124618E—Senachwine silt loam, 12 to 20

percent slopes ........................................... 125618F—Senachwine silt loam, 20 to 30

percent slopes ........................................... 125

Thorp Series ..................................................... 126206A—Thorp silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes ... 1271206A—Thorp silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes, undrained ...................................... 127Torox Series ..................................................... 128544A—Torox silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes ... 129Troxel Series .................................................... 129197A—Troxel silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes ........................................................ 130Varna Series .................................................... 131223B—Varna silt loam, 2 to 4 percent slopes ... 132223C2—Varna silt loam, 4 to 6 percent

slopes, eroded ........................................... 132223D2—Varna silt loam, 6 to 12 percent

slopes, eroded ........................................... 132Virgil Series ...................................................... 133104A—Virgil silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes .... 134Warsaw Series ................................................. 134290A—Warsaw loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes ..... 135290B—Warsaw loam, 2 to 4 percent slopes ..... 136290C2—Warsaw loam, 4 to 6 percent

slopes, eroded ........................................... 136Waupecan Series ............................................. 137369A—Waupecan silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes ........................................................ 138369B—Waupecan silt loam, 2 to 4 percent

slopes ........................................................ 138Will Series ........................................................ 138329A—Will loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes ............ 139Windere Series ................................................. 140545A—Windere silt loam, 0 to 2 percent

slopes ........................................................ 141545B—Windere silt loam, 2 to 4 percent

slopes ........................................................ 141References .......................................................... 143Glossary .............................................................. 145Tables .................................................................. 155

Table 1.—Temperature and Precipitation .......... 156Table 2.—Freeze Dates in Spring and Fall ....... 157Table 3.—Growing Season ............................... 157Table 4.—Classification of the Soils .................. 158Table 5.—Acreage and Proportionate Extent

of the Soils ................................................. 160

Issued 2001

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This soil survey contains information that can be used in land-planning programs inMcHenry County. It contains predictions of soil behavior for selected land uses. Thesurvey also highlights limitations and hazards inherent in the soil, improvementsneeded to overcome the limitations, and the impact of selected land uses on theenvironment.

This soil survey is designed for many different users. Farmers, foresters, andagronomists can use it to evaluate the potential of the soil and the managementneeded for maximum food and fiber production. Planners, community officials,engineers, developers, builders, and home buyers can use the survey to plan land use,select sites for construction, and identify special practices needed to ensure properperformance. Conservationists, teachers, students, and specialists in recreation,wildlife management, waste disposal, and pollution control can use the survey to helpthem understand, protect, and enhance the environment.

Great differences in soil properties can occur within short distances. Some soils areseasonally wet or subject to flooding. Some are shallow to bedrock. Some are toounstable to be used as a foundation for buildings or roads. Clayey or wet soils arepoorly suited to use as septic tank absorption fields. A high water table makes a soilpoorly suited to basements or underground installations.

These and many other soil properties that affect land use are described in this soilsurvey. The location of each soil is shown on the detailed soil maps. Each soil in thesurvey area is described, and information on specific uses is given. Help in using thispublication and additional information are available at the local office of the NaturalResources Conservation Service or the Cooperative Extension Service.

William J. GradleState ConservationistNatural Resources Conservation Service

Foreword

Location of McHenry County in Illinois.

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MCHENRY COUNTY is in northeastern Illinois. It has anarea of 391,220 acres, or 611 square miles. In 1990,the population of the county was 183,241 (U.S.Department of Commerce, 1990). Woodstock is thecounty seat. Crystal Lake and McHenry are the largestcities. The county is bordered by Kenosha andWalworth Counties, Wisconsin, on the north; by LakeCounty on the east; by Cook, Kane, and DeKalbCounties on the south; and by Boone County on thewest.

This soil survey updates the survey of McHenryCounty published by the University of Illinois in 1965(Ray and Wascher, 1965). It provides additionalinformation and has larger maps, which show the soilsin greater detail.

General Nature of the Survey AreaThis section provides general information about

McHenry County. It describes history; physiography,relief, and drainage; natural resources; urbanization;agriculture; transportation facilities; industry; andclimate.

History

Nancy J. Fike, McHenry County Historical Society, helpedprepare this section.

A small number of Indians, primarily Potawatomi,lived in the survey area. They were protected by theTreaty of Chicago until 1836. This treaty did not reallyprevent the settlement of the area by immigrants.Some of the earliest settlers were Samuel andMargaret Gillilan of West Virginia. In 1834, they tookup land on the west side of the Fox River betweenAlgonquin and Cary.

Like several other northern Illinois counties,McHenry County looked to southern Illinois for itsname. William McHenry of White County served as astate representative, as a major during the BlackHawk War of 1832, and then as a state senator. Whenhe died in 1835, the Illinois State Legislature decidedto honor him by naming a new county after him.

McHenry County was established in 1836. It wasinitially comprised of present-day McHenry and LakeCounties. By 1839, the large population of the easternportion of the area warranted separation into two

Soil Survey of

McHenry County, IllinoisBy Dale E. Calsyn, Natural Resources Conservation Service

Fieldwork by B.W. Ray and H.L. Wascher, Department of Agronomy; A.H. Reimer,C.A. Skimina, and P.T. Veale, Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station; and D.C. Hallbick,E.G. Holhubner, R.L. Newbury, and L.H. Pierard, Soil Conservation Service

Updated by Dale E. Calsyn, Jeffrey A. Deniger, and Eric J. Engel, Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Additional detailed fieldwork provided by William R. Kreznor and Robert Oja,Certified Professional Soil Classifiers

Map compilation by Jeffrey A. Deniger, Karla D. Hanson, Ellen M. Starr, andMichael B. Walker, Natural Resources Conservation Service

United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service,in cooperation withthe Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station

12 Soil Survey of

counties. From 1836 until 1844, McHenry served asthe county seat. In 1844, the county seat was movedto the geographic center of the county, Centerville,which was renamed Woodstock in 1845.

Subsistence farming characterized settlement untiljust after the Civil War. With the development ofrefrigerated railroad cars, the shipping of milk becamepractical and profitable. From then until after WorldWar II, McHenry County was a major dairy producingarea.

Physiography, Relief, and Drainage

The county is comprised of moraines, outwashplains, stream terraces, flood plains, kames, kameterraces, eskers, lake plains, and bogs. A prominentnorth-south moraine, the Marengo Ridge, occurs inthe western part of McHenry County in line with thetowns of Harvard and Marengo. This moraine and allof the county to the east is in the Wheaton MorainalCountry of the Great Lakes Section of the CentralLowland Province (Leighton and others, 1948). Theremainder of the county west of the Marengo Ridge isin the Rock River Hill Country of the Till Plains Sectionof the Central Lowland Province.

