LOCATION KALAMAZOO MI+IN
Established Series
Rev. NWS-LWB-MB
09/2015
KALAMAZOO SERIES
The Kalamazoo series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in loess-influenced loamy outwash overlying sand, loamy sand, or sand and gravel outwash on outwash plains, terraces, valley trains, and low lying moraines. Slope ranges from 0 to 18 percent. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately low to moderately high in the loamy materials and high in the sandy materials. Mean annual precipitation is about 944 mm (37in), and mean annual temperature is about 9.4 degrees C (49 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Typic Hapludalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Kalamazoo loam, on a 1 percent slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 28 cm (11 in); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak medium granular structure; friable; common fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (15 to 28 cm [6 to 11 in] thick)
Bw--28 to 41 cm (11 to 16 in); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) material in pores and wormholes; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 15 cm [6 in] thick)
Bt1--41 to 51 cm (16 to 20 in); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; thin continuous dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; few fine roots; 1 percent gravel; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt2--51 to 76 cm (20 to 30 in); brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; thin continuous dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; few fine roots; about 1 percent gravel; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 20 to 76 cm [8 to 30 in])
Bt3--76 to 96 cm (30 to 38 in); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; thin discontinuous dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; about 5 percent gravel; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary. (13 to 38 cm [5 to 15 in] thick)
2BC1--96 to 107 cm (38 to 42 in); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) loamy coarse sand; massive; friable; about 10 percent gravel; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary.
2BC2--107 to 140 cm (42 to 55 in); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) gravelly loamy sand; massive; friable; about 20 percent gravel; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
2C--140 to 152 cm (55 to 60 in); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) gravelly sand; single grain; loose; about 20 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Kalamazoo County, Michigan; about 1 mile south and 4 miles west of the village of Scotts; 115 feet east and 635 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 28, T. 3 S., R. 10 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the solum: 102 to 152 cm (40 to 60 in)
Depth to carbonates: 102 to 152 cm (40 to greater than 60 in)
Depth to the sandy discontinuity and base of the argillic horizon: 64 to 102 cm (25 to 40 in)
Particle-size control section: upper 50 cm of the argillic horizon averages 18 to 35 percent clay but is predominantly about 23 percent; below the upper 50 cm, the argillic horizon is coarse-loamy material (10 to 17 percent clay) more than 12.5 cm thick
Ap horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, silt loam, or sandy loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral
A horizon, where present:
Thickness: 5 to 15 cm (2 to 6 in)
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, silt loam, or sandy loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral
E horizon, where present:
Thickness: 2.5 to 15 cm (1 to 6 in)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, silt loam, or sandy loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 14 percent
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral
Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: clay loam, sandy clay loam, loam, or sandy loam, or the gravelly analogues of these textures
Rock fragment content: 0 to 25 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral
2BC or 2E and Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 3 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, or sand, or the gravelly or very gravelly analogues of these textures; some pedons have thin strata or lamellae of loamy sand or sandy loam
Clay content: 0 to 10 percent
Sand content: 77 to 97 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 34 percent
Reaction: commonly strongly acid to neutral but ranges to slightly alkaline in some pedons
2C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: sand, coarse sand, gravelly sand, or stratified sand and gravel; some pedons have thin strata of loamy sand or sandy loam
Clay content: 0 to 3 percent
Sand content: 92 to 99 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 60 percent gravel
CaCO3 content: 0 to 25 percent
Reaction: slightly acid to moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES:
Amanda,
Belmont,
Belmore,
Caprell,
Chili,
Cliftycreek,
Conestoga,
Crouse,
Gallman,
Greybrook,
Hickory,
High Gap,
Hollinger,
Kanawha,
Kidder,
Kosciusko, LeRoy,
Lumberton,
Martinsville,
Military,
Mocksville,
Ockley,
Pignut,
Princeton,
Relay,
Richardville,
Senachwine,
Skelton,
Strawn,
Turnersburg,
Wawaka,
Wawasee, and
Woodbine series. Amanda, Caprell, Conestoga, Crouse, Greybrook, Hickory, Hollinger, Kanawha, Kidder, Richardville, Senachwine, Skelton, Wawaka, and Wawasee soils lack sandy textures in the lower part of the series control section. Belmont, High Gap, Lumberton, Military, Pignut, and Woodbine soils have a lithic contact within a depth of 152 cm (60 in). Belmore soils average more than 5 percent clay in the lower part of the series control section. Chili soils formed in outwash composed mainly of non-calcareous sandstone and shale with a large amount of quartz gravel. Cliftycreek, Gallman, Martinsville, Ockley, Princeton, and
Riddles soils are deeper than 102 cm (40 in) to the base of the argillic horizon. Kosciusko,
Leroy, and Strawn soils are less than 102 cm (40 in) to carbonates. Mocksville and Turnersburg soils consist of residuum from intermediate or mafic metamorphic or igneous rock. Relay soils have coarse fragments dominated by gabbro, granodiorite or metagabbro and have hues of 2.5Y to 5GY in the B horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kalamazoo soils are on outwash plains, terraces, valley trains, and low lying moraines. Slope ranges from 0 to 18 percent. The Kalamazoo soils formed in loess-influenced loamy outwash overlying sand, loamy sand, or sand and gravel outwash. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 889 to 1004 mm (35 to 40 in). Mean annual temperature from 8.0 to 10.1 degrees C (46 to 50 degrees F).
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Boyer,
Bronson,
Dowagiac,
Matherton,
Oshtemo,
Sebewa,
Schoolcraft,
Sleeth,
Spinks, and
Volinia soils. The coarser textured Boyer, Oshtemo, and Spinks are associated in some areas. Moderately well drained Bronson, somewhat poorly drained Matherton and Sleeth, and very poorly drained Sebewa soils are the most common associates. Also associated are the Dowagiac, Schoolcraft, and Volinia soils which are Mollisols and occur in areas of former prairie.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. Potential for surface runoff is negligible to medium depending on slope gradients. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately low to moderately high in the loamy materials and high in the sandy materials.
USE AND VEGETATION: A large part is cropped to corn, wheat, soybeans, and hay. A small part is in pasture. Some areas adjacent to the larger cities are idle cropland. Native vegetation is forest consisting of northern red oak, white oak, black oak, sugar maple, black cherry, American basswood, tulip tree, red maple, black walnut, pignut hickory, and shagbark hickory.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 97, 98, and 111C in southern Michigan and northern Indiana. The series is of large extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, 1978.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
1. Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 28 cm (11 in) (Ap horizon).
2. Argillic horizon: from a depth of 41 to 96 cm (16 to 38 in) (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).
3. Lithologic discontinuity: at 96 cm (38 in) (top of the 2BC1 horizon).
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.