Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Major Land Resource Area 116A
Major Land Resource Area
Accessed: 04/22/2026
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Description
The Ozark Highland constitutes the Salem Plateau of the Ozark Uplift. Elevation ranges from about 300 feet on the southeast edge of the Ozark escarpment, to about 1,600 feet in the west, adjacent to the Burlington Escarpment of the Springfield Plateau. The underlying bedrock is mainly horizontally bedded Ordovician-aged dolomites and sandstones that dip gently away from the uplift apex in southeast Missouri. Cambrian dolomites are exposed on deeply dissected hillslopes. In some places, Pennsylvanian and Mississippian sediments overlie the plateau. Relief varies, from the gently rolling central plateau areas to deeply dissected hillslopes associated with drainageways such as the Buffalo, Current, Eleven Point and White Rivers.
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Ecological sites
Major Land Resource Areas
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precipitation
frost free days
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Precipitation
Frost free days
Elevation
Slope
Landform
Parent material origin
Parent material kind
Soil texture
Upland Summits, Shoulders or Backslopes [NOT Upland Drainageways, Sinkholes, Footslopes & High Terraces, Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains]
Upland Drainageways, Sinkholes, Footslopes & High Terraces, Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains
Bedrock <20”
Bedrock >20”
Cliffs dominant (upper slope range to 70%)
Cliffs minor
North, East aspects
R116AY014MO – Dolomite Protected Cliff
R116AY014MO – Dolomite Protected Cliff
South, West aspects
R116AY017MO – Dolomite Exposed Cliff
R116AY017MO – Dolomite Exposed Cliff
Dolomite residuum
Sandstone residuum
R116AY027MO – Shallow Sandstone Upland Glade/Woodland
R116AY027MO – Shallow Sandstone Upland Glade/Woodland
Smaller, isolated acreage primarily in eastern portion of MLRA primarily on Gasconade and Eminence-Potosi dolomite formations
R116AY020MO – Shallow Dolomite Upland Glade/Woodland
R116AY020MO – Shallow Dolomite Upland Glade/Woodland
Larger, continuous acreage on Jefferson City-Cotter dolomite formation geology, located primarily in the White River Hills Subsection
R116AY021MO – Bald Knob Dolomite Glade
R116AY021MO – Bald Knob Dolomite Glade
Mollisols or Mollic Subgroups
Alfisols or Ultisols, not in Mollic subgroups
>12” loess
<12” loess
Fragipan or claypan
R116AY001MO – Claypan Summit Prairie
R116AY001MO – Claypan Summit Prairie
No root restriction
R116AY006MO – Loamy Upland Prairie
R116AY006MO – Loamy Upland Prairie
<15% slope
>15% slope
Bedrock 20-40”
F116AY009MO – Calcareous Dolomite Upland Woodland
F116AY009MO – Calcareous Dolomite Upland Woodland
Bedrock 40”
R116AY063MO – Chert Upland Savanna
R116AY063MO – Chert Upland Savanna
North, East aspects
F116AY010MO – Calcareous Dolomite Protected Backslope Forest
F116AY010MO – Calcareous Dolomite Protected Backslope Forest
South, West aspects
F116AY047MO – Calcareous Dolomite Exposed Backslope Woodland
F116AY047MO – Calcareous Dolomite Exposed Backslope Woodland
<15% slope
>15% slope
>12” loess
<12” loess
Fragipan or claypan
No root restriction
Somewhat Poorly Drained
F116AY066MO – Fragipan Upland Flatwoods
F116AY066MO – Fragipan Upland Flatwoods
Moderately Well Drained
F116AY004MO – Fragipan Upland Woodland
F116AY004MO – Fragipan Upland Woodland
Ultic
F116AY007MO – Low-Base Loamy Upland Woodland
F116AY007MO – Low-Base Loamy Upland Woodland
Alfic
F116AY008MO – Loamy Upland Woodland
F116AY008MO – Loamy Upland Woodland
Cherty Mudstone residuum or sandstone residuum
Dolomite residuum or cherty dolomite residuum
Cherty mudstone residuum
F116AY003MO – Chert Mudstone Upland Woodland
F116AY003MO – Chert Mudstone Upland Woodland
Sandstone residuum
F116AY023MO – Low-Base Sandstone Upland Woodland
F116AY023MO – Low-Base Sandstone Upland Woodland
Dolomite residuum
F116AY018MO – Loamy Dolomite Upland Woodland
F116AY018MO – Loamy Dolomite Upland Woodland
Cherty dolomite residuum
Alfisols
Ultisols
Bedrock 20-40”
F116AY044MO – Chert Dolomite Upland Woodland
F116AY044MO – Chert Dolomite Upland Woodland
Bedrock >40”; none
F116AY011MO – Chert Upland Woodland
F116AY011MO – Chert Upland Woodland