The highest elevation in the county is about 1,190feet above sea level. It is about 4.5 miles northeast ofHarvard on the West Chicago Moraine. The lowestelevation is about 730 feet at the point where the FoxRiver leaves the county south of Algonquin.

The western part of the county is drained by theKishwaukee River, which flows generally toward thewest. Two tributaries, Piscasaw and Rush Creeks,flow southwest into the Kishwaukee River. A thirdtributary, Coon Creek, flows in a northwesterlydirection into the river. The eastern half of McHenryCounty is drained by the Fox River, which flows south.Boone and Nippersink Creeks are the main tributariesof the Fox River.

Several important lakes are in the eastern part ofthe county. The largest natural lake is Pistakee Lake.Wonder Lake is the largest manmade lake.

Natural Resources

Sue Ehardt, zoning enforcement officer, McHenry CountyPlanning and Zoning Department, helped prepare this section.

McHenry County is well known for its sand andgravel resources. The sand and gravel materialsdeposited by glacier action have proven to be a majorresource in the county and are the most extensivedeposits in northeastern Illinois (Masters, 1978). In1975, McHenry County was the top producer of sandand gravel in Illinois. The county remains a major

producer of this resource. Approximately two-thirds ofthe county is underlain by various types of gravel.

In 1989, a comprehensive inventory of gravelmining operations was undertaken in an attempt toprovide a complete informational document forreviewing gravel mining operations on a countywidebasis. The inventory included two designations ofearth extraction—”borrow pit” and “pit.” Thedesignation of “borrow pit” was assigned to areaswhere activity could be visually seen but apparent usewas obviously limited. These “borrow pits” weregenerally in areas of predominantly agricultural use,did not appear to be of sufficient size to maintain acommercial operation, and were more than likely usedas a source of gravel for use on the farm itself. Thesecond designation of “pits” was given in thoseinstances where the size and location of the “pit”appeared to lend themselves to more of a commercialuse of the gravel extraction. Based upon theinformation in the inventory, a task force determinedthat 31 active pits existed within McHenry County.

Urbanization

Brian P. Depies, planner, McHenry County Department ofPlanning and Development, helped prepare this section.

In the 1830’s, land was sold in 80-acre tracts for$1.25 an acre. The cheap, available land spurred alarge influx of people into McHenry County. Between1840 and 1850, the population increased from 2,575to 14,978, or by 481 percent. After a 47 percentincrease in population from 1850 to 1860 (from 14,978to 22,089), population growth stabilized and stayed onaverage at about 7 percent until the 1940’s. Amongthe major attractions of McHenry County were the richagricultural soils.

During the last 50 years, McHenry County has seensignificant jumps in population of 20 percent or moreover 10-year spans. The 1990 U.S. census reported183,241 residents in McHenry County. This numberrepresents a 24 percent increase in population sincethe 1980 U.S. census and represents the largestpercent increase of any county in Illinois during thisperiod of time. Today, about 60 percent of the countyis still used for some form of agriculture.

Over the last 25 years, the migration of people fromurban to suburban areas has had a significant impacton land use in McHenry County. The southeasternpart of the county has been more intensivelydeveloped for urban uses, while the western part hasfelt the pressure of residential development in the formof small hobby farms and large lot estates ranging insize from 1 to 5 acres.

Although the push for development is growing

McHenry County, Illinois—Part I 13

stronger throughout the county, a balance can bestruck between accommodating a broad range ofhuman activities and preservation of the environmentand natural resources. With proper siting oftransportation facilities, industrial parks, andresidential developments, McHenry County canmaintain areas set aside for agricultural use whileaccommodating the residential needs in the area.

Agriculture

McHenry County is one of the fastest growingcounties in the state in terms of population. This rapidurbanization has resulted in a tremendous change inland use in the county (fig. 1). The number of farms inMcHenry County dropped from 1,136 in 1987 to 985 in1992 (U.S. Department of Commerce, 1992). Since

Figure 1.—Because of significant increases in population over the past two decades, land use in McHenry County has been shiftingfrom agricultural to urban.

14 Soil Survey of

1950, the number of farms has decreased by 1,440.Likewise, the total acreage in farms decreased from265,908 in 1987 to 249,240 in 1992. The average farmsize, however, increased from 234 to 253 acres.

Agriculture in McHenry County consists ofcommodity crop production, livestock, and specialtycrops, such as vegetables, turf, and landscapematerials. The largest agricultural land use is theproduction of corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, and hay.Corn accounts for 53 percent of the cropland acreage,soybeans for 27 percent, small grain for 4 percent,and hay for 12 percent.

In 1994, the number of swine was 44,200 and thenumber of cattle was 38,500 (Illinois Cooperative CropReporting Service, 1995). Dairy farming is animportant part of livestock production. McHenryCounty ranks fourth among Illinois counties in totaldairy production. Other types of animal productioninclude horses and exotic animals, such as llamas andemus.

Transportation Facilities

Nancy L. Baker, McHenry County Highway Department, helpedprepare this section.

McHenry County’s transportation system providespassenger and freight access to the Chicago,Rockford, and Milwaukee metropolitan areas. Theroad network includes the Northwest Tollway (I-90);U.S. Highways 12, 14, and 20; and State Highways22, 23, 31, 47, 62, 120, 173, and 176. McHenryCounty itself has a well developed county highwaysystem that provides connections betweenincorporated and unincorporated areas.

Commuter rail is the major mode of publictransportation in the county. Commuter rail service toand from Chicago is available in the communities ofHarvard, Woodstock, Crystal Lake, Cary, and FoxRiver Grove. A branch line links McHenry to the maincommuter line to Chicago. Freight is also shipped byrail. Several lines through the county provide easyaccess. Fixed route and demand-response busservice is available in several communities.

McHenry County is served by three generalaviation airports. These are Dacy Airport nearHarvard, Galt Airport near Greenwood, and the Lakein the Hills Airport.

Industry

There are nearly 900 manufacturing firms in thesurvey area. McHenry County is home to a widevariety of companies that manufacture such items as

electric timers, plastic molds, cellular phones,computer components, and medical products.McHenry County is especially attractive to industrybecause of its large labor pool, extensivetransportation system, and access to major markets,such as Chicago, Milwaukee, and Rockford.

Climate

Table 1 gives data on temperature and precipitationfor the survey area as recorded at Marengo in theperiod 1961 to 1990. Table 2 shows probable dates ofthe first freeze in fall and the last freeze in spring.Table 3 provides data on length of the growingseason.

In winter, the average temperature is 21.7 degreesF and the average daily minimum is 12.7 degrees. Thelowest temperature on record, which occurred atMarengo on January 11, 1979, is -29 degrees. Insummer, the average temperature is 70.7 degrees andthe average daily maximum temperature is 83.1degrees. The highest recorded temperature, whichoccurred at Marengo on July 14, 1936, is 109degrees.

