LOCATION BEARGREASE MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Typic Dystrudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Beargrease very stony loam on a convex slope of 32 percent on an end moraine in a clearcut. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 2 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) very stony loam; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many very fine to coarse roots; 10 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, 15 percent stones and 2 percent boulders; moderately acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 3 inches thick.)
Bw1--2 to 14 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) very stony sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; very friable; many fine to coarse roots; 10 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, 15 percent stones and 2 percent boulders; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 18 inches thick.)
2Bw2--14 to 22 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely stony loamy coarse sand; single grain; loose; patchy yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt coats on top surfaces of rock fragments; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, 30 percent stones and 5 percent boulders; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. ( 0 to 8 inches thick.)
2BC--22 to 46 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) extremely stony loamy coarse sand; single grain; loose; discontinuous light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) silt coats on top surfaces of rock fragments; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, 30 percent stones and 5 percent boulders; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 25 inches thick.)
2C--46 to 80 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) extremely stony coarse sand; single grain; loose; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, 30 percent stones and 5 percent boulders; moderately acid.
TYPE LOCATION: St. Louis County, Minnesota; about 3 miles west and 3 miles north of Babbitt; about 1700 feet south and 500 feet east of the northwest corner of Section 21, T. 61 N., R. 13 W., USGS Eagles Nest, Minnesota Quadrangle; latitude 47 degrees 45 minutes 17 seconds N. and longitude 92 degrees 00 minutes 35 seconds W., NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The loamy mantle is 10 to 25 inches thick. Depth to free carbonates is greater than 80 inches. The rock fragment content by volume ranges from 10 to 55 percent in the loamy mantle and 35 to 90 percent in the underlying outwash. The total content of cobbles, stones and boulders in the outwash is greater than 15 percent.
Some pedons have an Oa or Oe horizon up to 3 inches thick as a leaf litter.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2 to 4 and chroma of 1 to 3. It is loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam or very fine sandy loam in the fine-earth fraction. Rock fragment content ranges from 1 to 30 percent gravel, 1 to 15 percent cobbles, 0 to 15 percent stones and 0 to 10 percent boulders. Reaction is strongly acid to slightly acid.
The E horizon (when present) is up to 4 inches thick. It has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 1 to 3. Texture, rock fragment content and reaction are similar to the A horizon.
The Bw horizon has a hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 5 and chroma of 3 to 6. It is sandy loam, or fine sandy loam in the fine-earth fraction. Some pedons have subhorizons of loam less than 8 inches thick. Rock fragment content ranges from 2 to 40 percent gravel, 2 to 25 percent cobbles, 0 to 20 percent stones and 0 to 10 percent boulders. Reaction is very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The 2Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 5 and chroma of 3 to 6. It is loamy coarse sand, loamy sand, or coarse sandy loam in the fine-earth fraction. Rock fragment content ranges from 15 to 50 percent gravel, 5 to 35 percent cobbles, 0 to 20 percent stones, and 0 to 10 percent boulders. Reaction is very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The 2BC horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 3 to 6. It is loamy coarse sand, coarse sand, loamy sand or sand in the fine-earth fraction. Rock fragment content ranges from 20 to 60 percent gravel, 5 to 40 percent cobbles, 0 to 35 percent stones and 0 to 10 percent boulders. Reaction is very strongly acid to slightly acid.
The 2C horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 3 to 6 and chroma of 3 to 6. It is coarse sand, loamy coarse sand, loamy sand or sand in the fine-earth fraction. Rock fragment content ranges from 10 to 65 percent gravel, 5 to 40 percent cobbles, 0 to 30 percent stones and 0 to 10 percent boulders. Reaction is strongly acid to slightly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no series in the same family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Beargrease soils are on convex or linear slopes of end moraines and pitted outwash plains. Slopes range from 1 to 60 percent. They formed in a loamy mantle and underlying sandy-skeletal glacial outwash. The mean annual air temperature is 37 to 39 degrees F. The mean annual precipitation is 27 to 29 inches. The frost-free period is 90 to 120 days. Elevation above sea level is 1400 to 1900 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Shagawa, Oysterlake, and Greenwood soils. Well drained Shagawa soils are on similar positions on end moraines and formed in a loamy mantle over glacial till. Moderately well drained Oysterlake soils are in depressions. The very poorly drained Greenwood soils are in deeper depressions and formed in organic materials.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. Runoff is low to high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderate in the upper part and very rapid in the lower part.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are forested. Principal trees are aspen, paper birch, red maple, balsam fir, red pine, white pine and jack pine. Native vegetation is mixed deciduous and coniferous forest.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA-93A. Northeast Minnesota; St. Louis and Lake Counties. Moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: St. Louis County, 2005.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 2 inches (A horizon); cambic horizon - the zone from 2 to 14 inches (Bw1 horizon)