Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Major Land Resource Area 108X
Major Land Resource Area
Accessed: 04/21/2026
Previous
Sections
Next
Next steps
-
1
Select an ecological site
Select an ecological site using the list, keys, photos, briefcase, or quick search option located on this page. -
2
Explore the ecological site description
Next, learn more about the selected ecological site and its characteristic dynamics by browsing the ecological site description and exploring alternative state and transition model formats.
Ecological site list
Tools
Search
Filter by
interactive key
precipitation
frost free days
more..
clear all
Sort by
id
name
stage
Viewing 20 of 93
View all
Ecological site map
Basemap
Topo
Road
Aerial
Hybrid
Find me
Find point
Full screen
Zoom in to display soil survey map units for an area of interest, and zoom out to display MLRAs. Select a map unit polygon to view ecological sites correlated to that map unit. View a brief description of an ecological site by clicking on its name in the map popup. Soil survey correlations may not be accurate, and ecological site classification of a location should always be verified in the field. Each selection may require the transfer of several hundred KB of data.
Briefcase
Add ecological sites and Major Land Resource Areas to your briefcase by clicking on the briefcase (
) icon wherever it occurs. Drag and drop items to reorder. Cookies are used to store briefcase items between browsing sessions. Because of this, the number of items that can be added to your briefcase is limited, and briefcase items added on one device and browser cannot be accessed from another device or browser. Users who do not wish to place cookies on their devices should not use the briefcase tool. Briefcase cookies serve no other purpose than described here and are deleted whenever browsing history is cleared.
Ecological sites
Major Land Resource Areas
Ecological site photos
Tools
Filter by
interactive key
precipitation
frost free days
more..
clear all
Type
Image size
Done
Filters
Interactive key
Precipitation
Frost free days
Elevation
Slope
Landform
Parent material origin
Parent material kind
Soil texture
Uplands
River Valleys
Histosols
R108XA001IL – Organic Sedge Meadow
R108XA001IL – Organic Sedge Meadow
Mineral Soils
Bedrock <1.5m (60")
Bedrock >1.5m (60")
Bedrock is limestone
R108XA002IL – Limestone Prairie
R108XA002IL – Limestone Prairie
Bedrock is shale
F108XA003IL – Shale Woodland
F108XA003IL – Shale Woodland
Bedrock is sandstone
Dark surface (mollic epipedon) >25cm (10")
R108XA004IL – Sandstone Prairie
R108XA004IL – Sandstone Prairie
Light surface (ochric epipedon) or dark surface <25cm (10")
F108XA005IL – Sandstone Woodland
F108XA005IL – Sandstone Woodland
Loess (including loess over glacial till)
Outwash (including loess-capped outwash)
Eolian sands
R108XA016IL – Sand Prairie
R108XA016IL – Sand Prairie
Dark surface (mollic epipedon) >25cm (10")
Dark surface (mollic intergrade) 15-25cm (6-10")
R108XA010IL – Loess Upland Savanna
R108XA010IL – Loess Upland Savanna
Light surface (ochric epipedon) or dark surface <15cm (6")
F108XA011IL – Loess Upland Forest
F108XA011IL – Loess Upland Forest
Water table >30cm (12")
R108XA006IL – Loess Upland Prairie
R108XA006IL – Loess Upland Prairie
Water table <30cm (12"), not ponded
R108XA007IL – Wet Loess Upland Prairie
