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Briefing on Past
Studies and Sites
Difficulties encountered
with the present designations
Field observations
Site visits
The following sites were visited:
In Elkhart County, IN, Muskego muck presented some difficulties
in horizon designations in the coprogenous earth materials. The
organic carbon content fluctuated in the layers and the designations
fluctuated between "O" and "C" horizons.
As limnic layers the designation would remain constant and it
would present a warning that these materials would not react like
normal "C" materials that can be brought to the surface.
Coprogenous earth and marl probably should be sampled for lab
analysis. We do not have diatomaceous earth in this area.
Importance of special designations for limnic layers or horizons:
Marl is difficult to consider as a "C" horizon. Marl
may have some plant parts present, but not enough to be an "O"
horizon. It may also have staining from organic materials and
iron that make it darker and more reddish brown than is normally
defined in Soil Taxonomy.
Coprogenous earth is also difficult to consider as a "C"
horizon. Some coprogenous earth has enough plant parts and organic
materials to be considered as "O", but it is vastly
different from our normal mucky materials. It reacts entirely
differently upon drying and does not rewet. Also it creates problems
in farming when exposed on the surface.
Both marl and coprogenous earth present problems with underground
drain tiles. Both materials coat the tile and stop or greatly
reduce the amount of water entering the drain tile. This often
happens within a year of the time the drain tile is installed.
Using an "O" or a "C" designation definitely
does not provide needed information for land owners or drainage
contractors who are working with these materials. Also this would
be helpful for assessments as the organic materials on the surface
subside. The soils with marl and coprogenous earth have little
or no value for cropping as soon as the organic surface is gone.
The proposal to use the designations found in Soil Taxonomy,
1975, would still do the job. These designations are:
Special designations are used for all kinds of inclusions in
horizons or special properties of horizons. In organic soils
we designate the types of organic materials by using "a",
"e", or "I". None of these fit the coprogenous
earth materials when the organic content is great enough to be
called an "O" horizon under the present thinking.
Observations in the field by Soil Scientists support having the
limnic designations. The reasons have generally been given previously.
The materials are definitely different than the organic layers
and they definitely are not "C" materials in as much
as they are not parent material for any other layers.
SITE VISITS
Several sites are to be visited. Information for the sites includes:
Descriptions, portions of soil maps, portions of topographic
quadrangles of the area, and locations of the sites. Sites to
be visited are: 4 La Porte County, Edwards, Martisco, and Muskego muck 4 Pulaski County, Edwards and Muskego muck
La Porte County Sites: Stop 1: Martisco muck, 1,000 feet north and 460 feet west of the center of sec. 29, T. 36 N., R. 2 W., Washington twp., LA PORTE EAST, IND. topographic quadrangle. South of 400 S near 150 E., east of US 35. Atlas Sheet 48. (Attachment C). Hole 1: Latitude: 41 32' 30.7" N, Longitude: 86 40' 7.9" W.
This site had limnic materials that were a mixture of marl, coprogenous
earth, and organic matter. Hole 2: Latitude: 41 32' 30.0" N, Longitude: 86 40' 9.4" W.
This site had limnic material that probalby qualifies as marl.
Stop 2: Edwards muck, 60 feet north and 1,920 feet west
of the southeast corner of sec. 3, T. 35. N., R. 4 W., Clinton
twp., LA PORTE WEST, IND. topographic quadrangle. On 700 S,
between 800 W and 900 W, along the RR right of way. Atlas Sheet
53. (Attachment B). Latitude: 41 30' 22.6" N, Longitude: 86 51' 42.3" W.
The concensus was that the limnic layers look and act like marl
but the colors are too dark to be defined as marl.
Stop 3: Muskego muck, 1,980 feet west and 1,320 feet
north of the southeast corner of sec. 32, T. 35 N., R. 3 W., Noble
twp, HANNA, IND. topographic quadrangle. On 1,200 S between 375
W and Hunsley Road, west of O'Hara Ditch. Atlas Sheet 72. (Attachment
D). Latitude: 41 26' 15.6" N, Longitude: 86 46' 54.0" W.
