LOCATION GILFORD IN+IA IL MI MO OH WI

Established Series
Rev. RAR-RAB-MB
11/2021

GILFORD SERIES

The Gilford series consists of very deep, poorly drained or very poorly drained soils formed in loamy over sandy sediments on outwash plains, glacial drainage channels, near-shore zones (relict), and flood-plain steps. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 988 mm (39 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 9.7 degrees C (50 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Endoaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Gilford sandy loam, on a slope of less than 1 percent in a cultivated field at an elevation of 234 meters (766 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 28 cm (11 inches); black (10YR 2/1) sandy loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate fine granular structure; friable; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.

A--28 to 36 cm (11 to 14 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sandy loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the A horizon is 25 to 61 cm (10 to 24 inches).]

Bg1--36 to 51 cm (14 to 20 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; moderately acid; clear irregular boundary.

Bg2--51 to 81 cm (20 to 32 inches); gray (10YR 5/1) sandy loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron in the matrix; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bg horizon is 36 to 66 cm (14 to 26 inches).]

BCg--81 to 96 cm (32 to 38 inches); gray (10YR 6/1) loamy sand; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [10 to 30 cm (4 to 12 inches) thick]

Cg1--96 to 122 cm (38 to 48 inches); gray (10YR 6/1) sand; single grain; loose; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Cg2--122 to 203 cm (48 to 80 inches); gray (10YR 6/1) coarse sand and sand; single grain; loose; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: St. Joseph County, Indiana; about 6 miles east and 3 miles north of South Bend; 1,900 feet west and 50 feet north of the southeast corner of sec. 24, T. 38 N., R. 3 E.; USGS South Bend East, IN topographic quadrangle; lat. 41 degrees 43 minutes 28.9 seconds N. and long. 86 degrees 7 minutes 36.0 seconds W., NAD 27; UTM Zone 16, 572638 easting and 4619584 northing, NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the cambic horizon: 61 to 127 cm (24 to 50 inches)
Depth to the BCg horizon: 76 to 102 cm (30 to 40 inches)
Depth to carbonates: carbonates are present in at least one horizon between 102 to 140 cm (40 and 55 inches)

Ap or A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or N
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam, or sandy loam, or their mucky analogues
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Bg horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 or 2; redox concentrations with higher chroma are usually present
Texture: fine sandy loam or sandy loam, with thin subhorizons of loam or sandy clay loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

BCg horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR to 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 to 2
Texture: loamy sand, loamy fine sand, fine sand, or sand, with thin subhorizons of coarse sand in some pedons
Rock fragment content: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral

Cg or C horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: loamy sand, sand, coarse sand, or fine sand, or their gravelly analogues
Rock fragment content: 0 to 34 percent gravel
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral above a depth of 102 cm (40 inches) and neutral to moderately alkaline below

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Darfur, Dassel, Goodell, Hanska, Jubilee, Lyles, Monon, Mudgepond, Overshue, Toolesboro, Uniongrove, and Whitepost series. Darfur and Overshue soils are in a climate where the mean annual temperature is less than 8.9 degrees C (48 degrees F), and the mean annual precipitation is less than 762 mm (30 inches). Dassel soils have textural stratification in the cambic horizon and are in a climate where the mean annual precipitation is less than 762 mm (30 inches). Goodell and Mudgepond soils have a layer in the lower part of the series control section that has less than 70 percent sand. Hanska and Gilford soils have overlapping soil properties within the series control section and are not clearly differentiated. Jubilee soils contain mica flakes and are in a climate where the mean annual precipitation is less than 762 mm (30 inches). Lyles soils are greater than 102 cm (40 inches) to sand and loamy sand textures. Monon and Toolesboro soils do not have carbonates in the lower part of the series control section. Uniongrove soils are deeper than 127 cm (50 inches) to the base of the cambic horizon and have an accumulation of secondary carbonates in the lower part of the series control section. Whitepost soils have more than 27 percent clay in the lower part of the series control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Gilford soils are commonly in broad closed depressions on outwash plains, glacial drainage channels, near-shore zones (relict), and on flood-plain steps. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Gilford soils formed in loamy over sandy sediments. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 762 to 1067 mm (30 to 42 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 8.5 to 11.7 degrees C (48 to 53 degrees F). Frost-free period is 130 to 210 days. Elevation is 104 to 466 meters (340 to 1,530 feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Boyer, Brady, Branch, Bronson, Granby, Maumee, Morocco, Mussey, Ormas, and Oshtemo soils. The well drained Boyer, Ormas, and Oshtemo soils are on summits and swells of outwash plains or on backslopes of dissected outwash plains. The moderately well drained Branch and Bronson soils are on summits and swells of outwash plains. The somewhat poorly drained Brady and Morocco soils are on nearly level outwash plains. The poorly drained or very poorly drained Granby, Maumee, and Mussey soils are on outwash plains adjacent to the Gilford soils.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Poorly drained or very poorly drained. In drained areas, the depth to the top of an apparent seasonal high water table ranges from 15 cm (0.5 feet) above the surface to 30 cm (1 foot) below the surface between December and May in normal years. Potential for surface runoff is negligible. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high in the upper part and high or very high in the lower part. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid in the upper part and rapid in the lower part.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most of these soils are used for growing corn, soybeans, wheat, and oats. Native vegetation is dominantly herbaceous wetland in the western extent of the series and dominantly forested in the eastern extent. See Additional Data section for native vegetative cover in Iowa.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 97, 98, 99, and 110, and LRUs 95B, 108A, 108B, 111B, 111C, and 115C in northern Indiana, Michigan, northwestern Ohio, southeastern Wisconsin, southeastern Iowa, northeastern Missouri, and northern and central Illinois. The series is of large extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Tuscola County, Michigan, 1926.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 36 cm (14 inches) (Ap, A).
Cambic horizon: from a depth of 36 to 81 cm (14 to 32 inches) (Bg1, Bg2).
Aquic conditions: matrix color with chroma of 1 below the mollic epipedon.

12/2015 revision: added glacial drainage channel to list of landforms; allowed for thin subhorizons of coarse sand in the BCg horizon; added statement regarding shift from grasslands to woodlands from west to east of series extent.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization data for the typical pedon (S2001IN141004) is available from the Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, NE.

In Iowa, the native vegetative cover is an herbaceous wetland community commonly inhabited with Bluejoint Grasses, Fowl Bluegrasses, Green Muhlies, Fox Sedges, Field Sedges, Dudleys Rushes, Torreys Rushes, Swamp Milkweeds, False Sneezeweeds, False Asters, New England Asters, White Panicled Asters, and Wild Mints. Source: Iowa State Office, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Des Moines, IA.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.