LOCATION KEOWNS WI+MIEstablished Series
The Keowns series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils formed in mostly loamy and fine sandy calcareous outwash or lacustrine deposits on glacial lake basins and outwash plains. Permeability is moderate. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 30 inches. Mean annual air temperature is about 48 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, nonacid, mesic Mollic Endoaquepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Keowns silt loam - on a 1 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of about 847 feet above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 9 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silt loam; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; friable; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)
Eg--9 to 16 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silt loam; weak medium platy structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; friable; few fine prominent olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
Bg1--16 to 26 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
Bg2--26 to 32 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silt loam with thin strata of grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very fine sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bg horizons is 10 to 20 inches.)
Cg--32 to 40 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) fine sand with thin strata of light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silt loam; massive; friable; few streaks of very dark brown (10YR 2/2); many fine distinct and prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4 and 10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary.
C--40 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) fine sand stratified with thin layers of light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silt loam; massive; friable; many medium and fine faint strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix of the fine sand; many medium and fine prominent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix of the fine sand; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Dodge County, Wisconsin; about 3/4 mile northwest of Ashippun; 100 feet south and 1800 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 30, T. 9 N., R. 17 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the base of soil development ranges from 18 to 40 inches. Depth to carbonates ranges from 12 to 40 inches. The particle-size control section averages between 10 and 18 percent clay and from 15 to 55 percent fine sand or coarser. Carbonates are in the C horizon and, in many pedons, are in the lower part of the Bg horizon. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline in the upper part of the solum and is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline in the lower part and in the substratum. Redox accumulations are throughout the soil below the A horizon. Saturation and chroma of 2 or less in the matrix occur in the layer directly under the epipedon.
The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y or is neutral in hue. Value is 2 or 3 and chroma is 0 to 2. Texture is silt loam, fine sandy loam, or very fine sandy loam.
The Eg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is silt loam, loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or very fine sandy loam.
The Bg horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y; value of 4 to 7; and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is silt loam, loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or very fine sandy loam with thin strata of coarser or finer texture especially in the lower part in many pedons.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y; value of 4 to 7; and chroma of 1 or 2, but below a depth of 40 inches, it is not uncommon to have chroma of 3 to 6. Texture is dominantly stratified layers of silt, silt loam, fine sand, or very fine sand with thin strata of coarser or finer texture in some pedons. The sandy layers in upper part of the C horizon are less than 6 inches thick.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Keowns soils are on glacial lake basins and outwash plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. These soils formed in mostly loamy and fine sandy calcareous outwash or lacustrine deposits. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 32 inches. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 46 to 51 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Colwood, Pella, and Yahara soils. Colwood and Pella soils are in similar landscape positions. Yahara soils are on slightly higher landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff is negligible or low. Permeablitity is moderate. These soils have an apparent seasonal high water table at a depth of 0 to 1 foot for long periods in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Where adequately drained, these soils are used for cropland. Many areas have been retained in pasture or used for woodlots and wildlife. The native vegetation is swamp hardwoods with some prairie grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern and eastern Wisconsin and southwestern Michigan. These soils are of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Brown County, Wisconsin, 1970.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - 0 to 9 inches (Ap); cambic horizon - 16 to 32 inches (Bg1, Bg2); mollic subgroup - have Ap horizon with color value and chroma, moist, of less than 4, and color value, dry, of less than 6; aquic feature chroma of 2 or less in the matrix with redox accumulations and saturation in the layer directly under the epipedon.