LOCATION BLUE LAKE MI

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

BLUE LAKE SERIES

The Blue Lake series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in sandy drift on moraines, ice margin complex, and outwash plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 70 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 Lamellic Haplorthods

TYPICAL PEDON: Blue Lake loamy sand, on a 3 percent slope in a forested area. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 8 cm (3 inches); black (10YR 2/1) loamy sand, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; weak coarse granular structure; very friable; common fine, medium, and coarse roots; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. [0 to 10 centimeters (0 to 4 inches) thick]

E--8 to 18 cm (3 to 7 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sand, pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; common fine and medium roots; strongly acid; clear irregular boundary. [8 to 18 cm (3 to 7 inches) thick)]

Bs1--18 to 38 cm (7 to 15 inches); dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) sand; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common medium roots; 15 percent weakly cemented dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) ortstein occurring as columns 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) wide and extending into the Bs2 horizon; about 3 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. [10 to 25 cm (4 to 10 inches) thick]

Bs2--38 to 66 cm (15 to 26 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) sand; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; 10 percent weakly cemented dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) ortstein occurring as columns 3 to 8 cm (1 to 3 inches) wide; about 3 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. [20 to 38 cm (8 to 15 inches) thick]

E and Bt--66 to 203 cm (26 to 80 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sand (E); single grain; loose; lamellae of brown (7.5YR 5/4) loamy sand (Bt) that are 3 mm to 5 cm (1/8 inch to 2 inches) thick and have a total thickness of more than 15 cm (6 inches); moderate very fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; clay bridging between sand grains in the lamellae; strongly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Otsego County, Michigan; about 640 feet north and 100 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 27, T. 30 N., R. 4 W., north part of Hayes Township; USGS Lake Arrowhead, Michigan topographic quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees 57 minutes 43.55 seconds N. and long. 84 degrees 46 minutes 06.28 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the E and Bt horizon (first lamellae): 46 to 107 cm (18 to 42 inches)
Thickness of the solum: 102 to more than 203 cm (40 to more than 80 inches)
Depth to carbonates: greater than 152 cm (60 inches)
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent cobbles and 0 to 10 percent gravel throughout the profile

Some pedons have an Oe horizon.

A horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Reaction: very strongly acid to slightly acid

Ap horizon, where present:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 2
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Reaction: very strongly acid to slightly acid

E horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 2
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Reaction: strongly acid to slightly acid

Bhs horizon, where present:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 2.5 or 3
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Reaction: strongly acid or moderately acid

Bs1 horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 4
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Reaction: moderately acid or strongly acid in the upper part and ranges to slightly acid in the lower part
Ortstein content: 0 to 20 percent

Bs2 horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Reaction: moderately acid or strongly acid in the upper part and ranges to slightly acid in the lower part
Ortstein content: 0 to 20 percent

E part of the E and Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loamy sand or sand
Reaction: strongly acid to slightly acid

Bt part of the E and Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 6
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: loamy sand, loamy fine sand, or sandy loam; individual lamellae vary in thickness from about 3 mm to 8 cm (1/8 to 3 inches); total accumulation of lamellae within a depth of 203 cm (80 inches) ranges from 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches)
Reaction: strongly acid to slightly acid

C horizon, where present within the control section:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: sand
Reaction: moderately acid to slightly alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Islandlake, Lindquist, and McMillan series. Islandlake and Lindquist soils have an accumulation of lamellae within a depth of 203 cm (80 inches) that is less than 15 cm (6 inches). McMillan soils have more than 30 percent silt in the upper parts of the series control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Blue Lake soils are on moraines, ice margin complex, and outwash plains of Wisconsinan Age. Slope ranges from 0 to 50 percent. The Blue Lake soils formed in sandy drift. Mean annual precipitation ranges from about 686 to 864 mm (27 to 34 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 4.4 to 8.3 degrees C (40 to 47 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Emmet, Kalkaska, Otisco, and Rubicon soils. The somewhat poorly drained Otisco soil is in the same drainage sequence. The somewhat excessively drained Kalkaska and excessively drained Rubicon soils are sandy associates. The well drained Emmet soils are common finer textured associates.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. The potential for surface runoff is very slow to medium, depending on slope. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high.

USE AND VEGETATION: A small amount is cropped. A large amount is in permanent pasture, is idle, or in forest. Native vegetation is forest of sugar maple, American beech, yellow birch, quaking aspen, eastern white pine, and eastern hemlock.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 93B, 94A, 94B, 94C, 96, and 98 in northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The series is of large extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kalkaska County, Michigan, 1927.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 18 cm (7 inches) (A and E horizons).
Albic horizon: from a depth of 8 to 18 cm (3 to 7 inches) (E horizon).
Spodic horizon: from a depth of 18 to 66 cm (7 to 26 inches) (Bs horizons).
Lamellic feature: lamellae present between a depth of 66 and 203 cm (26 and 80 inches) (E and Bt horizon).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record No. MI0102.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.