LOCATION ENSLEY MI+NY WI

Established Series
Rev. EPW-WEF-GDW
08/2012

ENSLEY SERIES

The Ensley series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils formed in loamy till on ground moraines, end moraines, and wave cut terraces. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 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: Coarse-loamy, mixed, active, nonacid, frigid Aeric Endoaquepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Ensley mucky sandy loam, on a 1 percent slope on a ground moraine in an undisturbed area. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 inches); black (7.5YR 2.5/1) mucky sandy loam, dark gray (7.5YR 4/1) dry; weak coarse granular structure; friable; many fine and common medium roots; 2 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [8 to 23 cm (3 to 9 inches) thick]

Bg--20 to 38 cm (8 to 15 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam; weak very thick platy structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; friable; many fine and common medium roots; many distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) organic stains: many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron; few fine faint gray (10YR 5/1) iron depletions; 7 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [0 to 25 cm (10 inches)]

Bw--38 to 74 cm (15 to 29 inches); light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) sandy loam; weak very thick platy structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; friable; common fine and medium roots; few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; many medium prominent light greenish gray (5GY 7/1) iron depletions; 7 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. [25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches)]

C--74 to 107 cm (29 to 42 inches); pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) sandy loam massive; friable; common medium and fine roots; many coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; 5 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. [0 to 38 cm (15 inches) thick]

Cg--107 to 203 cm (42 to 80 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) sandy loam; massive; friable; few fine roots; 5 percent gravel and 3 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Alcona County, Michigan; 2360 feet north and 500 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 13, T.28N., R.7 E.; USGS Hubbard Lake topographic quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees 49 minutes 17 seconds N. and long. 83 degrees 31 minutes 37 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the solum: 38 to 89 cm (15 to 35 inches)
Depth to a lithic contact: typically greater than 203 cm (80 inches) but is at depths of 152 to 203 cm (60 to 80 inches) in some pedons
Depth to carbonates: 38 to 89 cm (15 to 35 inches)
Surface stones: less than 0.01 to 0.1 percent
Other features: some pedons have a thin organic surface layer, but when plowed the amount of organic matter is too low for a histic epipedon

A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR, or is neutral
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: sandy loam, fine sandy loam, silt loam, loam, or the mucky analogs of these textures
Rock fragment content: 1 to 14 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline

Ap horizon, where cultivated:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y, or is neutral
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 0 to 2
Rock fragment content: 1 to 14 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline

Bg horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: fine sandy loam or sandy loam
Rock fragment content: 1 to 14 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline

Bw horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: sandy clay loam, loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam, but some subhorizons are higher in clay because of stratification
Rock fragment content: 1 to 14 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

Some pedons have BC horizons.

C horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: dominantly sandy loam or fine sandy loam, but pockets and lenses of loamy sand, sand, or gravelly analogs of these textures are in some pedons
Rock fragment content: 5 to 30 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 20 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Chazy, Gay, Jacobsville, Mino, and Peasleeville series. Chazy and Jacobsville soils have a lithic contact within a depth of 102 cm (40 inches). Gay and Peasleeville soils do not have carbonates within a depth of 89 cm (35 inches). Mino soils have less than 5 percent gravel in the lower part of the series control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Ensley soils are on nearly level areas or in depressions on ground moraines, end moraines, and wave cut terraces. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. These soils formed in loamy till. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 711 to 864 mm (28 to 34 inches). Mean annual temperature is 5 to 7.2 degrees C (41 to 45 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Charlevoix, Cathro, Emmet, and McBride soils. The somewhat poorly drained Charlevoix soils are on slightly higher landscape positions. The Cathro soils are formed in organic deposits in depressions. The well drained Emmet and McBride soils are on surrounding uplands.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Poorly drained. The depth to the top of a seasonal high water table ranges from 30 cm (1 foot) above the surface to 30 cm (1 foot) below the surface at some time in normal years. The potential for surface runoff is negligible. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderate or moderately rapid.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most are in second growth forest of northern white-cedar, black ash, red maple, and some white spruce, balsam fir, and yellow birch. Some are used for growing small grain, hay, and some corn and beans. Some cutover areas are used for permanent pasture.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 93B, 94A, 94B, 94C, 95A, 96, and 98 in northern Michigan and northeastern Wisconsin and in MLRAs 141 and 142 in New York. This series is of large extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Montcalm County, Michigan, 1954.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 20 cm (8 inches) (A horizon).
Cambic horizon: from a depth of 20 to 74 cm (8 to 29 inches) (Bg and Bw horizons).
Aquic conditions: mucky surface layer and redoximorphic features present throughout the profile.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.