LOCATION FILION MI

Established Series
Rev. LHL-NWS
08/2012

FILION SERIES

The Filion series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that are shallow or moderately deep to dense till. Filion soils formed in loamy till on till plains and glacial lake terraces. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 889 mm (35 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 8.9 degrees C (48 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, calcareous, mesic Typic Epiaquepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Filion loam, stony, on a level area once cleared but now reverting to hardwood forest. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 13 cm (5 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate fine granular structure; friable; many roots; about 15 percent cobbles and gravel, and 20 percent stones; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. [10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 inches) thick]

Bg--13 to 36 cm (5 to 14 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; firm; few roots; common medium prominent olive (5Y 5/3) and few fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of oxidized iron; about 10 percent cobbles and gravel; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. [15 to 46 cm (6 to 18 inches) thick]

Cdg1--36 to 81 cm (14 to 32 inches); olive gray (5Y 5/2) loam; strong very thick platy fragments; very firm; many coarse faint gray (5Y 5/1) iron depletions; about 5 percent cobbles and gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.

Cdg2--81 to 137 cm (32 to 54 inches); olive gray (5Y 5/2) clay loam; massive; very firm; common medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) masses of oxidized iron; about 5 percent cobbles and gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary.

Cdg3--137 to 152 cm (54 to 60 inches); gray (N 5/) loam; massive; very firm; about 5 percent cobbles and gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Huron County, Michigan; about one mile north of Harbor Beach; 1,100 feet east and 660 feet south of the northwest corner of sec. 1, T. 16 N., R. 15 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the solum: typically about 41 cm (16 inches) but ranges from 30 to 61 cm (12 to 24 inches); see REMARKS
Depth to carbonates: 25 cm (10 inches) or less
Depth to densic contact: 30 to 61 cm (12 to 24 inches)
Stones on the surface: 20 to 35 percent

A horizon:
Value: 2 or 3
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

Bg horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: dominantly loam but some pedons have thin subhorizons of silt loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 15 percent gravel and 0 to 8 percent cobbles

Cd or Cdg horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 5Y, or is neutral
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 0 to 3
Texture: loam or clay loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 15 percent gravel and 0 to 8 percent cobbles

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Filion soils are on till plains and glacial lake terraces. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. The soils formed in loam or clay loam till. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 737 to 940 mm (29 to 37 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 7.2 to 11.1 degrees C (45 to 52 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Aubarque, Badaxe, Covert, Kilmanagh and Shebeon soils. The somewhat poorly drained, coarse-loamy Aubarque and Badaxe soils are on more sloping areas above the Filion soils. In addition, the Badaxe soils have very firm, dense till at depths of more than 61 cm (24 inches). The moderately well drained, sandy Covert soils are on narrow ridges above the Filion soils. Kilmanagh soils are noncalcareous and have very firm dense till at depths of more than 61 cm (24 inches). Kilmanagh soils are in topographic positions similar to those of the Filion soils. The somewhat poorly drained Shebeon soils have very firm dense till at depths of more than 61 cm (24 inches) and are on more sloping areas above the Filion soils.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Poorly drained. Potential for surface runoff is negligible to high depending on the slope gradient and shape and depth of the Cd horizon. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high in the solum and low in the Cd horizon. Permeability is moderately slow or moderate in the solum and very slow in the Cd horizon.

USE AND VEGETATION: Almost all of the Filion soils are forested or are reverting to forest. Principal species are green and black ash, black willow, red and silver maple, eastern cottonwood, quaking aspen, and northern white cedar.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 99 in the thumb area of lower Michigan. This series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Huron County, Michigan, 1978.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 13 cm (5 inches) (A horizon).
Cambic horizon: from a depth of 13 to 36 cm (5 to 14 inches) (Bg horizon).
Densic contact at 36 cm (14 inches) (top of the Cdg1 horizon).
Aquic conditions: redoximorphic features present in all horizons below the ochric epipedon.

Field investigation is needed to determine if this series belongs in the shallow family and to evaluate rock fragment content in the surface horizon and on the surface.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.