LOCATION MOOSECREEK         MN
Established Series
Rev. PMB-ROP
03/1999

MOOSECREEK SERIES


he Moosecreek series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in a mantle of loamy glacial till underlain by sandy and gravelly glacial outwash on outwash plains. Permeability is moderately slow to moderately rapid in the upper part and rapid or very rapid in the lower part. Slopes range from 1 to 12 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 23 inches and mean annual air temperature is about 40 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Inceptic Hapludalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Moosecreek fine sandy loam with a 2 percent slope on an outwash plain in a plowed field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated).

Ap--0 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sandy loam; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; 2 percent gravel; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)

E--6 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam; pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; 2 percent gravel; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)

Bt1--9 to 17 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 2 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Bt2--17 to 21 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 8 percent gravel; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 6 to 15 inches)

2Bk--21 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly coarse sand; single grain; loose; calcium carbonate disseminated and present as pendants on the underside of rock fragments; 20 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Clearwater County, Minnesota; about 6 miles south and 2 miles east of Shevlin; 1300 feet south and 300 feet west of the northeast corner of section 23, T. 146 N., R. 36 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the loamy mantle and depth to free calcium carbonate range from 14 to 30 inches. The rock fragment content is 0 to 10 percent in the loamy mantle and ranges from 10 to 35 percent in the underlying sediments.

An A horizon is as much as 4 inches thick in uncultivated pedons. The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 to 4 and chroma of 1 or 2. Dry values are 5 or less. It is loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam or very fine sandy loam. It is slightly acid or neutral.

The E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6 and chroma of 2 or 3. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy fine sand or loamy sand. It is moderately acid to neutral.

Some pedons have a thin (less than 4 inches thick) B/E transitional horizon with characteristics of both the B and E horizons. The eluvial part comprises less than 15 percent of this horizon.

The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5 and chroma of 3 or 4. It is loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam or sandy loam. It is slightly acid or neutral. The percent clay averages from 18 to 30 percent, but includes 15 to 35 percent clay in some part of the Bt horizons.

The 2Bk horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6 and chroma of 3 to 6. The fine earth fraction is sand and coarse sand. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

Some pedons have a 2C horizon with similar ranges as the 2Bk, except there is not an accumulation of carbonates.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Moosecreek soils are on nearly level to sloping areas on outwash plains. Slopes range from 1 to 12 percent. These soils formed in a mantle of loamy glacial till underlain by stratified sandy and gravelly glacial outwash. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 38 to 42 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 22 to 27 inches. Frost free period ranges from 90 to 130 days. Elevation ranges from 1200 to 2000 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Karlstad, Lengby and Sugarbush soils. Karlstad soils are moderately well drained and are on nearly level to slightly convex positions on the landscape. Lengby and Sugarbush soils are on sideslopes and hilltops. Also, Sugarbush has less than 18 percent clay in the argillic. Lengby formed in stratified sandy and silty deposits.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is slow to medium. Permeability is moderately slow to moderately rapid in the upper part and rapid to very rapid in the lower part. Depth to water table is greater than 6 feet.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used to grow small grain, and grasses and legumes for pasture and hay. Some areas are forested with the main species being quaking aspen, paper birch, bur oak, Eastern white pine, red pine and white spruce. Native vegetation is mixed hardwoods.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northcentral Minnesota. This soil is not extensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota

SERIES PROPOSED: Clearwater county, Minnesota, 1992. Source of the name is a township in southern Clearwater County.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the pedon are: ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 9 inches (A and E horizons); albic horizon - the zone from 6 to 9 inches (E horizon); argillic horizon - the zone from 9 to 21 inches (Bt horizons); Udic moisture regime, frigid temperature regime.

ADDITIONAL DATA: See Minnesota Ag. Exp. Station Central File Code No. 4762 for laboratory data of a representative pedon.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.