LOCATION GREYSOLON MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, isotic, frigid Oxyaquic Eutrudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Greysolon sandy loam on a 1 percent slope under a mixed coniferous and deciduous forest at an elevation of 436 meters. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 8 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; friable; many very fine and fine roots and common medium and coarse; 3 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (The thickness of the A horizon is 3 to 13 cm thick)
Bw1--8 to 25 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; many very fine and fine roots and common medium and coarse; 3 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bw2--25 to 41 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; friable; many very fine and fine roots and few medium and coarse; 18 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bw3--41 to 64 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly sandy loam; weak coarse platy structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; friable; common patchy strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) manganese or iron-manganese stains; 30 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; many fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) Fe concentrations and common fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/2) Fe depletions; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 48 to 89 cm)
2R--64 cm; fractured bedrock
TYPE LOCATION: St. Louis County, Minnesota; 1,900 feet north and 2,000 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 16, T. 53 N., R. 14 W; USGS Thomson Lake Reservoir NW Minnesota Quadrangle; latitude 47 degrees 04 minutes 27.3 seconds N. and longitude 92 degrees 07 minutes 25.6 seconds W., NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to bedrock is 51 to 102 cm. The soil reaction is very strongly acid to moderately acid.
Some pedons have a thin O horizon (duff layer).
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is sandy loam, loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or silt loam. Rock fragment content ranges from 5 to 15 percent with 3 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles and 0 to 3 percent stones and boulders.
Some pedons have a thin or discontinuous E horizon.
The Bw horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is sandy loam, loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam or their gravelly analogues. Rock fragment content ranges from 5 to 30 percent with 3 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 7 percent cobbles and 0 to 3 percent stones and boulders.
COMPETING SERIES: These are Normanna, Soudan, Toimi and Wahlsten series. The Normanna, Soudan and Toimi soils do not have bedrock above a depth of 152 cm and formed entirely in glacial till. The Wahlsten soils formed in Rainy Lobe till with typical hue of 10YR or 2.5Y in the densic material.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils occur on summits and complex slopes of bedrock controlled surfaces. Slope ranges from 2 to 10 percent. They formed in friable loamy till from the Superior lobe of the late Wisconsinan glaciation. The till is 51 to 102 cm in thickness and overlies basalt, granite or gabbro bedrock. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 710 to 790 mm. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 2 to 6 degrees C. The frost free period is 80 to 120. The elevation above sea level ranges from 200 to 600 meters.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ahmeek, Barto, Canosia, Giese, Hermantown, Mesaba, and Normanna soils. The well drained Ahmeek soils occur on shoulders and sideslopes. The well drained Barto soils have a bedrock contact at depths of 20 to 51 cm. The poorly drained Canosia soils occur on toeslopes, flats and in slight depressions. The very poorly drained Giese soils occur in depressions and swales. The somewhat poorly drained Hermantown soils occur on footslopes, flats and slight rises on flats. The well drained Mesaba are on similar landscape but have bedrock at 51 to 102 cm in the profile. The moderately well drained Normanna soils occur on summits and sideslopes.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained, medium to rapid surface runoff. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is 1.41 to 14.11 micrometers per second (0.20 to 2.0 inches per hour). Seasonal high saturation occurs at depths as high as 46 cm during periods of high rainfall and snowmelt, typically during spring in normal years.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are mostly in mixed deciduous and coniferous forest. Major resource uses are related to timber, recreation, and wildlife habitat.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA-93A. Northeastern Minnesota. Minor extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: St. Louis County, Minnesota, 2007
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon include:
Ochric Epipedon - from a depth of 0 to 8 cm (A horizon).
Cambic horizon - from a depth of 8 to 64 cm (Bw1, Bw2, and Bw3 horizons).