LOCATION EFFIE MN
Established Series
Rev. GDN-AGG
02/2011
EFFIE SERIES
The Effie series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils formed in lacustrine modified calcareous till on glacial till uplands and moraines. These soils have moderately slow saturated hydraulic conductivity. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 25 inches. Mean annual air temperature is about 39 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Typic Endoaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Effie loam, on a plane slope of 1 percent, in a mixed deciduous-coniferous forest. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 2 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate fine and medium granular structure; friable; less than 1 percent rock fragments; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary (1 to 3 inches thick)
Eg--2 to 5 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) loam, light gray (2.5Y 7/1) dry; weak medium platy structure; friable; common medium distinct prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and common coarse prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) Fe concentrations; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
B/E--5 to 8 inches; 95 percent dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) silty clay loam (Bt), 5 percent grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam (E); moderate medium angular blocky structure; firm; few faint very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay films on faces of peds; less than 1 percent rock fragments; common coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) Fe concentrations; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
Btg--8 to 20 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) silty clay; moderate fine angular blocky structure; firm; few faint very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay films on faces of peds; less than 1 percent rock fragments; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) Fe concentrations; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 24 inches thick)
BCg--20 to 64 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silty clay loam; friable; 2 percent rock fragments; common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and common fine prominent brown (7.5YR 4/4) Fe concentrations; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 30 inches thick),
Cg--64 to 80 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay loam; massive; friable; 2 percent rock fragments; few medium prominent olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) Fe concentrations; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) 88-Northern Minnesota Glacial Lake Basins; Koochiching County, Minnesota subset; about 6 miles north and 3 miles east of Craigville; about 1,120 feet east and 1,280 feet north of the southwest corner of section 4, T. 63 N., R. 25 W.; USGS Craigville topographic quadrangle; lat. 47 degrees 58 minutes 21 seconds N. and long. 93 degrees 32 minutes 57 seconds W., NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to carbonates ranges from 12 to 32 inches. Content of rock fragments, of mixed lithology, ranges from 1 to 5 percent by volume.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, chroma of 0 to 2 or is neutral. It is loam, silt loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam. It is moderately acid to neutral.
The Eg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or silt loam. It typically has few to common high chroma Fe concentrations. It is moderately acid to neutral.
The B/E horizon has properties similar to the Eg and Btg horizons respectively.
The Btg horizon has hue of 2.5Y, 5Y, or 10YR; value of 4 or 5; and chroma of 1 or 2. It is clay loam, clay, silty clay loam, or silty clay with clay content ranging from 35 to 60 percent. Sand content ranges from 20 to 45 percent (mainly medium sand or finer). It is strongly acid to slightly alkaline.
Some pedons have a Bkg horizon with properties similar to the BCg horizon.
The BCg or Cg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is clay loam, loam, or silty clay loam. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 10 to 25 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Effie soils are on slightly convex to slightly concave positions with slopes of 0 to 2 percent. These soils formed in lacustrine modified calcareous till of Late Wisconsinan Age. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 23 to 27 inches. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 36 to 41 degrees F. The elevation ranges from 1,000 to 1,400 feet above sea level. The frost-free period ranges from 95 to 125 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Suomi and
Ashlake soils that form a drainage catena with Effie soils. In places organic soils are also associated. Organic soils are associated in depressions and basins.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Poorly drained. Surface runoff is low or negligible. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately slow. Seasonal high saturation occurs at depths of 0.5 to 1.5 feet during April to June and October to November in normal years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of this soil is forested. Common trees are balsam fir, balsam poplar, and quaking aspen. Minor areas are cleared and used for hay and pasture with some areas being cultivated.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 57, 88, 93A. North-central Minnesota. Moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Itasca County, Minnesota, 1982.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon: ochric epipedon - the zone from the soil surface to a depth of 5 inches (A and Eg horizon); argillic horizon - the zone from 5 to 20 inches (B/E, Btg horizons); aquic moisture regime.
The type location of this series was moved from Itasca County, Minnesota to Koochiching County, Minnesota in 5/2004 to better represent the series concept and the central location of the series extent. 2/15/2011-TYPE LOCATION error was corrected.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to MAES Central File Code No. 2449 for laboratory analysis of a representative pedon.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.