LOCATION HARBOR OH+PA
Established Series
JRS-STP-AWD
05/2025
HARBOR SERIES
The Harbor series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils on low beach ridges, offshore bars and deltas on Wisconsinan age lake plains. These soils formed in sandy glaciolacustrine sediments and the underlying till. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high in the sandy mantle and moderately low or moderately high in the till substratum. Slope ranges from 0 through 12 percent. The mean annual air temperature is about 9.8 degrees C., and the mean annual precipitation is about 1025 millimeters.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Aquic Hapludalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Harbor fine sandy loam, on a convex, 2 percent slope in a meadow at an elevation of 645 feet above msl. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. When described on June 21, 1994, the soil was moist throughout.)
Ap1 -- 0 to 15 centimeters; dark brown (10YR 3/3) fine sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; moderate fine and medium granular structure; friable; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; 1 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Ap2 -- 15 to 33 centimeters; dark brown (10YR 3/3) fine sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak coarse and very coarse granular structure; friable; common very fine and fine roots; common fine distinct reddish brown (5YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 1 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Ap horizons is 20 through 33 centimeters.)
Bw1 -- 33 to 48 centimeters; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; weak fine and medium platy structure parting to weak fine and medium subangular blocky; loose; common very fine and fine roots; few distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) organic coats in root channels; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) and fine and medium red (10R 4/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 1 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bw2 -- 48 to 64 centiemters; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; weak very fine platy structure with weak coarse subangular blocky in some parts; loose; few very fine and fine roots; very few prominent dark brown (10YR 3/3) organic coats in root channels; common medium and coarse distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) areas of iron depletion in the matrix; common fine and medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and common fine prominent red (10R 4/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bw3 -- 64 to 81 centimeters; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loamy fine sand; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; loose; few very fine roots; very few prominent dark brown (10YR 3/3) organic coats in root channels; common medium and coarse distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) areas of iron depletion in the matrix; many medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 11 percent rock fragments; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 40 through 76 centimeters thick.)
Bt -- 81 to 94 centimeters; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine roots; few faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay films on faces of peds; common medium and coarse distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) areas of iron depletion in the matrix; many medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 1 percent rock fragments, and a thin stone line consisting of a few cobblestones, channers and flagstones at the lower boundary of this horizon; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (8 through 20 centimeters thick.)
2BC -- 94 to 142 centimeters; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) silty clay loam; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; very firm; few very fine roots; many prominent gray (N 6/0) iron-depleted coats on vertical faces of peds; many medium prominent gray (10YR 6/1) areas of iron depletion in the matrix; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 5 percent rock fragments; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (10 through 76 centimeters thick.)
2C1 -- 142 to 188 centimeters; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) clay loam; massive; very firm; few prominent gray (N 6/0) iron-depleted coats on vertical faces of peds; common fine and medium prominent gray (10YR 6/1) areas of iron depletion in the matrix; common fine and medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; common fine and medium black (10YR 2/1) manganese oxide accumulations in the matrix; common fine light gray (10YR 7/1) carbonate threads throughout; 10 percent rock fragments; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
2C2 -- 188 to 203 centimeters; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) channery silty clay loam; common fine and medium prominent gray (10YR 6/1) mottles; massive; very firm; 19 percent rock fragments; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Ashtabula County, Ohio; Geneva Township; 2.1 miles northeast of Geneva, 1,150 feet south of the intersection of Maple Avenue (County Road 216) and Meyers Road (County Road 9), then 475 feet east. T. 12 N., R. 5 W.; USGS Geneva, OH topographic quadrangle; Latitude 41 degrees, 49 minutes, 26 seconds N. and Longitude 80 degrees, 54 minutes, 54 seconds W., NAD 1927.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum ranges from 76 through 165 centimetrs. The depth to the till derived material is 50 through 100 centimeters. Rock fragments range from 0 to 15 percent in the A and Bw horizons, from 0 to 35 percent in the Bt horizon, and from 2 to 35 percent in the 2BC and 2C horizons. A thin stone line typically occurs at the contact of the sandy lacustrine sediments and the till. The calcium carbonate equivilent ranges from 1 through 10 percent. Depth to carbonates ranges from 76 through greater than 200 centimeters.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 or 4 (6 dry), and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is fine sandy loam. Structure is weak or moderate, very fine through very coarse, granular. Reaction is very strongly acid through moderately acid. Areas that have been limed range through slightly acid.