R108XA007IL – Wet Loess Upland Prairie
Water table <30cm (12"), ponded
Recharge wetland, non-calcareous surface
R108XA008IL – Ponded Loess Sedge Meadow
R108XA008IL – Ponded Loess Sedge Meadow
Discharge wetland, calcareous surface
R108XA009IL – Ponded Calcareous Loess Sedge Meadow
R108XA009IL – Ponded Calcareous Loess Sedge Meadow
Dark surface (mollic epipedon) >25cm (10")
Dark surface (mollic integrade) 15-25cm (6-10") --not described
R108XA014IL – Outwash Savanna
R108XA014IL – Outwash Savanna
Light surface (ochric epipedon) or dark surface <15cm (6")
F108XA015IL – Outwash Forest
F108XA015IL – Outwash Forest
Water table >30cm (12")
R108XA012IL – Outwash Prairie
R108XA012IL – Outwash Prairie
Water table <30cm (12")
R108XA013IL – Wet Outwash Prairie
R108XA013IL – Wet Outwash Prairie
Low stream terrace subject to rare flooding
F108XA017IL – Terrace Woodland
F108XA017IL – Terrace Woodland
Floodplain
Flooded and ponded
R108XA018IL – Ponded Floodplain Marsh
R108XA018IL – Ponded Floodplain Marsh
Flooded only
Fine-silty alluvium
F108XA019IL – Silty Floodplain Forest
F108XA019IL – Silty Floodplain Forest
Fine-loamy to coarse-loamy alluvium
F108XA020IL – Loamy Floodplain Forest
F108XA020IL – Loamy Floodplain Forest
Uplands (bluffs, ground moraines, hills)
Outwash/lacustrine plains and terraces (includes dune topography)
Floodplains and low terraces subject to flooding
Bedrock <1.5m (60")
Bedrock >1.5m (60")
Bedrock is limestone
R108XB001IL – Limestone Prairie
R108XB001IL – Limestone Prairie
Bedrock is shale
Bedrock is sandstone
F108XB004IL – Sandstone Woodland
F108XB004IL – Sandstone Woodland
Dark surface (mollic epipedon) >25cm (10")
R108XB002IL – Shale Prairie
R108XB002IL – Shale Prairie
Light surface (ochric epipedon) or dark surface <25cm (10")
F108XB003IL – Shale Woodland
F108XB003IL – Shale Woodland
Parent material is loess (>100cm thick)
Parent material is till/paleosol/pedisediment (<100cm of loess)
Linear to convex summits, shoulders, backslopes, and broad interfluve summits
Linear to concave footslopes, toeslopes, flats, and heads of drainageways
R108XB008IL – Wet Loess Upland Prairie
R108XB008IL – Wet Loess Upland Prairie
Concave, closed depressions
R108XB009IL – Ponded Loess Sedge Meadow
R108XB009IL – Ponded Loess Sedge Meadow
Dark surface (mollic epiepdon) >25cm (10")
R108XB005IL – Loess Upland Prairie
R108XB005IL – Loess Upland Prairie
Dark surface (mollic intergrade) 15-25cm (6-10")
R108XB006IL – Loess Upland Savanna
R108XB006IL – Loess Upland Savanna
Light surface (ochric epipedon) or dark surface <15cm (6")
F108XB007IL – Loess Upland Forest
F108XB007IL – Loess Upland Forest
Dark surface (mollic epipedon) >25cm (10")
R108XB010IL – Till Upland Prairie
R108XB010IL – Till Upland Prairie
Dark surface (mollic intergrade) 15-25cm (6-10")
Light surface (ochric epiepdon) or dark surface <15cm (6")
F108XB012IL – Till Upland Forest
F108XB012IL – Till Upland Forest
Outwash (including outwash with a loess cap 50-100cm)
Sandy eolian deposits
Linear to concave lacustrine deposits, fine textured
R108XB018IL – Wet Lacustrine Prairie
R108XB018IL – Wet Lacustrine Prairie
Concave to linear organic depostis
R108XB019IL – Mucky Sedge Meadow
R108XB019IL – Mucky Sedge Meadow
Linear to convex summits and backslopes
Linear to concave footslopes, toeslopes, and heads of drainageways
R108XB015IL – Wet Loamy Outwash Prairie
