LOCATION MCMASTER MIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Oxyaquic Haplorthods
TYPICAL PEDON: McMaster cobbly sandy loam, on a 2 percent slope, at an elevation of 291 meters, in a forested area. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oa--0 to 5 centimeters; black (N 2.5/0) highly decomposed forest litter; moderate fine granular structure; very friable; many very fine to coarse roots; abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 5 centimeters thick)
A--5 to 10 centimeters; very dark gray (7.5YR 3/1) cobbly sandy loam, dark gray (7.5YR 4/1) dry; moderate fine granular structure; friable; many very fine to coarse roots; about 17 percent gravel and 17 percent cobbles; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 8 centimeters thick)
E--10 to 20 centimeters; brown (7.5YR 4/2) cobbly loamy sand, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; moderate fine granular structure; friable; many very fine to coarse roots; about 22 percent gravel and 17 percent cobbles; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 15 centimeters thick)
Bhs--20 to 28 centimeters; dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) very cobbly sandy loam; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; many very fine to coarse roots; about 20 percent gravel and 17 percent cobbles; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (2 to 10 centimeters thick)
2Bs--28 to 61 centimeters; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) very gravelly loamy sand; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; common very fine to medium roots; about 29 percent gravel, 12 percent cobbles and 2 percent stones; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (25 to 41 centimeters thick)
2BC--61 to 99 centimeters; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) extremely gravelly coarse sand; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few very fine to medium roots; about 52 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles and 2 percent stones; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (25 to 51 centimeters thick)
2C--99 to 203 centimeters; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely gravelly coarse sand; single grain; loose; few medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulations; about 48 percent gravel, 21 percent cobbles and 2 percent stones; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Alger County, Michigan; about 600 feet east and 150 feet south of the northwest corner of sec. 30, T. 45 N., R. 21 W.; USGS Chatham topographic quadrangle; lat. 46 degrees 16 minutes 30.29 seconds N. and long. 86 degrees 59 minutes 19.53 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to the calcareous outwash ranges from 51 to 76 centimeters. Total volume of rock fragments averages more than 35 percent in the particle-size control section. Depth to redoximorphic features ranges from 61 to 102 centimeters. Gravel content ranges from 10 to 25 percent in the A, E, and Bhs horizons and from 20 to 60 percent in the 2Bs, 2BC and 2C horizons. Cobbles range from 5 to 25 percent and stones range from 0 to 2 percent throughout the pedon.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is cobbly or gravelly sandy loam. Reaction is very strongly acid to strongly acid.
The E horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is the cobbly or gravelly analogues of loamy sand or sandy loam. Reaction is very strongly acid to strongly acid.
The Bhs horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 3, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is gravelly, cobbly, or very cobbly analogs of sandy loam. Reaction is strongly acid to moderately acid.
The 2Bs horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value and chroma of 3 or 4. It is very cobbly or very gravelly loamy sand. Reaction is slightly acid to neutral.
The 2BC horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4. It is extremely gravelly coarse sand or very cobbly coarse sand. Reaction is slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline.
The 2C horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 4. It is very gravelly sand, very gravelly coarse sand, or extremely gravelly coarse sand. Reaction is slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family. Closely related are the Northland and Traunik series. Northland soils do not have a spodic horizon. Traunik soils are well drained.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: McMaster soils are on moraines and glacial drainage channels. Slope ranges from 0 to 4 percent. These soils formed in loamy mantle overlying calcareous gravelly outwash. Elevations are about 274 to 335 meters. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 810 to 860 millimeters and mean annual air temperature is about 5 degrees C.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Shoepac, Tawas, Traunik, and Trenary soils. The well drained Traunik soils are on adjacent upland planes and ridges. Shoepac and Trenary soils formed in loamy till and are on adjacent ground moraines. The very poorly drained Tawas soils are in depressions and drainageways.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained. These soils have wet soil moisture status that ranges from 61 to 152 centimeters below the surface during the period from September to May. Surface runoff is low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high in the loamy upper part and very high in the sandy lower part.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of this soil are in second growth northern hardwoods. The dominant tree species is sugar maple. Common ground vegetation is spinulose shield fern, rattlesnake fern, bloodroot, leatherwood, trillium, wild-lily-of-the-valley and sweet cicely.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. MLRA 94B. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota; MLRA SSO 10-8 (Marquette, Michigan).
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Alger County, Michigan 2007.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the pedon are: Albic horizon - the zone from 10 to 20 centimeters (the E horizon); Spodic horizon - the zone from 20 to 28 centimeters (the Bhs horizon); Oxyaquic subgroup - the soil is saturated with water in one or more layers within 100 cm of the mineral surface for one month or more per year in most years (2BC and 2C horizons); Udic soil moisture regime.
Only series status, responsibility, and scrivener's errors changed - 4/09.