Growing degree days are shown in table 1. Theyare equivalent to “heat units.” During the month,growing degree days accumulate by the amount thatthe average temperature each day exceeds a basetemperature (50 degrees F). The normal monthlyaccumulation is used to schedule single or successiveplantings of a crop between the last freeze in springand the first freeze in fall.

The total annual precipitation is 36.18 inches. Ofthis, 23.71 inches, or about 66 percent, usually falls inApril through September. The growing season formost crops falls within this period. In 2 years out of 10,the rainfall in April through September is less than13.44 inches. The heaviest 1-day rainfall during theperiod of record was 4.07 inches on July 2, 1978.

The average seasonal snowfall is 35.5 inches. Thegreatest snow depth at any one time during the periodof record was 38 inches on January 17, 1979. On theaverage, 36 days of the year have at least 1 inch ofsnow on the ground. The number of such days variesgreatly from year to year. The heaviest 1-day snowfallwas 12 inches on January 1, 1979.

The average relative humidity in midafternoon isabout 60 percent. Humidity is higher at night, and theaverage at dawn is about 80 percent. The sun shines67 percent of the time possible in summer and 47percent in winter. The prevailing wind is from thesouth-southwest. Average windspeed is highest, 12miles per hour, in April.

Tornadoes and severe thunderstorms strike


occasionally. They are of local extent and of shortduration and cause only sparse damage in narrowareas. Hailstorms sometimes occur during the warmerperiods.

How This Survey Was MadeThis survey was made to provide information about

the soils and miscellaneous areas in the survey area.The information includes a description of the soils andmiscellaneous areas and their location and adiscussion of their suitability, limitations, andmanagement for specified uses. Soil scientistsobserved the steepness, length, and shape of theslopes; the degree of erosion; the general pattern ofdrainage; and the kinds of crops and native plants. Tostudy the soil profile, which is the sequence of naturallayers, or horizons, soil scientists examined the soilwith the aid of a soil probe or spade. The profileextends from the surface down into theunconsolidated material in which the soil formed. Theunconsolidated material is devoid of roots and otherliving organisms and has not been changed by otherbiological activity.

The soils and miscellaneous areas in the surveyarea are in an orderly pattern that is related to thegeology, landforms, relief, climate, and naturalvegetation of the area. Each kind of soil andmiscellaneous area is associated with a particular kindor segment of the landscape. By observing the soilsand miscellaneous areas in the survey area andrelating their position to specific segments of thelandscape, soil scientists develop a concept, or model,of how the soils were formed.

Individual soils on the landscape commonly mergeinto one another as their characteristics graduallychange. To construct an accurate map, however, soilscientists must determine the boundaries between thesoils. They can observe only a limited number of soilprofiles. Nevertheless, these observations,supplemented by an understanding of the soil-vegetation-landscape relationship, are sufficient toverify predictions of the kinds of soil in an area and todetermine the boundaries.

Fieldwork in McHenry County consisted primarily ofsoil transects conducted by soil scientists. Soiltransects are a systematic way of sampling a specificsoil type. Soil borings are taken at regular intervals.Soil scientists then record the characteristics of thesoil profiles that they study. They note soil color,texture, size and shape of soil aggregates, kind andamount of rock fragments, distribution of plant roots,reaction, and other features. This information can thenbe used to run statistical analyses for specific soil

properties. These results, along with otherobservations, enable the soil scientists to assign thesoils to taxonomic classes (units). Taxonomic classesare concepts. Each taxonomic class has a set of soilcharacteristics with precisely defined limits. Theclasses are used as a basis for comparison to classifysoils systematically. Soil taxonomy, the system oftaxonomic classification used in the United States, isbased mainly on the kind and character of soilproperties and the arrangement of horizons within theprofile. After the soil scientists classified and namedthe soils in the survey area, they compared theindividual soils with similar soils in the sametaxonomic class in other areas so that they couldconfirm data and assemble additional data based onexperience and research.

While a soil survey is in progress, samples of someof the soils in the area generally are collected forlaboratory analyses and for engineering tests. Soilscientists interpret the data from these analyses andtests as well as the field-observed characteristics andthe soil properties to determine the expected behaviorof the soils under different uses. Interpretations for allof the soils are field tested through observation of thesoils in different uses and under different levels ofmanagement. Some interpretations are modified to fitlocal conditions, and some new interpretations aredeveloped to meet local needs. Data are assembledfrom other sources, such as research information,production records, and field experience of specialists.For example, data on crop yields under defined levelsof management are assembled from farm records andfrom field or plot experiments on the same kinds ofsoil.

Predictions about soil behavior are based not onlyon soil properties but also on such variables asclimate and biological activity. Soil conditions arepredictable over long periods of time, but they are notpredictable from year to year. For example, soilscientists can predict with a fairly high degree ofaccuracy that a given soil will have a high water tablewithin certain depths in most years, but they cannotpredict that a high water table will always be at aspecific level in the soil on a specific date.

Aerial photographs used in this survey were takenin 1988. Soil scientists also studied U.S. GeologicalSurvey topographic maps enlarged to a scale of1:12,000, ortho-photographs, and infraredphotography to relate land and image features.Specific soil boundaries were drawn on the ortho-photographs. Adjustments of soil boundary lines weremade to coincide with the U.S. Geological Surveytopographic map contour lines and tonal patterns onaerial photographs.

17

This section relates the soils in the survey area tothe major factors of soil formation and describes thesystem of soil classification.

Factors of Soil FormationSoil forms through processes that act on deposited

geologic material. The factors of soil formation are thephysical and mineralogical composition of the parentmaterial; the climate in which the soil formed; the plantand animal life on and in the soil; relief; and the lengthof time during which the processes of soil formationhave acted on the parent material (Jenny, 1941).

Climate and plant and animal life are the dominantactive factors of soil formation. They act directly on theparent material, either in place or after it has beenmoved from place to place by water, wind, or glaciers,and slowly change it into a natural body that hasgenetically related horizons. Relief modifies soilformation and can inhibit soil formation on the steeper,eroded slopes and in wet, depressional or nearly levelareas by controlling the moisture status of soils.Finally, time is needed for changing the parentmaterial into a soil that has differentiated horizons.

The factors of soil formation are so closelyinterrelated and conditioned by each other that fewgeneralizations can be made regarding the effects ofany one factor unless the effects of the other factorsare understood.

Parent Material

Parent material is the geologic material in which asoil forms. Most of the soils in McHenry County werederived from parent materials that are a direct orindirect result of glaciers. The parent materials in thissurvey area are glacial till; glacial outwash; loess, orsilty material; organic deposits; alluvium; lacustrinedeposits; and bedrock.