Shortleaf Pine able to regenerate naturally
F116AY090MO – Low-Base Chert Upland Pine Woodland
F116AY090MO – Low-Base Chert Upland Pine Woodland
Shortleaf Pine not able to regenerate naturally (outside of natural range of Shortleaf Pine)
F116AY012MO – Low-Base Chert Upland Woodland
F116AY012MO – Low-Base Chert Upland Woodland
Residuum
Colluvium
F116AY022MO – Talus Footslope Forest
F116AY022MO – Talus Footslope Forest
Cherty dolomite residuum, or cherty slope alluvium
Sandstone residuum
>12” loess
<12” loess
North, East aspects
F116AY030MO – Loamy Protected Backslope Forest
F116AY030MO – Loamy Protected Backslope Forest
South, West aspects
F116AY046MO – Loamy Exposed Backslope Woodland
F116AY046MO – Loamy Exposed Backslope Woodland
Alfisols
Ultisols
Bedrock 20-40”
Bedrock >40”; none
Thin loess
No loess
North, East aspects
F116AY019MO – Loamy Dolomite Protected Backslope Forest
F116AY019MO – Loamy Dolomite Protected Backslope Forest
South, West aspects
F116AY051MO – Loamy Dolomite Exposed Backslope Woodland
F116AY051MO – Loamy Dolomite Exposed Backslope Woodland
North, East aspects
F116AY016MO – Chert Dolomite Protected Backslope Forest
F116AY016MO – Chert Dolomite Protected Backslope Forest
South, West aspects
F116AY048MO – Chert Dolomite Exposed Backslope Woodland
F116AY048MO – Chert Dolomite Exposed Backslope Woodland
North, East aspects
F116AY002MO – Chert Protected Backslope Forest
F116AY002MO – Chert Protected Backslope Forest
South, West aspects
F116AY062MO – Chert Exposed Backslope Woodland
F116AY062MO – Chert Exposed Backslope Woodland
North, East aspects
F116AY013MO – Low-Base Chert Protected Backslope Woodland
F116AY013MO – Low-Base Chert Protected Backslope Woodland
South, West aspects
F116AY049MO – Low-Base Chert Exposed Backslope Woodland
F116AY049MO – Low-Base Chert Exposed Backslope Woodland
North, East aspects
F116AY045MO – Low-Base Sandstone Protected Backslope Woodland
F116AY045MO – Low-Base Sandstone Protected Backslope Woodland
South, West aspects
F116AY053MO – Low-Base Sandstone Exposed Backslope Woodland
F116AY053MO – Low-Base Sandstone Exposed Backslope Woodland
Fens or Upland Drainageways [NOT Sinkholes, Footslopes & High Terraces, Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains]
Sinkholes, Footslopes & High Terraces, Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains
Historic Prairie
R116AY026MO – Wet Upland Drainageway Prairie
R116AY026MO – Wet Upland Drainageway Prairie
Historic Forest
Fen landform or very poorly drained soils with mucky surface associated with spring discharge, occurring on multiple landforms.
R116AY100MO – Karst Fen
R116AY100MO – Karst Fen
Somewhat Poorly, Poorly Drained
F116AY036MO – Wet Upland Drainageway Forest
F116AY036MO – Wet Upland Drainageway Forest
Moderately Well, Well Drained
F116AY037MO – Gravelly/Loamy Upland Drainageway Forest
F116AY037MO – Gravelly/Loamy Upland Drainageway Forest
Sinkholes [NOT Footslopes & High Terraces, Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains]
Footslopes & High Terraces, Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains
Well Drained
F116AY043MO – Loamy Sinkhole Woodland
F116AY043MO – Loamy Sinkhole Woodland
Somewhat Poorly Drained
R116AY029MO – Ponded Sinkhole Wetland
R116AY029MO – Ponded Sinkhole Wetland
Footslopes & High Terraces [NOT Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains]
Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains
Mollic
R116AY005MO – Wet Footslope Savanna
R116AY005MO – Wet Footslope Savanna
Alfic & Ultic
Somewhat Poorly, Poorly Drained
F116AY035MO – Wet Terrace Forest
F116AY035MO – Wet Terrace Forest
Moderately Well, Well Drained
Low Available Water Capacity (skeletal or fragipan)
F116AY031MO – Dry Footslope Forest
F116AY031MO – Dry Footslope Forest
High Available Water Capacity (loamy or clayey)
F116AY032MO – Loamy Footslope Forest
F116AY032MO – Loamy Footslope Forest
Terraces, Floodplain Steps
Low Floodplains
Argillic horizon
No argillic horizon
Poorly to Somewhat Poorly Drained
F116AY033MO – Wet Footslope Forest
F116AY033MO – Wet Footslope Forest
Moderately Well to Well Drained
F116AY034MO – Loamy Terrace Forest
F116AY034MO – Loamy Terrace Forest
Poorly to Somewhat Poorly Drained
F116AY040MO – Wet Floodplain Step Forest
F116AY040MO – Wet Floodplain Step Forest
Moderately Well to Well Drained
F116AY039MO – Loamy Floodplain Step Forest