R108XB015IL – Wet Loamy Outwash Prairie
Dark surface (mollic epipedon) >25cm (10")
R108XB013IL – Loamy Outwash Prairie
R108XB013IL – Loamy Outwash Prairie
light surface (ochric epipedon) or dark surface <25cm (10")
F108XB014IL – Loamy Outwash Forest
F108XB014IL – Loamy Outwash Forest
Dark surface (mollic epipedon) >25cm (10")
R108XB016IL – Sand Prairie
R108XB016IL – Sand Prairie
Light surface (ochric epipedon)
F108XB017IL – Sand Woodland
F108XB017IL – Sand Woodland
Water table is deeper than 30cm (12")
F108XB020IL – Loamy Floodplain Forest
F108XB020IL – Loamy Floodplain Forest
Water table is within 30cm (12")
F108XB021IL – Wet Loamy Floodplain Forest
F108XB021IL – Wet Loamy Floodplain Forest
Uplands and High Stream Terraces
River Valleys
Summits, Shoulders, and Backslopes
Broad Upland Flats and Depressions
Drainageways
Shallow (<100cm) silty or loamy sediments over bedrock
Loess
Eolian sands (including <150cm loess over eolian sands)
Glacial till/paleosols/valley-fill sediments (including <50cm loess over glacial till)
<50cm to limestone bedrock
F108XC501IA – Shallow Limestone Backslope Glade
F108XC501IA – Shallow Limestone Backslope Glade
>50cm to sandstone bedrock
F108XC502IA – Shallow Sandstone Backslope Glade
F108XC502IA – Shallow Sandstone Backslope Glade
Mollisol (or Inceptisol with mollic epipedon)
R108XC503IA – Loess Upland Prairie
R108XC503IA – Loess Upland Prairie
Mollic subgroup of an Alifisol
R108XC504IA – Loess Upland Savanna
R108XC504IA – Loess Upland Savanna
Alfisol (or Inceptisol or Entisol)
F108XC505IA – Loess Upland Woodland
F108XC505IA – Loess Upland Woodland
Mollisol
R108XC506IA – Sandy Upland Prairie
R108XC506IA – Sandy Upland Prairie
Mollic subgroup of an Alfisol
R108XC507IA – Sandy Upland Savanna
R108XC507IA – Sandy Upland Savanna
Alfisol (or Entisol with lamellic horizon)
F108XC508IA – Sandy Upland Woodland
F108XC508IA – Sandy Upland Woodland
Mollisol
Mollic subgroup of an Alfisol (or contains mollic surface horizon 15-25cm thick)
Alfisol
Deep to water table (>30cm)
R108XC509IA – Till Backslope Prairie
R108XC509IA – Till Backslope Prairie
Shallow to water table (<30 cm)
R108XC510IA – Till Backslope Seepage Meadow
R108XC510IA – Till Backslope Seepage Meadow
Deep to water table (>30cm)
R108XC511IA – Till Backslope Savanna
R108XC511IA – Till Backslope Savanna
Shallow to water table (<30cm)
R108XC512IA – Till Backslope Seep Savanna
R108XC512IA – Till Backslope Seep Savanna
Deep to water table (>30cm)
F108XC513IA – Till Backslope Forest
F108XC513IA – Till Backslope Forest
Shallow to water table (<30cm)
F108XC514IA – Till Backslope Seep Forest
F108XC514IA – Till Backslope Seep Forest
Depressions, ponded
R108XC515IA – Ponded Upland Depression Sedge Meadow
R108XC515IA – Ponded Upland Depression Sedge Meadow
Upland flat, not ponded, loess parent material, shallow to water table (≤30cm), Somewhat Poorly to Very Poorly drained
Mollisol
R108XC516IA – Wet Loess Upland Flat Prairie
R108XC516IA – Wet Loess Upland Flat Prairie
Mollic subgroup of an Alfisol (or contains mollic surface horizon 15-25cm thick)
R108XC517IA – Wet Loess Upland Flat Savanna
R108XC517IA – Wet Loess Upland Flat Savanna
Alfisol
F108XC518IA – Wet Loess Upland Flatwood
F108XC518IA – Wet Loess Upland Flatwood
Located downslope from an Upland Prairie or Upland Savanna ecological site
R108XC519IA – Wet Upland Drainageway Prairie