Glacial till is nonstratified drift transported anddeposited directly by glacial ice. The majority of tilldeposits in McHenry County occur as a series ofmorainal ridges and till plains that were formed as theretreating glaciers moved eastward. There were threedifferent glacier formations across the county, and five

different till members have been identified. The oldestof these till members is the Belvidere Member of theGlasford Formation, which is of Illinoian age (Berg andothers, 1985). It occurs in the western andsouthwestern parts of the county. Danabrook soilsformed in this material. The next oldest till member,which is late Illinoian, is the Capron Member. It is partof the Winnebago Formation and occurs in thenorthwestern part of the county. Piscasaw and Toroxsoils formed in this material. The other three tillmembers are Wisconsinan and are part of the WedronFormation. The oldest of these is Tiskilwa till, whichmakes up the Marengo Ridge. Kidami soils formed inthis material. The next till member, Yorkville till,generally contains the most clay of all the tillmembers. The clay mineralogy is dominantly illitic.This till member is south of Woodstock and extends ina southerly and southeasterly direction to the countyline. Elliott and Ozaukee soils formed in Yorkville till.The youngest till member in McHenry County is theHaeger Member. It is sandy loam and generallycontains more gravel than the other till members. Itmakes up the West Chicago Moraine, lying directlyeast of the Marengo Ridge in the northern half of thecounty and extending through Woodstock in asoutheasterly direction to Algonquin. Kidder andRingwood soils formed in the Haeger till.

Glacial outwash was deposited by running waterfrom melting glaciers. The size of particles varies,depending on the speed of the stream that carried thematerial. When the water slowed down, the coarserparticles were deposited. The finer particles werecarried a greater distance by slower water. Outwashdeposits in McHenry County range from loamysediments to sand and gravel. Landscapes includeoutwash plains, stream terraces, kames, and eskers.Fox soils, for example, formed in loamy deposits oversand and gravel.

Sometime after the glaciers retreated, conditionsbecame drier and the winds increased. A thin,discontinuous layer of silty material, or loess, wasdeposited over the county directly by the winds. Theprimary sources of the loess were the flood plainsalong major rivers. Some of the silty material in thecounty may be of local origin since it contains more

Formation and Classification of the Soils

18 Soil Survey of

sand than loess typically does. Thickness of the siltymaterial generally ranges from 2.0 to 3.5 feet west ofthe Marengo Ridge. The ridge itself and areas to theeast generally have a loess cover less than 2 feetthick. Proctor soils formed in silty material and in theunderlying outwash.

Organic material consists of plant remains. After theglaciers receded, water was left standing in variouslandform depressions. These areas were very wetduring the time of soil formation. As a result, thedecaying grasses and sedges accumulated morerapidly than the rate of decomposition. Most of theplant material has decomposed to a point where it isnot recognizable. These organic deposits are calledmuck. Houghton soils formed in this organic material.

Alluvium is material recently deposited by streams.It varies in texture, depending on the speed of thewater from which it was deposited. Millington soilsformed in loamy alluvium.

Lacustrine material was deposited from still orponded glacial meltwater. After the coarser fragmentswere deposited as outwash by moving water, the finerparticles, such as very fine sand, silt, and clay, settledin still water. Martinton soils formed in lacustrinedeposits.

A very small area on the western edge of thecounty formed in glacial drift that is moderately deepover limestone bedrock. Rockton soils formed in thismaterial.

Climate

McHenry County has a temperate, humidcontinental climate. The general climate has had animportant overall influence on the characteristics of thesoils. Climate is essentially uniform throughout thecounty, however, and has not caused any majordifferences among the soils.

Climate has very important effects on weathering,vegetation, and erosion. The weathering of minerals inthe soil increases as temperature and rainfallincrease. As water moves downward, clay is movedfrom the surface soil to the subsoil, where itaccumulates. The water also dissolves soluble saltsand leaches them downward. Climate also influencesthe kind and extent of plant and animal life. Theclimate in McHenry County has favored prairie grassand hardwood forests. Heavy rains can harm exposedareas of soils that have been farmed. Spring rains andwind can cause extensive erosion when crop residueand trees are removed from the surface. More soil willbe lost through erosion each year than is formed bynatural processes.

Living Organisms

Soils are affected by the vegetation under whichthey formed. The main contribution of the vegetationand biological processes is the addition of organicmatter and nitrogen to the soil. The amount of organicmaterial in the soil depends on the kind of nativeplants that grew on the soil. Grasses have many finefibrous roots that add large amounts of organic matterto the soil when they die and decay. Soils that formedunder prairie vegetation, therefore, have a thick, blackor dark brown surface layer. Parr, Ringwood, Warsaw,and Waupecan soils formed under prairie vegetation.In contrast, the soils whose native vegetation wasdeciduous trees have a thin, light-colored surfacelayer because less organic matter is added to the soilby tree roots than by the prairie vegetation. Casco,Kidami, and Kidder soils formed under forestvegetation.

Bacteria, fungi, and other micro-organisms help tobreak down the organic matter and thus providenutrients for plants and other soil organisms. Thestability of soil aggregates, which are structural unitsmade up of sand, silt, and clay, is affected by microbialactivity because cellular excretions from theseorganisms help to bind soil particles together. Stableaggregates help to maintain soil porosity and promotefavorable relationships among soil, water, and air.Moreover, earthworms, crayfish, insects, andburrowing animals tend to incorporate organic matterinto the soil and help to keep soils open and porous.

Relief

Relief, which includes elevation, topography, andwater table levels, largely determines the naturaldrainage of soils. In McHenry County, the slopesrange from 0 to 30 percent. Natural soil drainageclasses range from well drained on the side slopesand ridges to very poorly drained in depressions.

Relief affects the depth to the seasonal high watertable or natural drainage of the soil by influencinginfiltration and runoff rates. The poorly drainedDunham and Selmass soils are in low-lying, nearlylevel areas and have a water table close to the surfacefor most of the year. The soil pores contain water,which restricts the circulation of air in the soil. Underthese conditions, iron and manganese compounds arechemically reduced. As a result, the subsoil is dullgray and mottled. In the more sloping, well drainedGriswold soils, the water table is lower and some ofthe rainfall runs off the surface. The soil pores containless water and more air. The iron and manganese


compounds are well oxidized. As a result, the subsoilis brown.

Nearly level, poorly drained soils, such as Pellasoils, are less well developed than the gently sloping,well drained Proctor soils. Pella soils have a highwater table for part of the year. The wetness inhibitsthe removal of weathered products. In contrast,Proctor soils are deeper to a water table. As a result,weathered products are translocated downward to agreater extent.

Local relief also influences the severity of erosion.Some erosion occurs on all sloping soils, but thehazard becomes more severe as the slope and therunoff rate increase.

Time

The length of time needed for the formation of a soildepends on the other factors of soil formation. Soilsform more rapidly and are more acid if the parentmaterial is low in lime content. Thus, more rapidlypermeable soils form more readily than more slowlypermeable soils because lime and other solubleminerals are leached more quickly. Forest soils formmore quickly than prairie soils because grasses aremore efficient in recycling calcium and other basesfrom the subsoil to the surface layer. Soils in humidclimates that support good growth of vegetation formmore rapidly than those in dry climates.

