LOCATION AU GRES MI+MA ME NH NY VT WI

Established Series
Rev. RWJ-WEF-GDW
08/2012

AU GRES SERIES

The Au Gres series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils formed in sandy fluvial and lacustrine deposits on ice margin complexes, kame moraines, stream terraces, outwash plains, lake terraces, lake plains, and ground moraines. Slope ranges from 0 to 6 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 762 mm (30 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 6.1 degrees C. (43 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, frigid Typic Endoaquods

TYPICAL PEDON: Au Gres sand, on a northwest-facing, 1 percent slope in a forested area at an elevation of 360 meters (1,182 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Oe--0 to 2 cm (0 to 1 inch); black (7.5YR 2.5/1) partially decomposed forest litter; extremely acid.

A--2 to 8 cm (1 to 3 inches); black (7.5YR 2.5/1) sand, very dark gray (7.5YR 3/1) dry; weak fine and medium granular structure; very friable; many very fine to medium roots and common coarse roots; 1 percent gravel; extremely acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [0 to 13 cm (5 inches) thick]

E--8 to 13 cm (3 to 5 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sand, light gray (10YR 7/1) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many very fine to medium roots and common coarse roots; 1 percent gravel; extremely acid; abrupt wavy boundary. [0 to 30 cm (12 inches) thick]

Bhs--13 to 18 cm (5 to 7 inches); dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) sand; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; many very fine to medium roots and common coarse roots; 2 percent gravel; extremely acid; abrupt wavy boundary. [0 to 30 cm (12 inches) thick]

Bs1--18 to 36 cm (7 to 14 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; few very fine to medium roots; 2 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.

Bs2--36 to 58 cm (14 to 23 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sand; single grain; loose; few very fine to medium roots; very strongly acid; few medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) and common fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron; 2 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of Bs horizon is 30 to 64 cm (12 to 25 inches) thick]

BC--58 to 84 cm (23 to33 inches); brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) sand; single grain; loose; common medium and coarse prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron; 1 percent gravel; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. [0 to 53 cm (21 inches) thick]

C--84 to 203 cm (33 to 80 inches); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sand; single grain; loose; common medium and coarse distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; 1 percent gravel; very strongly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Roscommon County, Michigan; about 2 miles north of Lake St. Helen; 450 feet east and 2300 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 3, T. 23 N., R. 1 W., Richfield Township; USGS St. Helen NW, MI 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees 24 minutes 48.8 seconds N. long. 84 degrees 25 minutes 41.5 seconds W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the solum: 51 to 122 cm (20 to 48 inches)
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent throughout
Particle-size control section: averages less than 50 percent fine sand
Mean annual soil temperature: 5.5 to 8.3 degrees C (42 to 47 degrees F)

A or Ap horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR, or is neutral
Value: 2 to 4
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Reaction: extremely acid to neutral

E horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: sand, coarse sand, loamy sand, or loamy coarse sand
Reaction ranges from extremely acid to neutral

In some pedons the A and E horizons are mixed.

Bhs horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: sand, coarse sand, loamy sand, or loamy coarse sand
Ortstein content: commonly from 0 to 30 percent, but ranges to as high as 50 percent in some pedons
Reaction: extremely acid to moderately acid

Bs horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 3 to 6
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: sand, coarse sand, loamy sand, or loamy coarse sand
Ortstein content: commonly from 0 to 30 percent, but ranges to as high as 50 percent in some pedons
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid in the upper part and very strongly acid to neutral in the lower part

Pedons without a Bhs horizon have Bs or Bs1 horizons with the following properties:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 4

BC horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 8
Texture: sand, coarse sand, loamy sand, or loamy coarse sand
Reaction: extremely acid to neutral

C horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 5Y
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 8
Texture: sand or coarse sand
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Battlefield, Kinross, Wainola, and Wormet series. Battlefield soils have more than 10 percent rock fragments in the lower part of the control section. Kinross soils are saturated for a period of 90 to 120 days when the soil temperature is above 5 degrees C. Wainola soils average more than 50 percent fine sand in the particle-size control section. Wormet soils have a finer textured cap with sandy loam or fine sandy loam textures that is 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches) thick.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Au Gres soils are on ice margin complexes, kame moraines, stream terraces, outwash plains, lake plains, lake terraces, and ground moraines of Wisconsinan age. Slope gradients are predominantly 0 to 3 percent and range from 0 to 6 percent. The Au Gres soils formed in sandy fluvial and lacustrine deposits. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 680 to 911 mm (27 to 36 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 4.4 to 8.3 degrees C (40 to 47 degrees F). Frost-free period is 90 to 146 days. Elevation is 183 to 549 meters (600 to 1,800 feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Croswell, Kalkaska, Kinross, Deford, and Rubicon soils. The excessively drained Rubicon, somewhat excessively drained Kalkaska, and the moderately well drained Croswell soils are on higher landscape positions. The poorly drained or very poorly drained Deford and Kinross soils are in depressions.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Depth to the top of a seasonal high water table ranges from 18 to 46 cm (0.5 to 1.5 feet) at some time between October and June in normal years. The soil is saturated for a period of 70 to 90 days when the soil temperature is above 5 degrees C. Potential surface runoff is negligible or very low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high or very high.

USE AND VEGETATION: Only a small part is cultivated. Some areas are in permanent pasture and others are used for growing special crops such as blueberries and cucumbers. Many areas are in various stages of reforestation. Natural forests are northern white-cedar, balsam fir, hemlock, yellow birch, paper birch, aspen, and red maple.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 89, 90A, 90B, 91B, 92, 93B, 94A, 94B, 94C, 94D, 96, 98, 142, 144A, and 144B in northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Maine, Wisconsin, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. The series is of large extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Franklin County, New York, 1955.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 13 cm (5 inches) (A and E horizons).
Albic horizon: from a depth of 8 to 13 cm (3 to 5 inches) (E horizon).
Spodic horizon: from a depth of 13 to 58 cm (5 to 23 inches) (Bhs and Bs horizons).
Aquic conditions (endosaturation): inferred from redox accumulations in the zone from 36 to 203 cm (14 to 80 inches) (Bs2, BC, and C horizons).

Loamy or clayey substratum phases of this soil are no longer within the series concept.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record No.: MI0109.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.