R108XC519IA – Wet Upland Drainageway Prairie
Located downslope from an Upland Woodland or Upland Forest ecological site
F108XC520IA – Upland Drainageway Woodland
F108XC520IA – Upland Drainageway Woodland
Valley Footslope, colluvial parent materials
F108XC521IA – Colluvial Woodland
F108XC521IA – Colluvial Woodland
Low Stream Terraces
Floodplains
Deep to water table (>30cm), Moderately Well to Somewhat Excessively drained
R108XC522IA – Terrace Savanna
R108XC522IA – Terrace Savanna
Shallow to water table (<30cm), Somewhat Poorly to Poorly drained
R108XC523IA – Wet Terrace Sedge Meadow
R108XC523IA – Wet Terrace Sedge Meadow
Flooded and ponded
Flooded only
Organic soils (histic epipedon ≥20cm)
R108XC524IA – Ponded Organic Floodplain Shrub Swamp
R108XC524IA – Ponded Organic Floodplain Shrub Swamp
Mineral soils
R108XC525IA – Ponded Floodplain Marsh
R108XC525IA – Ponded Floodplain Marsh
Not directly adjacent to stream channel
Directly adjacent to stream chanel
Deep to water table (>30cm)
R108XC526IA – Floodplain Prairie
R108XC526IA – Floodplain Prairie
Shallow to water table (<30cm)
R108XC527IA – Wet Floodplain Sedge Meadow
R108XC527IA – Wet Floodplain Sedge Meadow
Fine, fine-silty alluvium, Poorly to Very Poorly drained
F108XC528IA – Floodplain Swamp Forest
F108XC528IA – Floodplain Swamp Forest
Fine-loamy, fine-silty alluvium, Somewhat Poorly to Moderately Well drained
F108XC529IA – Loamy Floodplain Forest
F108XC529IA – Loamy Floodplain Forest
Coarse-loamy alluvium, Well to Excessively drained
F108XC530IA – Sandy Floodplain Forest
F108XC530IA – Sandy Floodplain Forest
Upland (summit, shoulder, backslope)
Upland (depressions, drainageways, footslopes) Loess sites
Lowland (stream terrace, floodplain)
Root Restriction <20"
Root Restriction 20-40"
Root Restriction >40"
Limestone residuum
R108XD798IA – Shallow Limestone Backslope Glade
R108XD798IA – Shallow Limestone Backslope Glade
<14% slope
>14% slope
Limestone residuum
R108XD797IA – Limestone Backslope Glade
R108XD797IA – Limestone Backslope Glade
Shale residuum
R108XD845IA – Shale Upland Savanna
R108XD845IA – Shale Upland Savanna
Sandstone residuum
F108XD757IA – Sandstone Upland Woodland
F108XD757IA – Sandstone Upland Woodland
Shale residuum
R108XD835IA – Shale Backslope Savanna
R108XD835IA – Shale Backslope Savanna
Sandstone residuum
R108XD767IA – Sandstone Backslope Prairie
R108XD767IA – Sandstone Backslope Prairie
Loess >12"
Little or no Loess
<14% slope and Mollisol or Mollic intergrade
R108XD860IA – Loess Upland Prairie
R108XD860IA – Loess Upland Prairie
<14% slope
>14% slope
Till/Paleosol and Mollisol
R108XD863IA – Till Upland Prairie
R108XD863IA – Till Upland Prairie
Eolian Sands and Mollisol or Mollic intergrade
R108XD862IA – Sandy Upland Prairie
R108XD862IA – Sandy Upland Prairie
Till/Paleosol, >10" to carbonates and Mollisol or Mollic Integrade
R108XD833IA – Till Backslope Savanna
R108XD833IA – Till Backslope Savanna
Depression
R108XD864IA – Wet Upland Prairie
R108XD864IA – Wet Upland Prairie
Drainageway
Footslope
Well, Moderately Well drained
Somewhat Poorly, Poorly Drained
R108XD824IA – Wet Upland Drainageway Prairie
R108XD824IA – Wet Upland Drainageway Prairie
Mollisol or Mollic intergrade
R108XD821IA – Loamy Upland Drainageway Prairie
R108XD821IA – Loamy Upland Drainageway Prairie
Alfic
F108XD851IA – Loamy Upland Drainageway Woodland
F108XD851IA – Loamy Upland Drainageway Woodland