The length of time that the parent materials havebeen in place determines, to a great extent, thedegree of profile development. Most of the soils inMcHenry County began forming with the retreat of thelast glacier about 12,500 years ago. On flood plains,however, material is deposited during each flood. Thiscontinual deposition slows development. Millingtonsoils formed in alluvium and have a very weaklydeveloped profile.

Classification of the SoilsThe system of soil classification used by the

National Cooperative Soil Survey has six categories(Soil Survey Staff, 1999). Beginning with the broadest,these categories are the order, suborder, great group,subgroup, family, and series. Classification is basedon soil properties observed in the field or inferred fromthose observations or from laboratory measurements.Table 4 shows the classification of the soils in thesurvey area. The categories are defined in thefollowing paragraphs.

ORDER. Twelve soil orders are recognized. Thedifferences among orders reflect the dominant soil-

forming processes and the degree of soil formation.Each order is identified by a word ending in sol. Anexample is Mollisol.

SUBORDER. Each order is divided into subordersprimarily on the basis of properties that influence soilgenesis and are important to plant growth orproperties that reflect the most important variableswithin the orders. The last syllable in the name of asuborder indicates the order. An example is Aquoll(Aqu, meaning water, plus oll, from Mollisol).

GREAT GROUP. Each suborder is divided intogreat groups on the basis of close similarities in kind,arrangement, and degree of development ofpedogenic horizons; soil moisture and temperatureregimes; and base status. Each great group isidentified by the name of a suborder and by a prefixthat indicates a property of the soil. An example isEndoaquolls (Endo, meaning soils withendosaturation, plus aquoll, the suborder of theMollisols that has an aquic moisture regime).

SUBGROUP. Each great group has a typicsubgroup. Other subgroups are intergrades orextragrades. The typic is the central concept of thegreat group; it is not necessarily the most extensive.Intergrades are transitions to other orders, suborders,or great groups. Extragrades have some propertiesthat are not representative of the great group but donot indicate transitions to any other known kind of soil.Each subgroup is identified by one or more adjectivespreceding the name of the great group. The adjectiveTypic identifies the subgroup that typifies the greatgroup. An example is Typic Endoaquolls.

FAMILY. Families are established within asubgroup on the basis of physical and chemicalproperties and other characteristics that affectmanagement. Generally, the properties are those ofhorizons below plow depth where there is muchbiological activity. Among the properties andcharacteristics considered are particle-size class,mineral content, temperature regime, thickness of theroot zone, consistence, moisture equivalent, slope,and permanent cracks. A family name consists of thename of a subgroup preceded by terms that indicatesoil properties. An example is fine-silty, mixed, mesicTypic Endoaquolls.

SERIES. The series consists of soils that havesimilar horizons in their profile. The horizons aresimilar in color, texture, structure, reaction,consistence, mineral and chemical composition, andarrangement in the profile. The texture of the surfacelayer or of the substratum can differ within a series. Anexample is the Dunham series.

21

In this section, arranged in alphabetical order, eachsoil series recognized in the survey area is described.Each series description is followed by descriptions ofthe associated detailed soil map units.

Characteristics of the soil and the material in whichit formed are identified for each soil series. A pedon, asmall three-dimensional area of soil, that is typical ofthe series in the survey area is described. Thedetailed description of each soil horizon followsstandards in the “Soil Survey Manual” (USDA, 1993).Many of the technical terms used in the descriptionsare defined in “Soil Taxonomy” (USDA, 1999). Unlessotherwise stated, colors in the descriptions are formoist soil. Following the pedon description is therange of important characteristics of the soils in theseries.

The map units on the detailed soil maps in thissurvey represent the soils or miscellaneous areas inthe survey area. The map unit descriptions in thissection, along with the maps, can be used todetermine the suitability and potential of a unit forspecific uses. They also can be used to plan themanagement needed for those uses. More informationabout each map unit is given in Part II of this survey.

A map unit delineation on the detailed soil mapsrepresents an area on the landscape and consists ofone or more soils or miscellaneous areas. A map unitis identified and named according to the taxonomicclassification of the dominant soils. Within a taxonomicclass there are precisely defined limits for theproperties of the soils. On the landscape, however, thesoils and miscellaneous areas are naturalphenomena, and they have the characteristicvariability of all natural phenomena. Thus, the range ofsome observed properties may extend beyond thelimits defined for a taxonomic class. Areas of soils of asingle taxonomic class rarely, if ever, can be mappedwithout including areas of other taxonomic classes.Consequently, every map unit is made up of the soilsor miscellaneous areas for which it is named andsome “included” areas that belong to other taxonomicclasses.

Most included soils have properties similar to thoseof the dominant soil or soils in the map unit, and thusthey do not affect use and management. These are

called noncontrasting, or similar, soils. They may ormay not be mentioned in the map unit description.Other included soils and miscellaneous areas,however, have properties and behavioralcharacteristics divergent enough to affect use or torequire different management. These are calledcontrasting, or dissimilar, soils. They generally are insmall areas and could not be mapped separatelybecause of the scale used. Some small areas ofstrongly contrasting soils or miscellaneous areas areidentified by a special symbol on the maps. Theincluded areas of contrasting soils or miscellaneousareas are mentioned in the map unit descriptions. Afew included areas may not have been observed, andconsequently they are not mentioned in thedescriptions, especially where the pattern was socomplex that it was impractical to make enoughobservations to identify all the soils and miscellaneousareas on the landscape.

The presence of included areas in a map unit in noway diminishes the usefulness or accuracy of thedata. The objective of mapping is not to delineate puretaxonomic classes but rather to separate thelandscape into segments that have similar use andmanagement requirements. The delineation of suchlandscape segments on the map provides sufficientinformation for the development of resource plans, butif intensive use of small areas is planned, onsiteinvestigation is needed to define and locate the soilsand miscellaneous areas.

An identifying symbol precedes the map unit namein the map unit descriptions. Each description includesgeneral facts about the unit.

Soils that have profiles that are almost alike makeup a soil series. Except for differences in texture of thesurface layer or of the underlying layers, all the soils ofa series have major horizons that are similar incomposition, thickness, and arrangement.

Soils of one series can differ in texture of thesurface layer or of the underlying layers. They alsocan differ in slope, stoniness, salinity, wetness, degreeof erosion, and other characteristics that affect theiruse. On the basis of such differences, a soil series isdivided into soil phases. Most of the areas shown onthe detailed soil maps are phases of soil series. The

Soil Series and Detailed Soil Map Units

22 Soil Survey of

name of a soil phase commonly indicates a featurethat affects use or management. For example, Kidderloam, 4 to 6 percent slopes, eroded, is a phase of theKidder series.

