LOCATION TITUS IL+IAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Vertic Endoaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Titus silty clay loam - nearly level in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches (0 to 18 cm); black (10YR 2/1) silty clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak medium angular blocky structure; firm; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.
A1--7 to 11 inches (18 to 28 cm); black (10YR 2/1) silty clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate fine angular blocky structure; firm; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
A2--11 to 14 inches (28 to 36 cm); very dark gray (N 3/) silty clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate fine angular blocky structure; firm; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 10 to 24 inches or 25 to 61 cm.)
Bg1--14 to 28 inches (36 to 71 cm); dark gray (5Y 4/1) silty clay loam; weak fine prismatic structure parting to weak medium angular blocky; firm; common gray (5Y 5/1) slickensides and pressure faces on faces of peds; few fine distinct olive (5Y 4/4) masses of iron accumulation throughout; neutral; diffuse smooth boundary.
Bg2--28 to 39 inches (71 to 99 cm); gray (5Y 5/1) silty clay loam; weak medium angular blocky structure; firm; few dark gray (N 4/) pressure faces on faces of peds; few thin strata of silt loam in the lower part; common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation throughout; neutral; diffuse smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bg horizon is 14 to 48 inches or 36 to 122 cm.)
Cg--39 to 62 inches (99 to 157 cm); gray (5Y 5/1) silty clay loam with thin strata of sand and sandy loam; common fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation throughout; massive; firm; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Greene County, Illinois; about 11 miles (17.7 kilometers) northwest of Carrollton; 1275 feet (389 meters) west and 50 feet (15 meters) south of the northeast corner of sec. 12, T. 10 N., R. 14 W.; USGS Kampsville topographic quadrangle; lat. 39 degrees 20 minutes 12 seconds N. and long. 90 degrees 36 minutes 4 seconds W., NAD 27; UTM Zone 15, 706739 easting and 4356900 northing, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to the base of soil development ranges from 35 to 60 inches (89 to 152 cm). The mollic epipedon ranges from 10 to 24 inches (25 to 61 cm) in thickness. The upper and middle parts of the series control section are slightly acid or neutral. The lower part of the series control section ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline and contains calcium carbonate concretions in some pedons. The particle-size control section averages between 35 and 45 percent clay.
The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR, 5Y, or is neutral, value of 2 or 3 (4 or 5 dry), and chroma of 0 to 2. Some pedons have redox concentrations with higher chroma in the lower part. Texture is silty clay loam or silty clay.
The Bg horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y, or is neutral; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 0 to 2. Redox features have hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y; value of 3 to 5; and chroma of 1 to 8. It is silty clay loam or silty clay. Average clay content ranges from 35 to 45 percent, average sand content ranges from 1 to 15 percent, and average rock fragment content is less than 2 percent. Some pedons do not have thin strata of silt loam to sandy loam in the lower part of the Bg horizon. Some pedons do not have pressure faces on faces of peds.
The Cg, BCg, Bkg, or BCkg horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Redox features have hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y; value of 4 or 5; and chroma of 1 to 8. It is dominantly silty clay loam, but contains thin strata of silt loam, loam, sandy loam, loamy sand, or sand. Average clay content ranges from 20 to 30 percent and average sand content ranges from 15 to 30 percent. Individual strata have as much as 95 percent sand. Average rock fragment content is less than 15 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Carlow, Chequest, Cove, Fults, Kalona, Kings, Marna, Moline Rosedell, Streator, Waldorf, and Woodbury series. Carlow, Chequest, Kings, and Streator soils contain more than 30 percent clay and less than 15 percent sand in the lower part of the series control section (B and C horizons). Cove soils are neutral to moderately acid and have more clay in the lower part of the series control section. Fults soils average more than 45 percent clay in the upper part of the particle-size control section. Kalona soils have less than 15 percent sand in the lower part of the series control section. Marna soils have more sand in the lower part of the series control section. Moline soils have carbonates within a depth of 50 inches (127 cm). Rosedell soils have carbonates ranging from 12 to 28 inches (30 to 71 cm), and the lower part of the series is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Waldorf soils average between 40 and 50 percent clay and less than 10 percent fine sand or coarser in the particle-size control section. Woodbury soils have a mean annual soil temperature less than 56 degrees F (13 degrees C).
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Titus soils are on flood plains of large streams. They occupy micro-highs, shallow depressions, and backswamps. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. These soils formed in silty clay loam or silty clay slackwater sediments and are stratified in the lower part. Climate is mid-continental with hot summers and cold winters. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 48 to 57 degrees F (9 to 14 degrees C), mean annual precipitation ranges from 30 to 45 inches (760 to 1140 mm), frost-free period ranges from 160 to 200 days, and elevation ranges from 340 to 700 feet (104 to 213 meters) above sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ambraw, Beaucoup, Darwin, and Tice soils. Ambraw soils are fine-loamy and are on similar or slightly higher parts of the flood plains nearby. Beaucoup soils are fine-silty and are on similar or slightly higher adjacent or nearby parts of the flood plains. Darwin soils have more clay in the control section and are on similar or slightly lower parts of the flood plains. The somewhat poorly drained Tice soils are fine-silty and are on higher parts of the flood plain.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Poorly drained. The potential for surface water runoff is low or negligible. Permeability is slow. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately low or moderately high (0.42 to 1.41 micrometers/s). Flooding typically occurs occasionally or frequently on Titus soils. Most areas protected by levees are rarely flooded.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used to grow cultivated crops. Corn and soybeans are the principal crops. Native vegetation is hydrophytic grasses and sedges, mixed with hardwoods such as cottonwood and ash.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern and western Illinois and southwestern Iowa. Moderately extensive with about 45,000 acres (18,211 hectares) correlated in MLRAs 108, 109, 113, 114, and 115
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Adams County, Illinois, 1974.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of approximately 14 inches (0 to 36 cm) (Ap, A1, and A2 horizons); cambic horizon - the zone from a depth of about 14 to 39 inches (36 to 99 cm) (Bg1 and Bg2 horizons); endosaturation supported by gleyed colors throughout the control section.