LOCATION LEELANAU MI

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

LEELANAU SERIES

The Leelanau series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in sandy and loamy deposits on moraines. Slope ranges from 0 to 50 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 762 mm (30 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 6.7 degrees C (44 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, frigid Alfic Haplorthods

TYPICAL PEDON: Leelanau loamy sand , on a southwest-facing, 5 percent slope in a forested area at an elevation of 335 meters (1,098 feet) above mean sea level. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 5 cm (2 inches); black (10YR 2/1) loamy sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; common fine and few medium roots; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. [5 to 15 cm (2 to 6 inches) thick]

E--5 to 18 cm (2 to 7 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; common fine roots; slightly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. [5 to 15 cm (2 to 6 inches) thick]

Bhs--18 to 30 cm (7 to 12 inches); dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) sand; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and medium roots; slightly acid; clear irregular boundary. [0 to 13 cm (5 inches) thick]

Bs1--30 to 41 cm (12 to 16 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and few medium and coarse roots; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary.

Bs2--41 to 53 cm (16 to 21 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; 20 percent strongly cemented ortstein occurring as columns 2.5 to 5 cm (1 to 2 inches) wide; about 7 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bs horizon is 10 to 38 cm (4 to 15 inches).]

E/B--53 to 94 cm (21 to 37 inches); 70 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sand (E), light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; single grain; loose; surrounding brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy loam (Bt); weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; many distinct clay bridges between sand grains; about 3 percent gravel; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. [0 to 41 cm (16 inches) thick]

Bt--94 to 132 cm (37 to 52 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy loam; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; many distinct clay bridges between sand grains; about 3 percent gravel; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. [15 to 38 cm (6 to 15 inches) thick]

C--132 to 203 cm (52 to 80 inches); brown (7.5YR 5/4) loamy sand; single grain; loose; about 3 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Otsego County, Michigan; about 3 miles north of Vanderbilt; 1,900 feet south and 1,950 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 3, T. 32 N., R. 3 W., west part Corwith Township; USGS Vanderbilt, MI 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; lat. 45 degrees 11 minutes 45.0 seconds N. and long. 84 degrees 39 minutes 35.04 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to carbonates: 51 to 132 cm (20 to 52 inches)
Rock fragment content: 1 to 15 percent throughout

A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Ap horizon, where present:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

E horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Bhs horizon, where present:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Reaction: strongly acid to slightly acid

Bs1 horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 4 or 5
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Reaction: strongly acid to slightly acid

Bs2 horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

E part of the E/B horizon, where present:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: sand or loamy sand

E' horizon, where present:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 2 to 4
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Bt part of the E/B horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: typically loamy sand, but strata or pockets of sand or gravel or both are in some pedons
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Keweenaw, Mancelona, Melita, and Southwells series. Keweenaw soils do not have carbonates within a depth of 132 cm (52 inches) inches. Mancelona soils average more than 15 percent rock fragments in the lower part of the series control section. Melita soils do not have loamy sand texture in the lower part of the series control section. Southwells soils have an E/B horizon that is more than 41 cm (16 inches) thick.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Leelanau soils are on ground moraines and end moraines of Wisconsinan Age. Slopes predominantly are 6 to 25 percent but range from 0 to 50 percent. Leelanau soils formed in sandy and loamy deposits. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 686 to 864 mm (27 to 34 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 4.4 to 7.2 degrees C (40 to 45 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Au Gres, Edmore, Emmet, Ensley, Kalkaska, Otisco, Roscommon, and Rubicon soils. The excessively drained sandy Rubicon and somewhat excessively drained Kalkaska soils are on similar landscape positions. The well drained or moderately well drained Emmet soils are nearby where the till is sandy loam. The somewhat poorly drained Au Gres and Otisco soils and the poorly drained or very poorly drained Roscommon, Edmore, and Ensley soils are nearby in drainageways and depressions.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. Potential for surface runoff is negligible to medium depending on the slope. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high. Permeability is moderately rapid.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of this soil are forested with American beech, sugar maple, and some eastern white pine. Some areas are cropped to hay and small grain. Other areas are in permanent pasture.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 94A and 96 in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The series is of large extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Grand Traverse County, Michigan, 1955.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 7 cm (2 inches) (A, E horizons).
Albic horizon: from a depth of 5 to 18 cm (2 to 7 inches) (E horizon).
Spodic horizon: from a depth of 30 to 41 cm (12 to 16 inches) (Bs1 horizon).
Glossic horizon: from a depth of 53 to 94 cm (21 to 37 inches) (E/B horizon).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 94 to 132 cm (37 to 52 inches) (Bt horizon).

The concept of lamella bands making up the Bt horizon is no longer in the range of characteristics. This would be a different classification.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.