This site had good coprogenous earth. The concensus was that
this was the best example of coprogenous earth shown on the tour.
Starke County Site:
Stop 4: Toto muck, 580 feet west and 800 feet south of
the center of sec. 34, T. 33 N., R. 2 W. Center twp., KNOX WEST,
IND. topographic quadrangle. On 350 E just north of Toto Road.
Atlas Sheet 24. (Attachment E). Latitude: 41 15' 49.2" N, Longitude: 86 37' 55.0" W.
The coprogenous earth was thin at this site and was considered
fair. The marl is questionable. The materials probably fit the
thinking of coprogenous earth and marl, but do not meet the normal
requirements for the criteria.
Pulaski County Sites:
Stop 5: Muskego muck, (mapped as Carlisle muck), SE ¼
SW ¼ of sec. 8, T. 31 N., R. 2 W. and NE ¼ NW ¼
of sec. 17, T. 31 N., R. 2 W., Franklin twp., DENHAM, IND. topographic
quadrangle. On 600 N approximately 375 W. Atlas Sheets 5 and
13. (Attachment G).
Latitude: 41 8' 33.6" N, Longitude: 86 40' 24.2" W.
The coprogenous earth at this site was fair for meeting the criteria.
It probably is similar to much of the coprogenous earth that
is normally seen during mapping.
Stop 6: Edwards muck, (mapped as Edwards), brownish
marl, NW ¼, SW ¼ of sec. 21, T. 31 N., R. 2 W. Franklin
twp., RIPLEY, IND. topographic quadrangle. On 300 W and 430 N.
Atlas Sheet 13. (Martisco muck and Muskego muck are present
at this location.) (Attachment H). Latitude: 41 7' 4.7" N, Longitude: 86 39' 34.4" W.
The coprogenous earth at this site was very good. It seemed
to represent the concept of coprogenous earth very well. Marl
that was south of the ditch was fair. It exhibited the explosive
effervescence of marl, but the colors of the sample were darker
than had been allowed previously. This was the next best example
of coprogenous earth (after stop 3) shown on the tour.
Edwards muck, (typical pedon), NW ¼ NW ¼ sec. 25,
T. 29 N., R. 1 W. Van Buren twp., GRASS CREEK, IND. topographic
quadrangle. On 600 E. and 800 S. Atlas Sheet 72. (Attachment
F). This site was not visited on the tour.
Edwards muck, (brownish marl), NE ¼, SE ¼ of sec. 29,
T. 31 N., R. 1 W., Tippecanoe twp., WINAMAC, IND. topographic
quadrangle. On 300 E and 350 N. Atlas Sheet 23. (Attachment
I). This site was not visited on the tour
La Porte County Site:
Stop 7: Warners silt loam, 2,320 feet west and 940 feet
north of the southeast corner of sec. 33, T. 37 N., R. 4 W. Coolspring
twp., WESTVILLE, IND. topographic quadrangle. On Holmesville
Road at Division Road. Atlas Sheet 31.
Latitude: 41 36' 28.8" N, Longitude: 86 53' 7.5" W.
The marl underlying this soil was considered to be an excellent
example of marl. Also the colors were well within the concept
of colors of marl. The materials had violent effervescence and
were considered to be excellent marl. The concensus was that
this is the best example of marl shown on the tour.
Porter County Site:
Stop 8: Warners silt loam, SE ¼ of SE ¼ of
sec. 3, T. 36 N., R. 7 W. Portage twp. PORTAGE, IND. topographic
quadrangle. Along a service road on the north side of I-94 and
just south of the Little Calumet River. Atlas Sheet 8.
Latitude: 41 35' 55.5" N, Longitude: 87 12' 21.1" W.
The marl at this location had more brownish colors than had been
allowed for marl. It appeared to have the other qualities of
marl. Effervescence was violent, snail shells were present, and
it seemed to be light weight.
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