Mollisol or Mollic intergrade
R108XD841IA – Loamy Footslope Savanna
R108XD841IA – Loamy Footslope Savanna
High Terrace
Low Terrace
Floodplain
Loess
Sand
R108XD942IA – Sandy High Terrace Savanna
R108XD942IA – Sandy High Terrace Savanna
Well, Moderately Well, Somewhat Poorly drained, Mollisol or Mollic intergrade
R108XD940IA – Loess High Terrace Savanna
R108XD940IA – Loess High Terrace Savanna
Poorly drained
R108XD944IA – Wet Loess High Terrace Savanna
R108XD944IA – Wet Loess High Terrace Savanna
Moderately Well, Well drained
R108XD941IA – Loamy Terrace Savanna
R108XD941IA – Loamy Terrace Savanna
Somewhat Poorly, Poorly drained, Mollisol or Mollic intergrade
R108XD914MO – Wet Terrace Prairie
R108XD914MO – Wet Terrace Prairie
Not adjacent to current/former channel
Adjacent to current/former channel
Far from channel
R108XD904IA – Wet Floodplain Prairie
R108XD904IA – Wet Floodplain Prairie
Flaggy Substratum
F108XD907IA – Flaggy Floodplain Forest
F108XD907IA – Flaggy Floodplain Forest
Sandy, coarse-loamy
F108XD902IA – Sandy/Loamy Floodplain Forest
F108XD902IA – Sandy/Loamy Floodplain Forest
Loamy, fine-loamy, fine-silty
F108XD901IA – Loamy Floodplain Forest
F108XD901IA – Loamy Floodplain Forest
Long term average mean annual precipitation
- No filter
- 80 – 100cm (31 – 39in)
- 100 – 120cm (39 – 47in)
—
cm
Long term average frost free days
- No filter
- 70 – 90days
- 90 – 110days
- 110 – 130days
- 130 – 150days
- 150 – 170days
—
days
- No filter
- 0 – 200m (0 – 700ft)
- 200 – 400m (700 – 1300ft)
- 400 – 600m (1300 – 2000ft)
- 600 – 800m (2000 – 2600ft)
- 800 – 1000m (2600 – 3300ft)
- 1000 – 1200m
—
m
- No filter
- 0 – 3%
- 3 – 5%
- 5 – 10%
- 10 – 15%
- 15 – 20%
- 20 – 25%
- 25 – 30%
- 30 – 35%
- 35 – 40%
- 40 – 45%
- 45 – 50%
- 50 – 60%
- 60 – 70%
- 70 – 80%
—
%
- No filter
- Alluvial fan
- Depression
- Drainageway
- Dune
- End moraine
- Flat
- Flood plain
- Flood-plain step
- Ground moraine
- Hill
- Hillside
- Hillslope
- Natural levee
- Outwash plain
- Paha
- Stream terrace
- Terrace
- Till plain
- Upland slope
- No filter
- Limestone and dolomite
- Limestone, unspecified
- Sandstone, unspecified
- Shale and siltstone
- Shale, unspecified
- No filter
- Alluvium
- Colluvium
- Eolian deposits
- Eolian sands
- Lacustrine deposits
- Loess
- Loess, calcareous
- Organic, herbaceous material
- Organic, unspecified
- Outwash
- Residuum
- Till, unspecified
Soil surface texture
- No filter
- Clay
- Clay loam
- Fine sand
- Fine sandy loam
- Loam
- Loamy fine sand
- Loamy sand
- Sand
- Sandy clay loam
- Silty clay
- Silty clay loam
- Silt loam
- Sandy loam
- Very fine sandy loam
Print Options
Sections
Font
A
A
A
A
Other
Print
Ecological site keys
MLRA 108A Key to Ecological Sites
I.
Uplands
B.
Mineral Soils
1
Bedrock <1.5m (60")
iii.
Bedrock is sandstone
2
Bedrock >1.5m (60")
i.
Loess (including loess over glacial till)
a.
Dark surface (mollic epipedon) >25cm (10")
3)
Water table <30cm (12"), ponded
ii.
Outwash (including loess-capped outwash)
a.
Dark surface (mollic epipedon) >25cm (10")
b.
Dark surface (mollic integrade) 15-25cm (6-10") --not described
... R108XA014IL – Outwash Savanna
II.
River Valleys
B.
Floodplain
2
Flooded only
MLRA 108B Key to Ecological Sites
I.
Uplands (bluffs, ground moraines, hills)
A.
Bedrock <1.5m (60")
2
Bedrock is shale
B.
Bedrock >1.5m (60")
1
Parent material is loess (>100cm thick)
i.
