LOCATION ELCAJON MI

Established Series
Rev. BEF-TEW-MLK
08/2012

ELCAJON SERIES

The Elcajon series consists of moderately deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in sandy loam or loam till underlain by karst limestone on ground moraines and glacial lake benches. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 737 mm (29 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 7.8 degrees C (46 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, frigid Aquic Glossudalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Elcajon very fine sandy loam, on a 1 percent slope in a cultivated field at an elevation of about 229 meters (750 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 15 cm (6 inches); dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) very fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/2) dry; weak very fine and fine granular structure; friable; many very fine and fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [13 to 23 cm (5 to 9 inches) thick]

E/B--15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches); brown (7.5YR 5/2) very fine sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry (E); weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron; few fine prominent greenish gray (5GY 5/1) iron depletions; occupies about 60 percent of horizon surrounding peds of brown (7.5YR 4/3) loam (Bt); moderate subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron; common fine and very fine roots; common fine vesicular pores; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [5 to 20 cm (2 to 8 inches) thick]

Bt--30 to 74 cm (12 to 29 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/3) clay loam; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine and medium roots; common fine vesicular pores; common distinct dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds; many coarse distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron; few fine faint brown (7.5YR 4/2) iron depletions; about 8 percent angular gravel and 6 percent subangular gravel; about 1 percent subangular cobbles; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. [10 to 51 cm (4 to 20 inches) thick]

Cr--74 to 94 cm (29 to 37 inches); bluish gray (5B 5/1) very flaggy loam; very few very fine and fine roots; 50 percent flagstones; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

R--94 to 104 cm (37 to 41 inches); fractured karst limestone; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Alpena County, Michigan; 7 miles north and two miles west of Alpena; about 2,600 feet south and 430 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 18, T. 32 N., R. 8 E.; USGS Long Lake East topographic quadrangle; lat. 45 degrees 10 minutes 13 seconds N. and long. 83 degrees 29 minutes 47 seconds W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)
Depth to a lithic contact: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)
Particle-size control section: averages 27 to 35 percent clay

Ap horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 2 to 4
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: very fine sandy loam
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline

A horizon, where present:
Thickness: less than 13 cm (5 inches)
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 2 or 2.5
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: very fine sandy loam
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline

E horizon, where present:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: very fine sandy loam or loam
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline

E part of the E/B horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6, 7 or 8 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: very fine sandy loam
Bt part of the E/B horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline

Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: clay loam
Rock fragment content: 5 to 14 percent
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline

Cr horizon:
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, or 5B
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: very flaggy or extremely flaggy analogues of loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam
Rock fragment content: 35 to 75 percent
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

Residuum weathered from bedrock, as much as 10 cm (4 inches) thick, is in some pedons. The bedrock consists of limestone that has widely spaced joints that extend to depths varying from a few inches to several feet. Some of these cracks are partially filled with loamy soil.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Crossett, Peshtigo, and Slade series. Crossett, Peshtigo, and Slade soils do not have a lithic contact within a depth of 102 cm (40 inches).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Elcajon soils are on concave or plane slopes and depressions on ground moraines and glacial lake benches underlain by karst limestone. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. The Elcajon soils formed in sandy loam or loam till 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches) thick over karst limestone. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 686 to 813 mm (27 to 32 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 6.1 to 7.2 degrees C (43 to 45 degrees F). Frost-free period ranges from 100 to 150 days. Elevation ranges from 183 to 244 meters (600 to 800 feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chippeny, Lachine, Namur, and Summerville soils. Chippeny soils are very poorly drained and are in depressions. Lachine soils are on the same position but occur in areas where the depth to bedrock is 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches). The excessively drained Namur soils occur in areas where the depth to bedrock is less than 25 cm (10 inches). The well drained Summerville soils occur in areas where the depth to bedrock is 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches).

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Potential for surface runoff is low or medium. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high in the solum and very high in the fractured limestone. Permeability is moderately slow in the solum and very rapid in the fractured limestone.

USE AND VEGETATION: Much of this soil in association with well drained areas has been cleared and is used for general farming. Native vegetation is commonly mixed trees consisting mainly of sugar maple, balsam fir and American basswood.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 94C in the northeastern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Alpena County, Michigan, 1998.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 15 cm (6 inches) (Ap horizon).
Glossic horizon: from a depth of 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches) (E/B horizon);
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 30 to 74 cm (12 to 29 inches) (Bt horizon).
Aquic conditions: redoximorphic features present in the glossic and argillic horizons and below.
Lithic contact: at 94 cm (37 inches) (top of the R layer).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record No.: Local Interp No. MI1002.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.