LOCATION ENOSBURG VT+MA
Established Series
Rev. RLM-GWH-CAW
12/2021
ENOSBURG SERIES
The Enosburg series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in sandy glaciofluvial or aeolian deposits underlain by loamy estuarine or glaciolacustrine deposits. They are on glacial lake plains and glacial outwash areas. Permeability is rapid in the surface layer and upper part of the substratum and moderately slow or slow in the lower part of the substratum. Slope ranges from 0 to 8 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 34 inches and mean annual temperature is about 45 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy over loamy, mixed, active, nonacid, mesic Aeric Epiaquents
TYPICAL PEDON: Enosburg loamy sand - described in a wooded area of Enosburg and Whately soils, 0 to 3 percent slopes. (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise noted)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loamy sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine and medium granular structure; very friable; many roots; 5 percent rock fragments; coarse to very coarse, dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) concretions; common fine prominent brown(7.5YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick).
Cg1--8 to 16 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) sand; massive; very friable; common roots; 5 percent rock fragments; common coarse and very coarse, dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) concretions; common fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4), brown (7.5YR 4/4), and reddish brown (5YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Cg2--16 to 32, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) coarse sand; single grain; loose; few roots; 5 percent rock fragments; many fine and medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) and many fine and medium prominent brown (7.5YR 4/4) and reddish brown (5YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation; moderately acid in the upper part and slightly acid in the lower part; abrupt smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the C horizon is 0 to 28 inches)
2Cg3--32 to 65 inches, gray (N 5/0) silt; weak medium to very coarse platy structure; friable; few roots; many fine to coarse prominent light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) masses of iron accumulation; slightly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Chittenden County, Vermont, Town of Colchester; 4,000 feet directly east of Lamoille River Bridge where U.S. Route 2 crosses the river in a north-south direction; latitude 44 degrees 36 minutes 12 seconds North, longitude 73 degrees 11 minutes 18 seconds West, NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the loamy layers ranges from 16 to 34 inches. Depth to bedrock, skeletal, or coarse textured layers is greater than 60 inches. Rock fragments range from 0 to 5 percent. Some subhorizons have up to 20 percent rock fragments. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid in the surface layer and upper part of the substratum and from moderately acid to neutral in the lower part of the substratum.
The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 to 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is loamy fine sand, loamy sand, or sand. Some pedons have an A horizon. Consistence is very friable or loose.
The Cg horizon is neutral or has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is coarse sand, sand, loamy coarse sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand in the fine earth. In some pedons subhorizons of fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or sandy clay loam, less than 5 inches thick, are present immediately above the finer textured 2C horizon. Consistence is very friable or loose.
The 2Cg horizon is neutral or has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is very fine sandy loam, silt, or silt loam. Stratification is common. Lenses of fine sandy loam and silty clay loam are common. The weighted average of the clay content is less than 18 percent. Consistence is friable or firm.
COMPETING SERIES: There are currently no other series in the same family. The
Cook,
Coveytown,
Scarboro,
Swanton,
Wareham, and
Whately series are in related families. Cook soils have endosaturation and have more than 5 percent coarse fragments throughout. Coveytown soils have endosaturation and have a subhorizon between the A horizon and a depth of 30 inches with dominant chromas of 3 or more. Scarboro and Wareham soils have textures of loamy fine sand or coarser throughout the textural control section. Swanton and Whately soils have clayey textures within the depths of 40 inches and Whately soils have a frigid temperature regime.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Enosburg soils are nearly level and gently sloping soils on glacial lake plains or glacial outwash areas. They are in depressions and drainage ways and on toeslopes of swells and knolls. Slope ranges from 0 to 8 percent, but is typically less than 2 percent. The soils formed in thin sandy glaciofluvial or aeolian deposits underlain by loamy estaurine or glaciolacustrine deposits. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 30 to 55 inches and the mean annual temperature ranges from 45 to 53 degrees Fahrenheit. The frost free season ranges from 120 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Agawam,
Belgrade,
Biddeford,
Birdsall,
Canandaigua,
Deerfield,
Eldridge,
Hartland,
Hinesburg,
Munson,
Ninigret,
Raynham,
Scarboro,
Scantic,
Suffield,
Walpole, and
Whately soils. The moderately well drained Eldridge and well drained Hinesburg soils are in a drainage sequence with Enosburg soils. Canandaigua, Raynham, Scantic, Walpole, and Whately soils are on similar landforms. These soils have finer textures in the upper part of the particle size control section. Agawam, Belgrade, Deerfield, Hartland, Munson, Ninigret, and Suffield soils are in higher positions on the landscape. Agawam, Belgrade, Hartland, Munson, Ninigret, and Suffield soils have finer textures in the upper part of the particle size control section. Deerfield soils are sandy throughout. Biddeford, Birdsall and Scarboro soils are in lower position on the landscape. Birdsall and Biddeford soils have finer textures in the upper part of the particle size control section. Scarboro soils are sandy in the lower part of the particle size control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Permeability is rapid in the surface layer and upper part of the substratum and moderately slow or slow in the lower part of the substratum.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for hay and pasture. Some areas are used for growing row crops or are wooded. Common trees are red maple, sugar maple, white pine, elm, gray birch, and alder. Spruce, fir and tamarack are common in the northern range of the series.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and northern New York; MLRAs 142, 144A, 144B, and 145. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Amherst, Massachusetts.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Chittenden County, Vermont, 1970.
REMARKS: 1. The series classification is updated to the 8th edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy with this revision. The previous classification was sandy over loamy, mixed, nonacid, mesic Mollic Epiaquents. 2. The horizons and features diagnostic for the typical pedon are:
a. Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 8 inches.
b. Particle size control section from 10 to 40 inches is sandy over loamy.
c. Aquic conditions as evidenced by a matrix of chroma 2 or less and redox concentrations throughout.
d. Mesic temperature regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record Numbers for Enosburg is VT 0007.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.