Sedgwick County, Kansas, features a range of soil types indicative of the state's geology.
Sedgwick County, with its county seat at Wichita, covers 1,008 square miles with an estimated population of 466,061 as of 2005. The county evidences a wide range of soils, including many types with silt and loam textures. According to the Kansas National Resources Conservation Service, the state has over 300 different soil types, many of which contribute to Kansas' wealth of range and pasture lands, which cover approximately 37 percent of the state. Does this Spark an idea?
Rosehill Silty Clay
Much of Sedgwick County features Rosehill silty clay, a soil derived from residuum, or natural weathering of materials, formed in place. The Rosehill silty clay soil tends to extend to depths of between 20 to 39 inches before reaching paralithic bedrock. It is moderately well-drained soil with a low to extremely low capacity to transmit water and a low-water capacity. Rosehill has no tendency toward flooding or ponding. Typically, the top 30 inches of soil are categorized as silty clay, with very little sand. At 30 to 34 inches, unweathered bedrock begins.
Nalim Loam
Nalim Loam also contributes to a good deal of Sedgwick County's soil composition.It contains an admixture of different-sized particles, with a rough balance of sand, clay and silt. The soil is derived from loamy alluvium, or river deposits. Usually Nalim loam continues to a depth beyond 80 inches. It is well-drained and has a fairly high capacity to transmit water and no tendency toward flooding or ponding. The available water capacity is moderate, with the water table at a depth of around 80 inches. The top 15 inches are categorized as loam, with the next 6 inches considered clay loam. Depths between 21 to 52 inches are sandy loam. From 52 to 62 inches, loamy coarse sand predominates and from 62 to 80 inches, you find stratified coarse sand to loamy coarse sand.
Goessel Silty Clay
Another silt-clay mixture, Goessel Silty Clay, comes from clayey river deposits. It extends to depths exceeding 80 inches and is fairly well drained. Goessel Silty Clay has a low to very-low ability to transmit water. The water table is usually found at depths of 24 to 36 inches and the water capacity is moderate. The soil is not very striated, with silty clay texture extending all the way from the topmost soil surface to depths of 60 inches. Goessel Silty Clay often features aquolls, soil features with watery conditions, found at depths of 50 to 60 inches.
Tags: Sedgwick County, Goessel Silty, Goessel Silty Clay, silty clay, coarse sand, depths inches
