LOCATION KERSTON MI+MN OH

Established Series
Rev. KEP-WEF-MLK
08/2012

KERSTON SERIES

The Kerston series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils that formed in 41 to 76 cm (16 to 30 inches) of organic materials overlying alternating layers of organic and mineral materials on flood plains and glacial drainageways. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 813 mm (32 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 8.9 degrees C (48 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Euic, mesic Fluvaquentic Haplosaprists

TYPICAL PEDON: Kerston muck, on a 1 percent slope in celery field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Oa1--0 to 25 cm (10 inches); black (N 2/) broken face, black (10YR 2/1) rubbed muck (sapric material); less than 5 percent fiber unrubbed and rubbed; weak medium granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; sodium pyrophosphate black (10YR 2/1); slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. [10 to 41 cm (4 to 16 inches) thick]

Oa2--25 to 41 cm (10 to 16 inches); black (10YR 2/1) broken face and rubbed muck (sapric material); less than 5 percent fiber unrubbed and rubbed; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine roots; sodium pyrophosphate very dark brown (10YR 2/2); about 5 percent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sand; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [0 to 76 cm (30 inches) thick]

C--41 to 46 cm (16 to 18 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sand; many medium faint dark gray (10YR 4/1) iron depletions; single grain; loose; few fine roots; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [5 to 30 cm (2 to 12 inches) thick]

O'a---46 to 56 cm (18 to 22 inches); black (10YR 2/1) broken face and rubbed muck (sapric material); about 10 percent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fiber unrubbed and rubbed; massive; few fine roots; sodium pyrophosphate dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2); moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [13 to 51 cm (5 to 20 inches) thick]

C'--56 to 74 cm (22 to 29 inches); dark gray (10YR 4/1) fine sand; common medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and many medium very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic stains; single grain; loose; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [0 to 30 cm (12 inches) thick]

O''a--74 to 86 cm (29 to 34 inches); black (N 2/) broken face, black (10YR 2/1) rubbed muck (sapric material); about 33 percent fiber, 15 percent rubbed; massive; fiber is grayish brown (10YR 5/2); neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. [0 to 51 cm (20 inches) thick]

C''--86 to 152 cm (34 to 60 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sand; few fine faint dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and many medium distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic stains; single grain; loose; neutral.

TYPE LOCATION: Muskegon County, Michigan; about 1 mile north east of the town of Whitehall; 700 feet east and 50 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 15, T. 12 N., R. 17 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the first C horizon: commonly 41 to 76 cm (16 to 30 inches), but ranges from 41 to 102 (16 to 40 inches)

Surface tier and organic subhorizons:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR, or is neutral
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 0 to 2
Organic material: typically well decomposed muck (sapric material) derived from herbaceous materials; some pedons contain woody fragments; thickness and sequence of the layers of organic material vary greatly in these soils and extend through the control section
Reaction: strongly acid to moderately alkaline

C horizon:
Thickness: one or more subhorizons 5 to 30 cm (2 to 12 inches) thick; constitute less than 50 percent of the upper 81 cm (32 inches) of the profile
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 7
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: fine sand to silty clay loam but is dominantly fine sand, sand, loamy sand, or sandy loam; some pedons have thin layers of marl below a depth of 91 cm (36 inches)
Reaction: strongly acid to moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Mountainview series. Mountainview soils do not have mineral soil layers within the control section and have a mean annual precipitation of less than 762 mm (30 inches).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kerston soils are in nearly level or slightly depressed glacial drainageways and flood plains (first bottoms) of slowly flowing streams. They are most extensive near the confluence of these streams with other bodies of water. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Kerston soils formed in 41 to 76 cm (16 to 30 inches) of organic materials overlying alternating layers of organic and mineral materials. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 762 to 914 mm (30 to 36 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 8.3 to 10.0 degrees C (47 to 50 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Adrian, Cohoctah, and Glendora soils on flood plains. Cohoctah and Glendora soils do not have organic layers.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Very poorly drained. Depth to the top of a seasonal high water table ranges from 30 cm (1 foot) above the surface to 30 cm (1 foot) below the surface between September and June in normal years. The water table is typically the same as that of the adjacent stream. Potential for surface runoff is negligible or very low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high in the sapric material and high or very high in the mineral material. Permeability of the sapric material ranges from moderately slow to moderately rapid and the mineral material has rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: The greater part of this soil is in native vegetation, which consists of marsh grasses, sedges, reeds, and shrubs. Some areas have a poor quality lowland hardwood forest including American elm, white ash, cottonwood, red and silver maple. Other areas are drained and planted to high value crops such as celery, carrots, onions, lettuce, and mint.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 90B, 96, 97, and 98 in lower Michigan, Ohio, and Minnesota. The series is of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Menominee County, Michigan, 1925.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Muck (sapric material): the surface to a depth of 41 cm (16 inches) (Oa1 and Oa2 horizons).
Fluvaquentic feature: mineral layers at 41 to 46 cm (16 to 18 inches); 56 to 74 cm (22 to 29 inches); and 86 to 152 cm (34 to 60 inches) below the surface tier.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.