LOCATION SCHOOLCRAFT MI+IN
Established Series
Rev. FRA-WEF-RAB
08/2012
SCHOOLCRAFT SERIES
The Schoolcraft series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in loamy material over sand or gravelly sand on outwash plains, terraces, and valley trains. Slope ranges from 0 to 12 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 838 mm (33 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 9.4 degrees C (49 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Argiudolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Schoolcraft loam, on a southwest-facing, 1 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of 273 meters (896 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 25 cm (10 inches); black (10YR 2/1) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; friable; few fine roots; 5 percent gravel; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [25 to 36 cm (10 to 14 inches) thick]
BE--25 to 36 cm (10 to 14 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/3) loam; 10 percent black (10YR 2/1) loam A material filling root channels; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. [0 to 20 cm (8 inches) thick]
Bt1--36 to 48 cm (14 to 19 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/3) clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; many distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) clay films in pores and on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--48 to 74 cm (19 to 29 inches); dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; many distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) clay films in pores and on faces of peds; 14 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bt3--74 to 99 cm (29 to 39 inches); dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) gravelly sandy loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on rock fragments; 20 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 36 to 102 cm (14 to 40 inches).]
2Bt4--99 to 107 cm (39 to 42 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) loamy sand; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; few faint clay bridging between sand grains; 5 percent gravel; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. [0 to 15 cm (6 inches) thick]
2BC1--107 to 150 cm (42 to 59 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sand; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; 5 percent gravel; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary.
2BC2--150 to 196 cm (59 to 77 inches); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sand; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the 2BC horizon is 0 to 102 cm (40 inches).]
2C1--196 to 211 cm (77 to 83 inches); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sand; single grain; loose; 14 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
2C2--211 to 241 cm (83 to 95 inches); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly coarse sand; single grain; loose; 25 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Kalamazoo County, Michigan; about 1 1/2 miles north and 1 1/2 miles west of Schoolcraft; 1,200 feet east and 50 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 11, T. 4 S., R. 12 W.; USGS Schoolcraft Northwest topographic quadrangle; lat. 42 degrees 7 minutes 41.2 seconds N. and long. 85 degrees 40 minutes 54.3 seconds W., NAD 27; UTM Zone 16, 608956 easting and 4664846 northing, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 64 to 127 cm (25 to 50 inches)
Depth to the sandy outwash: 64 to 102 cm (25 to 40 inches)
Ap or A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: loam, silt loam, or sandy loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
BE horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 3 to 4
Texture: loam, silt loam, or sandy loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral
Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam in the upper part and sandy loam or gravelly sandy loam in the lower part
Rock fragment content: 0 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral
BC horizon, where present:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: sandy loam or gravelly sandy loam
2Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: sand or loamy sand or their gravelly analogs
Rock fragment content: 0 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral
2BC horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 6
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: sand or loamy sand or their gravelly analogs
Sand content: fine-earth fraction averages more than 80 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral
Some pedons do not have a 2BC horizon.
2C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: dominantly sand, gravelly sand, or gravelly coarse sand; bands of loamy sand are present in some pedons
Rock fragment content: 0 to 34 percent gravel
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Atkinson,
Burchard,
Cokato,
Cresco,
Cresent,
Durand,
Friesland,
Griswold,
Hitt,
Jasper,
Joslin,
Keosauqua,
Kishwaukee,
Marbletown,
Moingona,
Morrill,
Nuxmaruhanixete,
Parmod,
Penfield,
Reedslake,
Ringwood,
Rockton,
Shelby,
Sibleyville,
Velma, and
Winnebago series. Atkinson, Hitt, and Rockton soils have a lithic contact within a depth of 152 cm (60 inches). Burchard, Cokato, Cresco, Durand, Friesland, Griswold, Jasper, Joslin, Moingona, Morrill, Parmod, Penfield, Reedslake, Ringwood, Shelby, Velma, and Winnebago soils average less than 80 percent sand in the lower part of the series control section. Cresent, Keosauqua, Kishwaukee, and Nuxmaruhanixete soils are deeper than 102 cm (40 inches) to sand or gravelly sand textures. Marbletown and Sibleyville soils have a paralithic contact within 152 cm (60 inches).
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Schoolcraft soils are on outwash plains, terraces, and valley trains of Wisconsinan age. Slope gradients typically are 0 to 4 percent but range to 6 percent. Schoolcraft soils formed in loamy material over sand or gravelly sand. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 737 to 1016 mm (29 to 40 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 7.8 to 11.7 degrees C (46 to 53 degrees F). Frost-free period is 130 to 170 days. Elevation is 177 to 311 meters (580 to 1,020 feet) above mean sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Boyer,
Brady,
Dowagiac,
Gilford,
Kalamazoo,
Matherton,
Oshtemo, and
Sebewa soils. The well drained Dowagiac and Kalamazoo soils, the somewhat poorly drained Brady and Matherton soils, and the poorly drained or very poorly drained Gilford and Sebewa soils are the most common associates. Boyer and Oshtemo soils are well drained associates on some outwash plains.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. The potential for surface runoff is negligible to low depending on the slope. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high in the loamy material and high or very high in the underlying sandy material. Permeability is moderate in the loamy material and rapid in the underlying sandy material.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of these soils are cultivated. Corn and soybeans are the principal crops with smaller portions in small grains and legume-grass hay. A very small acreage is in pasture. Native vegetation is tall prairie grasses with a few burr oaks.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 97, 98, and 111C in southern Michigan and northern Indiana. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, 1978.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 25 cm (10 inches) (Ap horizon).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 36 to 107 cm (14 to 42 inches) (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, 2Bt4 horizons).
ADDITIONAL DATA: Lab characterization data for the typical pedon (S01MI-077-001) is available from the National Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, NE.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.