F116AY039MO – Loamy Floodplain Step Forest
Low Available Water Capacity (skeletal, sandy, coarse loamy)
F116AY042MO – Sandy/Gravelly Floodplain Forest
F116AY042MO – Sandy/Gravelly Floodplain Forest
High Available Water Capacity (fine loamy, fine silty)
F116AY041MO – Loamy Floodplain Forest
F116AY041MO – Loamy Floodplain Forest
Long term average mean annual precipitation
- No filter
- 100 – 120cm (39 – 47in)
- 120 – 140cm (47 – 55in)
—
cm
Long term average frost free days
- No filter
- 130 – 150days
- 150 – 170days
- 170 – 190days
—
days
- No filter
- 0 – 200m (0 – 700ft)
- 200 – 400m (700 – 1300ft)
- 400 – 600m (1300 – 2000ft)
—
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%
- 80 – 90%
- 90 – 100%
—
%
- No filter
- Cliff
- Depression
- Divide
- Drainageway
- Fen
- Flood plain
- Flood-plain step
- Hill
- Hillslope
- Interfluve
- Knob
- Ridge
- Sinkhole
- Strath terrace
- Stream terrace
- Talus slope
- Toe
- No filter
- Dolomite (dolostone)
- Limestone and dolomite
- Limestone, cherty
- Limestone, unspecified
- Mudstone
- Sandstone, unspecified
- Shale, unspecified
- No filter
- Alluvium
- Colluvium
- Loess
- Organic, unspecified
- Pedisediment
- Residuum
- Slope alluvium
Soil surface texture
- No filter
- Clay loam
- Fine sandy loam
- Loam
- Silty clay loam
- Silt loam
- Sandy loam
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Ecological site keys
ES key for MLRA 116A
1a.
Upland Summits, Shoulders or Backslopes [NOT Upland Drainageways, Sinkholes, Footslopes & High Terraces, Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains]
2a.
Bedrock <20”
3a.
Cliffs dominant (upper slope range to 70%)
3b.
Cliffs minor
5a.
Dolomite residuum
6a.
Smaller, isolated acreage primarily in eastern portion of MLRA primarily on Gasconade and Eminence-Potosi dolomite formations
... R116AY020MO – Shallow Dolomite Upland Glade/Woodland
6b.
Larger, continuous acreage on Jefferson City-Cotter dolomite formation geology, located primarily in the White River Hills Subsection
... R116AY021MO – Bald Knob Dolomite Glade
2b.
Bedrock >20”
7a.
Mollisols or Mollic Subgroups
8a.
>12” loess
8b.
<12” loess
10a.
<15% slope
10b.
>15% slope
7b.
Alfisols or Ultisols, not in Mollic subgroups
13a.
<15% slope
14a.
>12” loess
15a.
Fragipan or claypan
15b.
No root restriction
14b.
<12” loess
18a.
Cherty Mudstone residuum or sandstone residuum
18b.
Dolomite residuum or cherty dolomite residuum
20b.
Cherty dolomite residuum
21a.
Alfisols
21b.
Ultisols
49a.
Shortleaf Pine able to regenerate naturally
... F116AY090MO – Low-Base Chert Upland Pine Woodland
49b.
Shortleaf Pine not able to regenerate naturally (outside of natural range of Shortleaf Pine)
... F116AY012MO – Low-Base Chert Upland Woodland
13b.
>15% slope
23a.
Residuum
24a.
Cherty dolomite residuum, or cherty slope alluvium
25a.
>12” loess
25b.
<12” loess
27a.
Alfisols
28a.
Bedrock 20-40”
29a.
Thin loess
29b.
No loess
28b.
Bedrock >40”; none
27a.
Ultisols
24b.
Sandstone residuum
1b.
Upland Drainageways, Sinkholes, Footslopes & High Terraces, Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains
35a.
Fens or Upland Drainageways [NOT Sinkholes, Footslopes & High Terraces, Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains]
36b.
Historic Forest
36c.
Fen landform or very poorly drained soils with mucky surface associated with spring discharge, occurring on multiple landforms.
... R116AY100MO – Karst Fen
35b.
Sinkholes, Footslopes & High Terraces, Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains
38a.
Sinkholes [NOT Footslopes & High Terraces, Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains]
38b.
Footslopes & High Terraces, Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains
40a.
Footslopes & High Terraces [NOT Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains]
41b.
Alfic & Ultic
42b.
Moderately Well, Well Drained
40b.
Terraces & Floodplain Steps, or Low Floodplains
44a.
Terraces, Floodplain Steps
45a.
Argillic horizon
45a.
No argillic horizon
44b.
Low Floodplains
48a.
Low Available Water Capacity (skeletal, sandy, coarse loamy)
... F116AY042MO – Sandy/Gravelly Floodplain Forest
48b.
High Available Water Capacity (fine loamy, fine silty)
... F116AY041MO – Loamy Floodplain Forest
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.
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