LOCATION CORNISH ME+NY VT

Established Series
Rev. KJL-NRK-WDH
04/2016

CORNISH SERIES

The Cornish series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils formed in alluvial deposits on flood plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Estimated saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high in the coarse-silty layers and moderately high to very high in the silt loam to fine gravel strata, where present. Mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is about 44 inches at the type location.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Fluvaquentic Dystrudepts

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

Ap -- 0 to 12 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very fine sandy loam, light gray (2.5Y 7/2) dry; moderate medium granular structure; friable; few fine and very fine roots; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)

Bw -- 12 to 24 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) very fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; few very fine roots; common fine distinct light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) iron depletions and common fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (7 to 27 inches thick)

BC -- 24 to 35 inches; olive (5Y 5/4) very fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; few very fine roots; many coarse prominent light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) iron depletions and few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 22 inches thick)

Cg -- 35 to 65 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) very fine sandy loam; massive; friable; common fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) nodules; common medium prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Oxford County, Maine; Town of Fryeburg; 1.5 miles east of North Fryeburg village and 0.5 mile southwest of Fryeburg Harbor; USGS Fryeburg topographic quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees 07 minutes 10 seconds N. and long. 70 degrees 56 minutes 32 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum ranges from 20 to 48 inches. Depth to bedrock is more than 60 inches. A few pebbles are in some pedons. Redox depletions are within a depth of 7 to 16 inches and deeper. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid throughout, unless limed, but pedons that are stratified may range to neutral below 40 inches. Some pedons have buried horizons.

The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. Dry value is 6 or 7. Undisturbed areas have an A horizon 1 to 7 inches thick, that has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. They are silt loam or very fine sandy loam. They have weak to strong, fine to medium granular structure. Consistence is very friable or friable.

The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is silt loam or very fine sandy loam. It has weak or moderate, fine or medium granular or subangular blocky structure. Some pedons have platy structure. Consistence is very friable or friable.

The BC horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 6. Some pedons have a BCg horizon below 20 inches with a chroma of 2. It is silt loam or very fine sandy loam. It has weak fine or medium granular structure. Consistence is very friable or friable.

The C horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 4. It is silt loam, very fine sandy loam, or loamy very fine sand. In some pedons below a depth of 40 inches there are layers or stata ranging from silt loam to fine gravel with colors similar to the C horizon but range to 7.5YR in some pedons. It is massive or single grain, depending upon texture. Consistence ranges from loose to friable.

COMPETING SERIES: The Lovewell series is currently the only other one in the same family. Lovewell soils do not have redox depletions within a depth of 16 inches from the mineral soil surface.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cornish soils are on flood plains that are commonly in broad depressions. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. The soils formed in alluvial deposits of very fine sand and silt. Flooding frequency ranges from twice annually to once in 10 years. Overflow generally occurs during spring runoff and during heavy rains. The climate is humid and cool temperate. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 34 to 48 inches and the mean annual temperature ranges from 38 to 46 degrees F. The frost-free season ranges from 80 to 160 days. Elevation ranges from 10 to 3000 feet above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Lovewell soils, and the Adams, Allagash, Charles, Colton, Croghan, Duxbury, Fryeburg, Madawaska and Sunday soils. Adams, Allagash, Colton, Croghan, Duxbury, and Madawaska soils are better drained soils on adjacent outwash plains, deltas and terraces. Charles soils are wetter and in lower positions on flood plains. Fryeburg and Sunday soils are better drained and in higher positions on flood plains.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Runoff is negligible or very high. Estimated saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high in the coarse-silty layers and moderately high to very high in the silt loam to fine gravel strata, where present.

USE AND VEGETATION: Cleared areas are used mainly for hay, pasture, potatoes, and truck crops. The remaining areas are mostly forested; common tree species include willow, elm, eastern white pine, balsam fir, red spruce, white spruce, red maple, and gray birch.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Maine, New York and Vermont. (MLRA's 142, 143, 144B and 146) The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Amherst, Massachusetts

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Oxford County, Maine, 1987.

REMARKS: 1. The Cornish series replaces some soils formerly mapped Winooski and Limerick that are somewhat poorly drained and have a frigid temperature regime.
2. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
a. Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 12 inches (Ap horizon).
b. Cambic horizon - the zone from 12 to 24 inches (Bw horizon).
c. Fluvaquentic feature - content of organic carbon decreases irregularly with depth redox depletions are within 24 inches of the mineral soil surface (Bw horizon).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Source of data used in establishing taxonomic class and range in characteristics is Maine Agricultural Experiment Station, Technical Bulletin 145, July 1991.

Soil interpretation record numbers for the Cornish series are: Cornish, ME0079; and Cornish, stratified substratum, ME0119.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.