Some map units are made up of two or more majorsoils or miscellaneous areas. These map units arecomplexes. A complex consists of two or more soils ormiscellaneous areas in such an intricate pattern or insuch small areas that they cannot be shownseparately on the maps. The pattern and proportion ofthe soils or miscellaneous areas are somewhat similarin all areas. Casco-Rodman complex, 12 to 20 percentslopes, eroded, is an example.

This survey includes miscellaneous areas. Suchareas have little or no soil material and support little orno vegetation. Pits, gravel, is an example.

Table 5 gives the acreage and proportionate extentof each map unit. Other tables (see Contents) giveproperties of the soils and the limitations, capabilities,and potentials for many uses. The Glossary definesmany of the terms used in describing the soils ormiscellaneous areas.

Ashkum Series

Drainage class: Poorly drainedPermeability: Moderately slowLandform: Moraines and till plainsParent material: Silty colluvium and the underlying silty

clay loam tillSlope range: 0 to 2 percentTaxonomic classification: Fine, mixed, mesic Typic

Endoaquolls

Typical Pedon for MLRA 95B

Typical pedon of Ashkum silty clay loam, 0 to 2percent slopes, 189 feet south and 2,247 feet west ofthe northeast corner of sec. 19, T. 44 N., R. 7 E.

Ap—0 to 6 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silty clay loam,dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak mediumsubangular blocky structure parting to moderatefine and medium granular; friable; common veryfine roots; few distinct black (N 2.5/0) organiccoatings on faces of peds; neutral; clear smoothboundary.

A—6 to 13 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silty clay, darkgray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate mediumsubangular blocky structure parting to moderatemedium granular; firm; common very fine roots;many distinct black (N 2.5/0) organic coatings onfaces of peds; few fine and medium dark grayishbrown (2.5Y 4/2) wormcasts; neutral; clear smoothboundary.

Btg1—13 to 18 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2)silty clay; weak fine and medium subangularblocky structure; friable; common very fine roots;common distinct dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) clay films onfaces of peds; many distinct very dark gray (2.5Y3/1) organic coatings on faces of peds; neutral;clear smooth boundary.

Btg2—18 to 22 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2)silty clay; moderate fine and medium subangularblocky structure; friable; common very fine roots;common distinct dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) clay films onfaces of peds; few distinct very dark gray (2.5Y3/1) organic coatings on faces of peds and inpores; common fine distinct light olive brown (2.5Y5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix;neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.

Btg3—22 to 30 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) siltyclay loam; moderate medium prismatic structureparting to moderate medium subangular blocky;firm; common very fine roots; common distinctdark gray (2.5Y 4/1) clay films on faces of peds;very few distinct very dark gray (2.5Y 3/1) organiccoatings in root channels and in pores; many fineand medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix;neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.

2Btg4—30 to 36 inches; greenish gray (5GY 5/1) siltyclay loam; weak medium prismatic structureparting to weak medium subangular blocky; firm;few very fine roots; very few distinct dark gray(2.5Y 4/1) clay films on faces of peds; very fewdistinct very dark gray (2.5Y 3/1) organic coatingsin root channels and in pores; common fine strongbrown (7.5YR 5/8) very weakly cemented ironoxide concretions throughout; many fine andmedium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6)masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 3percent gravel; slightly alkaline; clear smoothboundary.

2BCg—36 to 46 inches; greenish gray (5GY 5/1) siltyclay loam; weak medium prismatic structure; firm;few very fine roots; very few distinct very darkgray (2.5Y 3/1) organic coatings in root channelsand in pores; common fine white (10YR 8/1) softmasses of carbonates; common fine strong brown(7.5YR 5/8) very weakly cemented iron oxideconcretions throughout; many fine and mediumprominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses ofiron accumulation in the matrix; 3 percent gravel;strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clearsmooth boundary.

2Cg—46 to 60 inches; greenish gray (5GY 5/1) siltyclay loam; massive; firm; few very fine roots;many medium and coarse prominent yellowish


brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation inthe matrix; 3 percent gravel; strongly effervescent;moderately alkaline.

MLRA Series Range in Characteristics

Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 10 to 24 inchesThickness of silty material: 15 to 40 inchesDepth to carbonates: 22 to 48 inchesThickness of the solum: 30 to 55 inches

Ap or A horizon:Hue—10YR, 2.5Y, or NValue—2 or 3Chroma—0 or 1Texture—silty clay loam, silt loam, or silty clay

Btg horizon:Hue—2.5Y, 5Y, or NValue—3 to 6Chroma—0 to 2Texture—silty clay loam or silty clay

2Btg horizon:Hue—2.5Y, 5Y, 5GY, or NValue—5 or 6Chroma—0 to 2Texture—silty clay loam or silty clay

2Cg horizon:Hue—2.5Y, 5Y, 5GY, or NValue—5 or 6Chroma—1 or 2Texture—silty clay loam

232A—Ashkum silty clay loam, 0 to 2percent slopes

Setting

Landform: Moraines and till plainsPosition on the landform: Footslopes and toeslopesSlope range: 0 to 2 percent

A typical soil series description with range incharacteristics is included, in alphabetical order, in thissection. Additional information specific to this mapunit, such as horizon depth and textures, is availablein the “Soil Properties” section in Part II of thispublication.

Composition

Ashkum and similar soils: 85 percentDissimilar soils: 15 percent

Similar soils:• soils that have a thinner subsurface layer• soils that contain less clay in the subsoil

• soils that are overlain by recent, light-coloreddeposition

Dissimilar soils:• the somewhat poorly drained Beecher and Elliottsoils in the higher positions on the landform

Management

For general and detailed information aboutmanaging this map unit, see the following sections inPart II of this publication:

• “Agronomy” section• “Wildlife Habitat” section• “Engineering” section• “Soil Properties” section

Beecher Series

Drainage class: Somewhat poorly drainedPermeability: SlowLandform: Moraines and till plainsParent material: Thin mantle of silty material and the

underlying silty clay loam tillSlope range: 2 to 4 percentTaxonomic classification: Fine, illitic, mesic Udollic

Epiaqualfs


Typical pedon of Beecher silt loam, 2 to 4 percentslopes, 500 feet north and 1,375 feet west of thesoutheast corner of sec. 20, T. 44 N., R. 7 E.

Ap—0 to 8 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silt loam,grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak mediumsubangular blocky structure parting to weakmedium granular; friable; common very fine roots;neutral; clear smooth boundary.

2Bt1—8 to 13 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2)silty clay loam; moderate very fine and finesubangular blocky structure; friable; common veryfine roots; many distinct dark grayish brown(10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds and inpores; common distinct very dark grayish brown(10YR 3/2) organic coatings on faces of peds andin pores; common fine dark brown (7.5YR 3/3)very weakly cemented iron and manganese oxideconcretions throughout; 1 percent gravel; neutral;gradual smooth boundary.