Linear to convex summits, shoulders, backslopes, and broad interfluve summits
ii.
Linear to concave footslopes, toeslopes, flats, and heads of drainageways
... R108XB008IL – Wet Loess Upland Prairie
2
Parent material is till/paleosol/pedisediment (<100cm of loess)
ii.
Dark surface (mollic intergrade) 15-25cm (6-10")
iii.
Light surface (ochric epiepdon) or dark surface <15cm (6")
... F108XB012IL – Till Upland Forest
II.
Outwash/lacustrine plains and terraces (includes dune topography)
A.
Outwash (including outwash with a loess cap 50-100cm)
1
Linear to convex summits and backslopes
ii.
light surface (ochric epipedon) or dark surface <25cm (10")
... F108XB014IL – Loamy Outwash Forest
2
Linear to concave footslopes, toeslopes, and heads of drainageways
... R108XB015IL – Wet Loamy Outwash Prairie
B.
Sandy eolian deposits
III.
Floodplains and low terraces subject to flooding
MLRA 108C Key to Ecological Sites
I.
Uplands and High Stream Terraces
A.
Summits, Shoulders, and Backslopes
1
Shallow (<100cm) silty or loamy sediments over bedrock
2
Loess
3
Eolian sands (including <150cm loess over eolian sands)
4
Glacial till/paleosols/valley-fill sediments (including <50cm loess over glacial till)
i.
Mollisol
ii.
Mollic subgroup of an Alfisol (or contains mollic surface horizon 15-25cm thick)
iii.
Alfisol
B.
Broad Upland Flats and Depressions
2
Upland flat, not ponded, loess parent material, shallow to water table (≤30cm), Somewhat Poorly to Very Poorly drained
ii.
Mollic subgroup of an Alfisol (or contains mollic surface horizon 15-25cm thick)
... R108XC517IA – Wet Loess Upland Flat Savanna
C.
Drainageways
1
Located downslope from an Upland Prairie or Upland Savanna ecological site
... R108XC519IA – Wet Upland Drainageway Prairie
2
Located downslope from an Upland Woodland or Upland Forest ecological site
... F108XC520IA – Upland Drainageway Woodland
II.
River Valleys
B.
Low Stream Terraces
1
Deep to water table (>30cm), Moderately Well to Somewhat Excessively drained
... R108XC522IA – Terrace Savanna
2
Shallow to water table (<30cm), Somewhat Poorly to Poorly drained
... R108XC523IA – Wet Terrace Sedge Meadow
C.
Floodplains
1
Flooded and ponded
2
Flooded only
i.
Not directly adjacent to stream channel
ii.
Directly adjacent to stream chanel
a.
Fine, fine-silty alluvium, Poorly to Very Poorly drained
... F108XC528IA – Floodplain Swamp Forest
b.
Fine-loamy, fine-silty alluvium, Somewhat Poorly to Moderately Well drained
... F108XC529IA – Loamy Floodplain Forest
MLRA 108D Key to Ecological Sites
I.
Upland (summit, shoulder, backslope)
A.
Root Restriction <20"
B.
Root Restriction 20-40"
1
<14% slope
2
>14% slope
C.
Root Restriction >40"
1
Loess >12"
2
Little or no Loess
i.
<14% slope
ii.
>14% slope
a.
Till/Paleosol, >10" to carbonates and Mollisol or Mollic Integrade
... R108XD833IA – Till Backslope Savanna
II.
Upland (depressions, drainageways, footslopes) Loess sites
B.
Drainageway
1
Well, Moderately Well drained
C.
Footslope
III.
Lowland (stream terrace, floodplain)
A.
High Terrace
1
Loess
i.
Well, Moderately Well, Somewhat Poorly drained, Mollisol or Mollic intergrade
... R108XD940IA – Loess High Terrace Savanna
B.
Low Terrace
2
Somewhat Poorly, Poorly drained, Mollisol or Mollic intergrade
... R108XD914MO – Wet Terrace Prairie
C.
Floodplain
1
Not adjacent to current/former channel
2
Adjacent to current/former channel
The Ecosystem Dynamics Interpretive Tool is an information system framework developed by the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and New Mexico State University.
Accessibility statement