LOCATION ELEROY IL+IA WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Oxyaquic Hapludalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Eleroy silt loam on a south-facing, linear convex, 15 percent slope, moderately eroded, forested at an elevation of 228 meters (749 feet) (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 18 cm (0 to 7 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; moderate medium granular structure; friable; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [15 to 23 cm (6 to 9 inches) thick]
E--18 to 30 cm (7 to 12 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam,light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak medium to coarse platy structure parting to weak fine and medium granular; friable; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. [10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 inches) thick]
BE--30 to 38 cm (12 to 15 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; some light gray (10YR 7/2) dry silt coatings on faces of peds; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. [8 to 13 cm (3 to 5 inches) thick]
Bt1--38 to 56 cm (15 to 22 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam; strong medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common faint brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; few very dark brown (10YR 2/2) iron and manganese oxides; moderately acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Bt2--56 to 81 cm (22 to 32 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common faint brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; few medium faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of iron and manganese oxides; moderately acid; gradual smooth boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 38 to 64 cm (15 to 25 inches)]
2Bt3--81 to 104 cm (32 to 41 inches); olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) silty clay loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; common distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films; few medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of iron and manganese oxides; 3 percent pebbles of igneous rock; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [10 to 30 cm (4 to 12 inches) thick]
2Cr--104 to 127 cm (41 to 50 inches); gray (5Y 6/1) clay shale; common coarse prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) stains of oxidized iron and manganese on fragment surfaces; massive; very firm; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Carroll County, Illinois; about 6 miles northwest of Lanark, 825 feet east and 495 feet north of the center of sec. 1, T. 25 N., R. 5 E. ; USGS Boone Branch topographic quadrangle; lat. 42 degrees 11 minutes 28 seconds N., and long. 89 degrees 52 minutes 04 seconds W; NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The loess thickness ranges from 76 to 140 cm (30 to 55 inches). The depth to the paralithic contact ranges from 102 to 152 cm (40 to 60 inches). The particle-size control section averages 27 to 35 percent clay.
The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4, and chroma of 2 or 3. In undisturbed areas, the A horizon has value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 to 3 and is as much as 5 inches thick. The texture is silt loam or silty clay loam. It averages 22 to 35 percent clay. It ranges from moderately acid to neutral.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is silt loam or silty clay loam. It averages 22 to 35 percent clay. It ranges from moderately acid to neutral.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 to 6, but some pedons have chroma of 2 or less below the upper 25 cm (10 inches) of the argillic horizon. The lower part has redoximorphic features. It is silty clay loam. It averages 27 to 35 percent clay. It is firm. It ranges from moderately acid to neutral.
The 2Bt has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. It has redoximorphic features with high chroma colors. It is silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay. It averages 35 to 50 percent clay. It is firm or very firm. It ranges from moderately acid to neutral.
The 2Cr horizon is calcareous shale.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Baraboo, Birkbeck, Cadiz, Campton, Elco, Homen, Inton, Iona, Libre, Mayville, Minnith, Morningsun, Redbud, Rocheport, Rockfield, Somonauk, Uniontown, Westgate, Winfield, and Zurich series. The, Birkbeck, Cadiz, Campton, Elco, Homen, Inton, Iona, Libre, Mayville, Minnith, Morningsun, Redbud, Rockfield, Somonauk, Uniontown, Westgate, Winfield, and Zurich series do not have bedrock within 152 cm (60 inches). Baraboo soils have a quartzite lithic contact within a depth 102 cm (40 inches). Rocheport soils have a dolomite lithic contact within a depth of 102 to 152 cm (40 to 60 inches).
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Eleroy soils are on structural benches and rounded ridgetops. They formed in 76 to 140 cm (30 to 55 inches) of loess and in residuum from calcareous clayey shale. Slopes range from 2 to 30 percent. Mean annual temperature is 7 to 14 degrees C (45 to 57 degrees F), and mean annual precipitation is 70 to 1000 mm (28 to 40 inches).
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Derinda, Fayette, Keltner, Massbach and Rozetta soils. Derinda soils are on landscape positions similar to those of the Eleroy soils and have bedrock within a depth of 102 cm (40 inches). Fayette and Rozetta soils are on ridges or sides slopes at higher elevations and do not have bedrock within a depth of 152 cm (60 inches). Keltner and Massbach soils are on landscape positions similar to those of the Eleroy soils and have mollic epipedons.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained--a saturated zone occurs within depths of 2 to 3.5 feet during March to June in most years and is considered perched. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is 4.23 to 14.11 micrometers per second (moderate permeability) in the loess and 0.01
to 0.42 micrometers per second (very slow permeability) in the residuum. The potential for surface runoff is medium to very high.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated. The principal crops are corn, soybeans, small grain, and meadow. The native vegetation is hardwood forest.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: northwestern Illinois, northeastern Iowa, and southwestern Wisconsin; LRRs K and M, MLRAs 95B, 105, and 108B. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lafayette County, Wisconsin, 1964.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon--from a depth of 0 to 38 cm (0 to 15 inches) (Ap, E, and BE horizons)
Albic horizon--from a depth of 18 to 30 cm (7 to 12 inches) (E horizon)
Argillic horizon--from a depth of 38 to 104 cm (15 to 41 inches) (Bt1, Bt2 and 2Bt3 horizons)
paralithic contact--from a depth of 104 to 127 cm (41 to 50 inches) (2Cr horizon).
Cation-exchange class is inferred from lab data from similar soils in the surrounding area.