The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 through 6, and chroma of 3 through 8. In some pedons, subhorizons of uncoated sand grains have matrix with chroma of 2. Texture is commonly fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy fine sand, or loamy sand, and less commonly loam or sand. Structure is weak, very fine through coarse, subangular blocky, granular or platy. Reaction is very strongly acid through slightly acid.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 through 6, and chroma of 2 through 4. Texture is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, loam, or their channery or gravelly analogues. Structure is weak, fine through coarse, subangular blocky or platy. Reaction is strongly acid through neutral.
The 2BC horizon has hue of 7.5YR through 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 through 4. Texture is clay loam, silty clay loam, loam, silt loam, or their channery analogues. Structure is weak or moderate, medium through very coarse, prismatic, subangular blocky or angular blocky. Reaction is slightly acid through slightly alkaline.
The 2C horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y or is neutral, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 0 through 4. Texture is clay loam, silty clay loam, loam, silt loam, or their channery analogues. Reaction is neutral through moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES:
Bronson is the only other series in the same family as Harbor. Bronson soils have an outwash substratum that averages more than 85 percent sand.
The
Badaxe and
Roby series are in similar families. Badaxe soils have thinner solums. Roby soils have an outwash substratum that averages more than 52 percent sand.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Harbor soils are on slight rises, convex flats, knolls, shoulders and back slopes on low beach ridges, offshore bars and deltas on Wisconsinan age lake plains. These soils formed in sandy glaciolacustrine sediments dominated by quartz derived from predominantly noncalcareous sandstones or from granitic rocks, and in the underlying low lime till. During the period of glacial lakes the till part of this soil was leveled and modified by wave action, and a thin stone line typically occurs at the contact of the lacustrine sediments and the till. Slope ranges from 0 through 12 percent. Elevations are from 180 through 250 meters above msl. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 950 through 1100 millimeters, and the mean annual air temperature ranges from 9.5 through 10.5 degrees C. The frost free period is 160 through 198 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Conneaut,
Elnora,
Kingsville,
Otisville,
Painesville and
Tyner soils. The somewhat poorly drained Conneaut and Painesville soils are on broad, convex flats on lower landscape positions. The very poorly drained Kingsville soils are in depressions on lower landscape positions. The sandy Elnora soils lack the till floor and are on similar landscape positions. The excessively drained Otisville and Tyner soils are on higher elevation beach ridges.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained. The potential for surface runoff is low through very high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high in the sandy mantle and moderately low or moderately high in the till substratum. Depth to an intermittent perched seasonal high water table is 46 through 76 centimeters from December through April in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for growing nursery stock, tree fruits, corn and hay. The native vegetation was deciduous forest.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Lake plain area of the Lake Erie Glaciated Plateau in Ohio and Pennsylvania. MLRA 139. The series is of small extent; about 5,000 acres.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Morgantown, West Virginia.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ashtabula County, Ohio, 2001.
REMARKS: Diagnostic features in this pedon include:
Ochric epipedon - from a depth of 0 to 33 centimeters (Ap1 and Ap2 horizons).
Cambic horizon - from a depth of 13 to 81 centimeters (Bw1, Bw2 and Bw3 horizons).
Aquic conditions - begin at a depth of 48 centimeters.
Argillic horizon - from a depth of 81 to 94 centimeters (Bt horizon).
ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to pedon AB-123 for characterization data on the typical pedon, sample numbers 26679 - 26690, from Ashtabula County, Ohio; samples analyzed by the Ohio State University Soil Characterization Laboratory, Columbus, Ohio.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.