5.2.2 Soil Analysis
Parent materials are the different soils in the ground in an area. Parent material, meaning the minerality and chemical composition of the soil, is very important to the area in which the soil is located. Northern Indiana has soil that consists of sand and gravel which is technically called glacial outwash. Other soil from the Wisconsin glacial is clay and silt, also known as glacial till. Loess (also known as silt) and pronounced ‘luss’ is very common in Indiana. It is found as deposits of silt deposited by the wind during and after glacial events. There are different terms which are used to explain the different types of silt. Eolian is thick loess and means that the soil was deposited by the wind. Allucial is soil that is deposited near rivers and other washout and means that is was deposited by water. Soils in Indiana tend to drain very slowly because of the high clay content. Because it is clay, the water is unable to drain through the particles and therefore causes many issues with flooding. Many homes have flooding in basements, yards and often have a difficult time growing many plants around their home. Although most of Indiana consists of clay soil, southern Indiana has a different consistency. The soil in southern Indiana is sedimentary bedrock and loess. This type of soil is much better for drainage because of the spaces between the bedrock that allows for water to seep through. Columbus, Indiana Bartholomew County
Fig.5.2.15 Soil Parent Materials
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Colombus Museum of Industrial Objects