LOCATION TOBICO                  MI

Established Series
Rev. GRL-RWJ-NWS
08/2012

TOBICO SERIES

The Tobico series consists of very deep, poorly drained or very poorly drained soils formed in sandy materials on outwash plains and lake benches. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 762 mm (30 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 8.9 degrees C (48 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, mesic Mollic Psammaquents

TYPICAL PEDON: Tobico mucky fine sand, on a 1 percent slope in an idle cultivated area. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 18 cm (7 inches); black (10YR 2/1) mucky fine sand; weak medium granular structure; very friable; slightly alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. [13 to 25 cm (5 to 10 inches) thick]

Cg1--18 to 30 cm (7 to 12 inches); dark gray (10YR 4/1) fine sand; single grain; loose; common medium faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and common medium faint dark gray (N 4/) iron depletions; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt irregular boundary. [0 to 20 cm (8 inches) thick]

Cg2--30 to 51 cm (12 to 20 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sand; single grain; loose; common medium faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions; common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and faint brown (10YR 5/3) masses of oxidized iron; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. [0 to 46 cm (18 inches) thick]

Cg3--51 to 89 cm (20 to 35 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sand; single grain; loose; common fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. [0 to 51 cm (20 inches) thick]

Cg4--89 to 152 cm (35 to 60 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) stratified sand and fine sand; single grain; loose; few layers 2 to 10 cm (1 to 4 inches) thick containing from 3 to 15 percent of gravel; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: St. Clair County, Michigan; 800 feet east and 920 feet south of the northwest corner of sec. 4, T. 7 N., R. 17 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth of carbonates: 38 cm (15 inches) or less
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent in the surface horizon and 0 to 25 percent in the C horizons

Oa horizon, where present:
Hue: 5YR to 5Y hue
Value: 2 or 2.5
Chroma: 1

Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or sandy loam, or a mucky analogue of these textures
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline; some pedons contain carbonates

Some pedons have thin Bw or Bg horizons.

C or Cg horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: sand or fine sand or the gravelly analogues of these textures, or is stratified with these textures

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Glendora, Kanza, Kingsville, Marlake, Pay, Plev, and Vestaburg series. Glendora, Kingsville, and Vestaburg soils do not have carbonates within a depth of 38 cm (15 inches). Kanza and Plev soils have a mean annual temperature of more than 10.6 degrees (51 degrees F). Marlake and Pay soils have a mean annual precipitation of less than 711 mm (28 inches).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tobico soils are on level areas or in slightly concave depressions on outwash plains and lake benches of the Wisconsinan age. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. The climate is modified continental. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 711 to 787 mm (28 to 31 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 7.2 to 10.6 degrees C (45 to 51 degrees F). Mean summer temperature ranges from 18.3 to 20 degrees C (65 to 68 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: The excessively drained Eastport soils and the somewhat poorly drained Wainola and Au Gres soils are in a drainage sequence with Tobico soils. The finer textured Bach soils and the slightly alkaline Deford soils are nearby.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Poorly drained or very poorly drained. Potential for surface runoff is negligible. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high or very high. Permeability is rapid.

USE AND VEGETATION: Largely in second growth forest and idle brush-land. Willow, tag alder, elm, sedges, and water tolerant shrubs and grasses make up most of the present vegetation. A few areas are pastured, mainly where Tobico soils are closely associated with better drained soils. Native vegetation is forest of elm, ash, and some white cedar.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 98 and 99 in eastern and central Michigan. The series is of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sanilac County, Michigan, 1955.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 18 cm (7 inches) (Ap horizon).
Aquic conditions: mucky surface horizon and redoximorphic features present in all underlying horizons.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.