2Bt2—13 to 20 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) silty clayloam; weak medium prismatic structure parting tomoderate fine and medium subangular blocky;friable; common very fine roots; common distinctvery dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) organo-clayfilms on faces of peds and in pores; few distinct

24 Soil Survey of

dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay films on facesof peds and in pores; common fine dark brown(7.5YR 3/3) very weakly cemented iron andmanganese oxide concretions throughout;common fine distinct dark yellowish brown(10YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation in thematrix; 1 percent gravel; neutral; gradual smoothboundary.

2Btg—20 to 28 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) siltyclay loam; moderate medium subangular blockystructure; firm; few very fine roots; commondistinct dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay films onfaces of peds and in pores; few distinct very darkgrayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) organo-clay films onfaces of peds and in pores; common fine darkbrown (7.5YR 3/3) very weakly cemented iron andmanganese oxide concretions throughout; manyfine and medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix;common fine faint gray (2.5Y 6/1) iron depletionsin the matrix; 2 percent gravel; slightlyeffervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual smoothboundary.

2Bkg—28 to 35 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) siltyclay loam; weak medium and coarse subangularblocky structure; firm; few very fine roots; commonfine light gray (10YR 7/2) carbonate threads;many fine and medium prominent yellowish brown(10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in thematrix; common fine faint gray (2.5Y 6/1) irondepletions in the matrix; 3 percent gravel; stronglyeffervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual smoothboundary.

2Cg—35 to 60 inches; 40 percent grayish brown (2.5Y5/2), 40 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), and20 percent gray (2.5Y 6/1) silty clay loam;massive; firm; 3 percent gravel; stronglyeffervescent; moderately alkaline.


Thickness of silty material: Less than 18 inchesDepth to carbonates: 20 to 40 inchesThickness of the solum: 24 to 40 inches

Ap or A horizon:Hue—10YRValue—2 or 3Chroma—1 or 2Texture—silt loam

E horizon (if it occurs):Hue—10YRValue—4 or 5Chroma—2Texture—silt loam

2Bt, 2Btg, 2Bk, 2Bkg, 2BC, or 2BCg horizon:Hue—10YR or 2.5YValue—4 to 6Chroma—2 to 4Texture—silty clay loam or silty clay

2C or 2Cg horizon:Hue—10YR or 2.5YValue—4 to 6Chroma—2 to 6Texture—silty clay loam

298B—Beecher silt loam, 2 to 4 percentslopes

Setting

Landform: Moraines and till plainsPosition on the landform: Summits, backslopes, and

footslopesSlope range: 2 to 4 percent


Composition

Beecher and similar soils: 85 percentDissimilar soils: 15 percent

Similar soils:• soils that have a lighter colored surface layer• soils that have a thicker surface layer• soils that contain more sand in the upper part of theprofile• soils that are moderately eroded• soils that have a seasonal high water table at adepth of more than 2.5 feet• soils that have slopes of less than 2 percent

Dissimilar soils:• the poorly drained Ashkum and very poorly drainedPeotone soils in depressions and drainageways

Management


• “Agronomy” section• “Forestland” section• “Wildlife Habitat” section• “Engineering” section• “Soil Properties” section


Bowes Series

Drainage class: Well drainedPermeability: Moderate in the upper part and very

rapid in the lower partLandform: Outwash plains and stream terracesParent material: Silty material and the underlying

loamy and gravelly outwashSlope range: 0 to 4 percentTaxonomic classification: Fine-silty, mixed, mesic

Mollic Hapludalfs


Typical pedon of Bowes silt loam, 0 to 2 percentslopes, 330 feet north and 330 feet west of the centerof sec. 19, T. 42 N., R. 8 E.

Ap—0 to 9 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR3/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weakvery fine and fine granular structure; friable;moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary.

E—9 to 13 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) siltloam; weak thick platy structure parting to weakfine granular; friable; slightly acid; clear smoothboundary.

Bt1—13 to 19 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silty clayloam; moderate very fine and fine subangularblocky structure; firm; common distinct dark brown(10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds; slightlyacid; clear smooth boundary.

Bt2—19 to 28 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) siltyclay loam; weak coarse prismatic structure partingto moderate fine subangular blocky; firm; commondistinct brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces ofpeds; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary.

Bt3—28 to 36 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR4/4) silty clay loam; weak medium prismaticstructure parting to moderate fine and mediumsubangular blocky; firm; common distinct brown(10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; moderatelyacid; gradual smooth boundary.

Bt4—36 to 43 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) siltyclay loam; weak medium prismatic structureparting to moderate fine and medium subangularblocky; firm; common distinct brown (10YR 4/3)clay films on faces of peds; 2 percent gravel;moderately acid; clear smooth boundary.

2Bt5—43 to 46 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly clayloam; moderate medium prismatic structureparting to moderate fine and medium subangularblocky; firm; few faint dark yellowish brown (10YR3/4) clay films on faces of peds; 22 percent gravel

and 5 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline; clearsmooth boundary.

2BC—46 to 51 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) verygravelly sandy loam; weak medium subangularblocky structure; friable; 40 percent gravel and 10percent cobbles; slightly alkaline; clear smoothboundary.

2C—51 to 61 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) very gravellysand; single grain; loose; 45 percent gravel and10 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent;moderately alkaline.


Thickness of silty material: 28 to 60 inchesDepth to sandy and gravelly deposits: 40 to 60 inchesDepth to carbonates: 40 to 60 inchesThickness of the solum: 40 to 65 inches

Ap or A horizon:Hue—10YRValue—2 or 3Chroma—1 to 3Texture—silt loam

E horizon:Hue—7.5YR or 10YRValue—4 or 5Chroma—3 or 4Texture—silt loam

Bt horizon:Hue—7.5YR or 10YRValue—4 or 5Chroma—3 to 6Texture—silty clay loam or silt loam

2Bt or 2BC horizon:Hue—7.5YR or 10YRValue—3 to 5Chroma—2 to 6Texture—the gravelly or very gravelly analogs of

loam, sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or clayloam

Content of gravel—15 to 60 percent

2C horizon:Hue—7.5YR or 10YRValue—4 to 6Chroma—3 to 6Texture—the gravelly, very gravelly, or extremely

gravelly analogs of sand, loamy sand, coarsesand, or loamy coarse sand

Content of gravel—20 to 70 percent

26 Soil Survey of

792A—Bowes silt loam, 0 to 2 percentslopes

Setting

Landform: Outwash plains and stream terracesPosition on the landform: SummitsSlope range: 0 to 2 percent


Composition

Bowes and similar soils: 85 percentDissimilar soils: 15 percent

Similar soils:• soils that have a lighter colored surface layer• soils that have a darker subsurface layer• soils that contain sandy and gravelly deposits at adepth of less than 40 inches or more than 60 inches• soils that contain more sand in the upper andmiddle parts of the subsoil

Dissimilar soils:• the poorly drained Dunham soils in depressions anddrainageways• the somewhat poorly drained Grundelein andMillstream soils in the lower positions on the landform

Management



792B—Bowes silt loam, 2 to 4 percentslopes

Setting

Landform: Outwash plains and stream terracesPosition on the landform: Summits, shoulders, and

backslopesSlope range: 2 to 4 percent

A typical soil series description with range incharacteristics is included, in alphabetical order, in this

section. Additional information specific to this mapunit, such as horizon depth and textures, is availablein the “Soil Properties” section in Part II of thispublication.

