LOCATION CUNARD MI+MN WI

Established Series
Rev. CFS-WEF
08/2012

CUNARD SERIES

The Cunard series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils formed in loamy glacial materials overlying limestone bedrock. Slope ranges from 0 to 18 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 762 mm (30 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 5.6 degrees C (42 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, active, frigid Typic Hapludalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Cunard fine sandy loam, on a northeast-facing, 3 percent slope in a forested area. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Oe--0 to 5 cm (2 inches); black (5YR 2.5/1) partially decomposed forest litter; many roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [0 to 8 cm (3 inches) thick]

A--5 to 15 cm (2 to 6 inches); black (10YR 2/1) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak medium granular structure parting to moderate fine granular; very friable; many very fine to medium roots; neutral; about 1 percent gravel; clear wavy boundary. [5 to 13 cm (2 to 5 inches) thick]

E/B--15 to 33 cm (6 to 13 inches); brown (7.5YR 5/4) fine sandy loam (E); occupies about 60 percent of the horizon surrounding peds of brown (7.5YR 4/4) fine sandy loam (B); moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; common fine and many very fine roots; neutral; about 4 percent gravel; clear irregular boundary. [0 to 30 cm (12 inches) thick]

Bt1--33 to 48 cm (13 to 19 inches); yellowish red (5YR 4/6) fine sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; friable; few very fine and common fine and medium roots; common distinct dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) clay films on faces of ped; about 6 percent gravel; slightly alkaline; clear irregular boundary. [0 to 15 cm (6 inches) thick]

Bt2--48 to 66 cm (19 to 26 inches); reddish brown (5YR 4/4) gravelly fine sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common faint dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds; about 18 percent gravel and cobbles; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. [10 to 28 cm (4 to 11 inches) thick]

C--66 to 76 cm (26 to 30 inches); brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly fine sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky fragments; friable; few fine and medium roots; about 25 percent gravel and cobbles; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt broken boundary. [0 to 20 cm (8 inches) thick]

2R--76 to 102 cm (30 to 40 inches); limestone.

TYPE LOCATION: Menominee County, Michigan; about 1/2 mile southeast of Nathan; 800 feet north and 500 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 31, T. 37 N., R. 27 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the solum: typically 50 to 76 cm (20 to 30 inches), but ranges from 46 to 102 cm (18 to 40 inches)
Depth to a lithic contact: 50 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)
Reaction: moderately acid to slightly alkaline in the solum
Rock fragment content: 1 to 20 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles in the solum

A or Ap horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR, or is neutral
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 0 to 3
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam, or the gravelly analogs of these textures

E horizon, where present:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam, or the gravelly analogs of these textures

E/B horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam, or the gravelly analogs of these textures

Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam, or the gravelly analogs of these textures

Some pedons have a BC horizon. Some pedons have thin Bw horizons.

C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam, or the gravelly analogs of these textures; thin strata of loamy sand or sand may be present
Rock fragment content: 5 to 30 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Hayriver and Nadeau series. Hayriver soils have a paralithic contact within a depth of 102 cm (40 inches). Nadeau soils do not have a lithic contact within a depth of 102 cm (40 inches).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cunard soils are on till plains and glacial lake benches. Slope gradients are dominantly 0 to 6 percent range from 0 to 18 percent. Cunard soils formed in 50 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches) of loamy till overlying limestone bedrock. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 711 to 813 mm (28 to 32 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 5.0 to 7.2 degrees C (41 to 45 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Emmet, Ensign, Nahma, Omena, Onaway, Ruse, Summerville, and Sundell soils. The somewhat poorly drained Sundell soils and poorly drained Nahma soils form a drainage sequence with Cunard soils. Associated loamy soils less than 50 cm (20 inches) deep are the Summerville soils, somewhat poorly drained Ensign soils, and poorly drained or very poorly drained Ruse soils. Emmet, Omena, and Onaway soils are very deep, loamy soils on adjacent uplands.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. Potential for surface runoff is negligible to medium depending on slope. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high. Permeability is moderate.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the Cunard soil is in woodland with sugar maple, American beech, white ash, American basswood, eastern white pine, and bigtooth aspen being the principal species. Cultivated areas are used for corn, oats, barley, wheat, hay crops, and pasture.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 93B, 94B, 94C, and 95A in northern Lower Michigan, central Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and northeastern Wisconsin. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Menominee County, Michigan, 1985.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 10 cm (4 inches) (A horizon).
Albic horizon: from a depth of 10 to 28 cm (4 to 11 inches) (E part of E/B horizon).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 28 to 61 cm (11 to 24 inches) (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
Lithic contact: limestone bedrock at 71 cm (28 inches) (top of the 2R layer).

ADDITIONAL DATA: For data on representative pedon, refer to Michigan Technological University Pedon S81MI-109-3, Sample Nos. 81, 123-127.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.