LOCATION MCQUADE MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, frigid Aeric Glossaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: McQuade loam on a 1 percent linear surface in abandoned cropland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A-- 0 to 4 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; moderate fine granular structure; very friable; many very fine to coarse roots; 1 percent gravel; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Eg-- 4 to 8 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; friable; common very fine to coarse roots; common fine vesicular pores; common medium distinct brown (7.5YR 5/3) Fe concentrations; 1 percent gravel; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
2B/E-- 8 to 17 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) clay loam (Bt horizon - 80 percent); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam (E horizon - 20 percent); moderate coarse subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; firm; common very fine to coarse roots; common medium distinct brown (7.5YR 5/3) Fe concentrations; 3 percent gravel and 3 percent cobbles; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (3 to 9 inches thick)
2Bt-- 17 to 36 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) clay; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; firm; common faint dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; common medium prominent brown (7.5YR 5/2) Fe depletions; 3 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; moderately acid; gradual smooth boundary. (12 to 36 inches thick)
2BC-- 36 to 52 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) clay; moderate coarse angular blocky structure; firm; 3 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 18 inches thick)
2BCd-- 52 to 80 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay; moderate very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium platy; firm; 2 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: St. Louis County, Minnesota; about 13 miles south and 1 mile east of Aurora; 2100 feet south and 500 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 14, T. 56 N., R. 15 W. USGS Whiteface Reservoir, Minnesota Quadrangle, latitude 47 degrees 20 minutes 15 seconds N. and longitude 92 degrees 11 minutes and 54 seconds W., NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to free carbonates is greater than 50 inches. Rock fragment content ranges from 1 to 8 percent by volume throughout the profile. Depth to dense till is 40 to 60 inches.
Some pedons have a thin forest litter layer (Oe horizon) above the A horizon.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 1 or 2. An Ap horizon ranging from 6 to 9 inches in thickness is in cultivated areas and has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2 to 4 and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam or silt loam. Reaction is very strongly acid to strongly acid.
The Eg horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 1 or 2. It is loam, silt loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam or clay loam. Reaction is very strongly acid to strongly acid.
The 2B/E and/or 2E/B horizons have characteristics similar to the horizons above and below them.
The 2Bt horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5 and chroma of 3 to 6. It is clay, or clay loam. Reaction is strongly acid to slightly acid.
The 2Btg horizon (when present) has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5 and chroma of 1 or 2. It is clay or clay loam.
The 2BC horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5 and chroma of 3 or 4. It is clay or clay loam. Reaction is moderately acid to neutral.
The 2BCd horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 3 to 6. It is clay or clay loam. Reaction is slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Badriver(T) series. Badriver soils have carbonates above 50 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: McQuade soils are on linear to slightly concave surfaces of till plains and moraines. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. They formed in a thin mantle of loess and underlying fine, dense glacial till deposited by the St. Louis sublobe of late Wisconsin age. Mean annual air temperature is 38 to 41 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation is 25 to 28 inches. The frost-free period is 95 to 125 days. Elevation above sea level is 1250 to 1600 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Buhl, Daisybay, Dora, Fayal, Hibbing and Rifle soils. The moderately well drained Hibbing, somewhat poorly drained Buhl and very poorly drained Fayal soils form a hydrosequence with the McQuade soils. The very poorly drained Daisybay and Dora soils are on broad flats and in depressions and formed in organic materials over till. The very poorly drained Rifle soils are in depressions and formed in organic materials.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Poorly drained. Runoff is low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is very slow. The McQuade soils have perched seasonal high saturation at a depth of 0 to 1.0 foot at some time from April through June and October through November in years of normal precipitation.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are forested. Some areas are used for cropland, hayland and pastureland. Principal trees are aspen, balsam fir, white pine and white spruce. Native vegetation is mixed deciduous and coniferous forest.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeast Minnesota, MLRA-88. Moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: St. Louis County, Minnesota, 2005.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 8 inches (A, Eg horizons); Glossic horizon - the zone from 8 to 17 inches (2B/E horizon); Argillic horizon - the zone from 8 to 36 inches (2B/E and 2Bt horizons); Aquic moisture regime, enough active ferrous iron is present to give a positive reaction to alpha, alpha-dipyridyl; Densic materials - the zone from 52 to 80 inches (2BCd horizon).
Clay activity based on lab data.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to NSSL numbers 95MN137071 and 96MN137053.