LOCATION BACH MI+WI

Established Series
Rev. NWS-WEF
08/2012

BACH SERIES

The Bach series consist of very deep, poorly drained or very poorly drained soils formed in calcareous silty lacustrine deposits on lake plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 838 mm (33 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 8.3 degrees C (47 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, semiactive, calcareous, mesic Mollic Endoaquepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Bach very fine sandy loam, on a 1 percent slope in an idle cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 20 cm (8 inches); black (10YR 2/1) very fine sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. [20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 inches) thick]

Bg1--20 to 33 cm (8 to 13 inches); gray (5Y 5/1) very fine sandy loam; very weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.

Bg2--33 to 53 cm (13 to 21 inches); gray (5Y 6/1) very fine sandy loam; very weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; many medium prominent olive yellow (2.5Y 6/8) masses of oxidized iron; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.

Bg3--53 to 91 cm (21 to 36 inches); gray (5Y 6/1) very fine sandy loam; very weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; many medium and coarse prominent olive yellow (2.5Y 6/8) masses of oxidized iron; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bg horizon is 8 to 147 cm (3 to 58 inches).]

C1--91 to 122 cm (36 to 48 inches); light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) very fine sandy loam; massive; very friable; common fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.

C2--122 to 158 cm (48 to 62 inches); light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loamy very fine sand; single grain; loose; common medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) masses of oxidized iron; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: St. Clair County, Michigan; on Harsens Island in ditch bank next to cultivated field; 200 feet east of junction of Voakes and Columbine roads on south side of Voakes Road, T. 2 N., R. 16 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the solum: typically 64 to 89 cm (25 to 35 inches) but ranges from 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)
Carbonates: some pedons are calcareous at the surface; all are calcareous within a depth of 25 cm (10 inches)
Particle-size control section: averages less than 18 percent clay and less than 15 percent fine sand or coarser

Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: silt loam, loam, very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loamy very fine sand
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

Bg horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: typically very fine sandy loam but commonly have strata of loam, silt loam, loamy very fine sand, fine sandy loam, very fine sand, clay loam, or silty clay loam

C horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: typically very fine sandy loam but commonly have strata of loam, silt loam, loamy very fine sand, fine sandy loam, very fine sand, clay loam, or silty clay loam; some pedons have strata of fine sand, fine gravel, or silty clay loam

In some pedons loam or clay loam till is below 102 cm (40 inches).

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Bach soils are on lake plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. These soils formed in calcareous silty lacustrine deposits. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 711 to 914 mm (28 to 36 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 6.7 to 8.9 degrees C (44 to 48 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Blount, Eastport, Gagetown, Lamson, Linwood, Londo, Minoa, Oakville, Parkhill, Pipestone, Sanilac, Sims, Tappan, and Tobico soils. The Bach soils are in a drainage sequence with the Sanilac and Gagetown soils. Sanilac soils are somewhat poorly drained and are on slightly rounded swells and drainage divides. Gagetown soils are moderately well drained and are on the more sloping areas on the landscape. Linwood, Tobico, and Lamson soils are closely associated poorly drained or very poorly drained soils. Linwood and Tobico soils have organic surface layers. Lamson soils have noncalcareous surface horizons. Londo, Blount, Sims, Tappan, and Parkhill soils are formed in till and border Bach soils in some areas. Oakville, Minoa, Eastport, and Pipestone soils are better drained sandy soils directly associated with areas of Bach soils.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Poorly drained or very poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff ranges from negligible to medium. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high. Permeability is moderately slow or moderate depending on the texture and sequence of the layers.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Bach soils are used to grow corn, small grains, white beans, and sugar beets. Bluegrass is grown for sod purposes in some areas. A few partially drained areas are used for permanent pasture. Undrained areas grow sedges, reeds, and wetland shrubs, or a second growth of elm, red maple, ash, and tag alder. Native vegetation is mixed northern hardwoods or reeds, sedges and water tolerant shrubs in flooded areas.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 95A, 96, 98, and 99 in the thumb area and central parts of the lower peninsula of Michigan and in northeastern Wisconsin. This 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 (mollic intergrade): from the surface to a depth of 20 cm (8 inches) (Ap horizon).
Cambic horizon: from a depth of 20 to 91 cm (8 to 36 inches) (Bg1, Bg2 and Bg3 horizons).
Aquic conditions: redoximorphic features present in all horizons below the ochric epipedon.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Supporting characterization data is available for pedon S75MI06303 from the National Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, NE.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.