Composition

Bowes and similar soils: 85 percentDissimilar soils: 15 percent

Similar soils:• soils that have a lighter colored surface layer• soils that have a darker subsurface layer• soils that contain sandy and gravelly deposits at adepth of less than 40 inches or more than 60 inches• soils that contain more sand in the upper andmiddle parts of the subsoil• soils that have slopes of less than 2 percent

Dissimilar soils:• the poorly drained Dunham soils in depressions anddrainageways• the somewhat poorly drained Grundelein andMillstream soils in the lower positions on the landform• the loamy Dresden soils in positions on thelandform similar to those of the Bowes soil

Management



Brenton Series

Drainage class: Somewhat poorly drainedPermeability: ModerateLandform: Outwash plains, stream terraces, and till

plainsParent material: Silty material and the underlying

loamy outwashSlope range: 0 to 2 percentTaxonomic classification: Fine-silty, mixed, mesic

Aquic Argiudolls


Typical pedon of Brenton silt loam, 0 to 2 percentslopes, 2,490 feet south and 2,240 feet east of thenorthwest corner of sec. 18, T. 46 N., R. 7 E.

Ap—0 to 8 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silt loam, dark


gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak fine granular structure;friable; common very fine roots; neutral; abruptsmooth boundary.

A—8 to 13 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silt loam, darkgray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate fine and mediumgranular structure; friable; common very fine roots;neutral; clear smooth boundary.

Bt1—13 to 18 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2)silty clay loam; moderate fine subangular blockystructure; friable; common very fine roots; manydistinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organiccoatings on faces of peds; few distinct darkgrayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces ofpeds; common fine very dark gray (10YR 3/1) ironand manganese oxide concretions throughout;common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6)masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; neutral;clear smooth boundary.

Bt2—18 to 25 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) siltyclay loam; weak medium prismatic structureparting to moderate fine and medium subangularblocky; friable; common very fine roots; manydistinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay filmson faces of peds; few distinct very dark gray(10YR 3/1) organic coatings in root channels andin pores; common fine very dark gray (10YR 3/1)iron and manganese oxide concretionsthroughout; common fine distinct yellowish brown(10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation and gray(10YR 6/1) iron depletions in the matrix; neutral;clear smooth boundary.

Bt3—25 to 35 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) siltyclay loam; moderate medium prismatic structureparting to moderate medium subangular blocky;friable; few very fine roots; common distinct darkgrayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces ofpeds; common fine very dark gray (10YR 3/1) ironand manganese oxide concretions throughout;many fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6)masses of iron accumulation in the matrix;common fine distinct gray (10YR 6/1) irondepletions in the matrix; neutral; clear smoothboundary.

2Btg—35 to 43 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam;moderate medium prismatic structure; friable; fewvery fine roots; few distinct dark grayish brown(10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; commonfine and medium very dark gray (10YR 3/1) ironand manganese oxide concretions throughout;many fine and medium prominent yellowish brown(10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in thematrix; common fine distinct gray (10YR 6/1) irondepletions in the matrix; slightly alkaline; clearsmooth boundary.

2Cg—43 to 60 inches; 60 percent grayish brown (2.5Y5/2), 30 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), and10 percent gray (10YR 6/1), stratified loam and siltloam; massive; friable; few fine very dark gray(10YR 3/1) iron and manganese oxide concretionsthroughout; 1 percent gravel; slightly effervescent;moderately alkaline.


Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 10 to 20 inchesThickness of silty material: 24 to 40 inchesDepth to carbonates: Greater than 40 inchesThickness of the solum: 40 to 55 inches

Ap or A horizon:Hue—10YRValue—2 or 3Chroma—1 or 2Texture—silt loam

Bt horizon:Hue—10YR or 2.5YValue—4 to 6Chroma—2 to 4Texture—silty clay loam or silt loam

2Btg horizon:Hue—7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5YValue—4 to 6Chroma—2 to 6Texture—silt loam, sandy loam, loam, or clay loam

2Cg horizon:Hue—7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5YValue—4 to 6Chroma—2 to 6Texture—silt loam, sandy loam, loam, clay loam,

or loamy sand

149A—Brenton silt loam, 0 to 2 percentslopes

Setting

Landform: Outwash plains, stream terraces, and tillplains

Position on the landform: FootslopesSlope range: 0 to 2 percent


28 Soil Survey of

Composition

Brenton and similar soils: 85 percentDissimilar soils: 15 percent

Similar soils:• soils that have a seasonal high water table at adepth of more than 2.5 feet• soils that have no subsurface layer• soils that contain carbonates at a depth of less than40 inches• soils that contain more sand in the upper andmiddle parts of the subsoil• soils that contain sandy and gravelly deposits in thelower part of the profile• soils that contain loamy outwash at a depth of morethan 40 inches

Dissimilar soils:• the poorly drained Pella soils in depressions anddrainageways• the well drained Harvard and Proctor soils in thehigher positions on the landform

Management


• “Agronomy” section• “Wildlife Habitat” section• “Engineering” section• “Soil Properties” section

Camden Series

Drainage class: Well drainedPermeability: ModerateLandform: Outwash plains and stream terracesParent material: Silty material and the underlying

loamy outwashSlope range: 0 to 5 percentTaxonomic classification: Fine-silty, mixed, mesic

Typic Hapludalfs


Typical pedon of Camden silt loam, 0 to 2 percentslopes, 100 feet south and 1,700 feet west of thenortheast corner of sec. 18, T. 45 N., R. 5 E.

Ap—0 to 9 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) siltloam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weakfine subangular blocky structure parting to weakfine granular; friable; common very fine and fineroots; few distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR

3/2) organic coatings on faces of peds; neutral;abrupt smooth boundary.

BE—9 to 14 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4)silt loam; weak thick platy structure parting toweak fine subangular blocky; friable; commonvery fine and fine roots; few distinct brown (10YR4/3) clay films and very dark grayish brown (10YR3/2) organic coatings on faces of peds and inpores; few distinct light gray (10YR 7/2 dry) claydepletions on faces of peds; slightly acid; clear

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