The soils formed in 20 to 34 inches of loess and the underlying calcareous gravelly loam or gravelly sandy loam glacial till. Mean annual temperature ranges from 45 to 48 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 32 inches. These are the competing Markesan and Plano soils. Markesan soils are on the shorter steeper slopes where the silt mantle is less than 20 inches thick. Plano soils also are on intermediate slopes where the silt mantle is more than 3 feet thick over sandy loam glacial till.
Surface runoff is medium to rapid.
Permeability is moderate. Most of this soil is under cultivation. Corn, small grain, forage, and canning crops are grown. Native vegetation consisted of prairie grasses, forbs, and scattered bur oaks. This soil is of moderate extent.