The loess ranges from 12 to 16 feet in thickness and contains less than 5 percent sand. Mean annual temperature ranges from about 49 to 52 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation from about 30 to 34 inches. These are the competing Clearfield and Sperry soils and the Macksburg and Sharpsburg soils. Clearfield soils are also on side slopes and narrow ridge tops. Sperry soils are in small depressions within broad areas of Winterset soils.
Surface runoff is slow.
Permeability is moderately slow. When drained, these soils are used for corn, soybeans, small grains, and legume hay. Native vegetation was tall prairie grasses. They are moderately extensive. Taylor County, Iowa, 1948.