LOCATION GOODHARBOR              MI

Established Series
Rev. EPJ-BDK-MLK
08/2012

GOODHARBOR SERIES

The Goodharbor series consists of very deep, excessively drained soils formed in sandy eolian and beach deposits on vegetated beach ridges, stabilized low sand dunes, or beach plains near the Great Lakes. Slope ranges from 1 to 12 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 813 mm (32 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 7.2 degrees C (45 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mesic, uncoated Typic Quartzipsamments

TYPICAL PEDON: Goodharbor sand, on a southeast-facing, 6 percent slope on a grassed beach ridge with sparsely scattered jack pine at an elevation of 190 meters (622 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 2 cm (1 inch); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sand, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine and common medium roots; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. [0 to 8 cm (3 inches) thick]

E--2 to 8 cm (1 to 3 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sand, gray (10YR 6/1) dry; single grain; loose; common fine and medium roots; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. [5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) thick]

Bw1--8 to 58 cm (3 to 23 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) sand; single grain; loose; few fine roots; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary.

Bw2--58 to 102 cm (23 to 40 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sand; single grain; loose; very few very fine roots; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; diffuse wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 51 to 94 cm (20 to 37 inches).]

C--102 to 203 cm (40 to 80 inches); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sand; single grain; loose; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Benzie County, Michigan; about 6 miles south of Empire; 1700 feet south and 1000 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 22, T. 27 N., R. 15 W., Lake Township; USGS Beulah, Michigan 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees 43 minutes 44.83 seconds N. and long. 86 degrees 06 minutes 13.53 seconds W., NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the solum: 66 to 102 cm (26 to 40 inches)
Depth to carbonates: 8 to 38 cm (3 to 15 inches)
Rock fragment content: 0 to 15 percent gravel

A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3
Chroma: 1
Texture: sand or fine sand
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

E horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5
Chroma: 2
Texture: sand or fine sand
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

Bw horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: sand or fine sand
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

C horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 6 or 7
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: sand or fine sand
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Boone, Hooksan, Tarr, and Tint series. Boone soils have a paralithic contact within a depth of 100 cm. Hooksan, Tarr, and Tint soils do not have carbonates within the series control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Goodharbor soils are on vegetated beach ridges, beach plains, and stabilized sand dunes adjacent to protected harbors along Lake Michigan. Slope gradients usually are between 4 and 12 percent and range from 1 to 12 percent. The soils formed in sandy eolian and beach deposits. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 762 to 812 mm (30 to 32 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 7.8 to 8.9 degrees C (46 to 48 degrees F). Elevation is 183 to 305 meters (600 to 1000 feet) above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Nordhouse, Platteriver, Covert, and Dair soils. Nordhouse are on larger associated dunes. The moderately well drained Covert and Platteriver soils are on low dunes and long-shore bars. The poorly drained or very poorly drained Dair soils are in lower landscape positions.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Excessively drained. Potential for surface runoff is very low or negligible. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high or very high. Permeability is rapid.

USE AND VEGETATION: The greater part is sparsely forested to northern red oak, jack pine, aspen, red maple, black cherry, paper birch, northern white-cedar, juniper and balsam fir. Recreation is a major use.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 96 in northwestern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Benzie County, Michigan, 2005.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 8 cm (3 inches) (A, E horizons).
Albic horizon: from a depth of 2 to 8 cm (1 to 3 inches) (E horizon).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.