LOCATION CHETEK WI+MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Inceptic Hapludalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Chetek sandy loam - on a plane 3 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of about 1,070 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 10 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak medium granular structure; friable; common fine roots; about 10 percent gravel; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--10 to 16 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common distinct reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds and clay bridging of sand grains; about 10 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
2Bt2--16 to 20 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) gravelly loamy sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; clay bridging between sand grains; about 20 percent gravel; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
2C--20 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) stratified gravelly sand and sand; single grain; loose; about 20 percent gravel as an average; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Barron County, Wisconsin; about 5 miles east and 1 mile south of Chetek; 650 feet west and 100 feet south of the northeast corner, sec. 36, T. 33 N., R. 10 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the base of the argillic horizon ranges from 12 to 24 inches. Thickness of the loamy deposits ranges from 12 to 20 inches. The clay content of the particle-size control section ranges from 10 to 17 percent and the content of fine sand or coarser ranges from 50 to 70 percent as a weighted average. Volume of gravel ranges from 0 to 35 percent in the loamy mantle but typically is less than 15 percent. Volume of gravel ranges from 3 to 45 percent in the sandy outwash as a weighted average but ranges from 0 to 60 percent in individual strata. Volume of cobbles ranges from 0 to 10 percent throughout the pedon. Volume of stones ranges from 0 to 3 percent throughout the pedon. Reaction typically ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid in the solum but ranges to neutral in the upper part, where the soil is limed. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid in the substratum.
The Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 or 3. Dry color value is 6 or more. Uncultivated pedons have an A horizon, 1 to 5 inches thick with hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 to 3. The Ap or A horizon is loam or sandy loam.
Some pedons have an E horizon with hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is loam, sandy loam or the gravelly analogs.
The Bt horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR; value of 3 to 5; and chroma of 3 or 4. Value and chroma of 3 do not occur together. It is loam or sandy loam or the gravelly analogs.
The 2Bt horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR and value and chroma of 4 to 6. It typically is gravelly loamy sand but in some pedons it is gravelly loamy coarse sand, gravelly sand, gravelly coarse sand, or the very gravelly or non-gravelly analogs.
The 2C horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR; value of 4 or 5; and chroma of 4 to 6. It is stratified layers of sand or coarse sand or the gravelly or very gravelly analogs.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Anoka, Hayriver, and Hodenpyl series. Similar soils in other families are the Cress, Cromwell, Pence, and Rosholt series. Anoka soils also have less than 5 percent gravel and less than 40 percent fine sand or coarser in the argillic horizon and have E and Bt horizons in the lower part of the argillic. Hayriver soils have a paralithic contact within the series control section at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Hodenpyl soils have a loamy mantle 25 to 45 inches thick over a sandy E and Bt horizon. Cress and Cromwell soils do not have argillic horizons. Rosholt soils have a glossic horizon and have a loamy mantle 20 to 40 inches thick over sand and gravel outwash. Pence soils have a spodic horizon and do not have an argillic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Chetek soils typically are on outwash plains (either smooth or pitted), stream terraces, and valley benches but some are in outwash areas on moraines. Slopes range from 0 to 45 percent. Chetek soils formed in loamy deposits 12 to 20 inches thick and the underlying sandy and gravelly outwash. Mean annual precipitation ranges from about 28 to 33 inches. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 39 to 45 degrees F. The frost free period ranges from about 120 to 135 days. Elevation ranges from 800 to 1950 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Mahtomedi, Menahga, and Rosholt soils. The excessively drained Mahtomedi and Menahga soils are nearby on landscape positions similar to those of Chetek soils where the soil is sandy throughout. The well drained Rosholt soils are in similar landscape positions where the loamy mantle is 20 to 40 inches thick over the sandy outwash.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained. Surface runoff is slow to very rapid. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid in the loamy mantle and rapid or very rapid in the sandy outwash.
USE AND VEGETATION: Many areas are cleared and are used for cropland or pastureland. Common crops are corn, small grains, and hay. Many areas remain in woodland particularly where slopes are irregular and exceed 5 percent. The native vegetation is mixed deciduous and coniferous forest.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Wisconsin and central and northeastern Minnesota. The Chetek series is of large extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Langlade County, Wisconsin, 1947.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon: ochric epipedon - 0 to 10 inches (Ap); argillic horizon - 10 to 20 inches (Bt1, 2Bt2).
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record - WI0120.