LOCATION NASKEAG ME
Established Series
Rev. GBJ-KJL-WDH
01/2013
NASKEAG SERIES
The Naskeag series consists of moderately deep, somewhat poorly drained and poorly drained soils formed in glacial till. They are in depressions of glaciated bedrock ridges on coastal peninsulas and islands. Permeability is rapid. Estimated saturated hydraulic conductivity is high or very high. Slope ranges from 0 to 8 percent. Mean annual temperature is 45 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is 45 inches at the type location.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, isotic, frigid Typic Endoaquods
TYPICAL PEDON: Naskeag fine sandy loam on a 1 percent slope, in a very stony wooded area. (Colors are for moist soil.)
Oa--0 to 5 inches; very dusky red (2.5YR 2/2) muck; about 15 percent fibers, 5 percent after rubbing; weak very fine granular structure; very friable; many very fine and fine roots and common medium and coarse roots; extremely acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
E1--5 to 13 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; very friable; common fine roots; many fine prominent light gray (5YR 7/1) iron depletions; 10 percent rock fragments; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
E2--13 to 16 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) gravelly loamy sand; weak fine granular structure; very friable; few fine roots; many fine distinct pinkish gray (5YR 6/2) iron depletions; 15 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the E horizon is 6 to 13 inches.)
Bh1--16 to 20 inches; very dusky red (2.5YR 2/2) gravelly loamy sand; moderate fine granular structure; very friable; few fine roots; 20 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bh2--20 to 26 inches; dusky red (2.5YR 3/2) gravelly loamy sand; massive and single grain; less than 50 percent weakly cemented and remainder loose; 20 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bh horizon is 7 to 12 inches.)
BC--26 to 38 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly loamy sand; massive and single grain; less than 50 percent weakly cemented and remainder loose; common medium prominent reddish brown (5YR 4/3) masses of iron accumulation and few fine prominent light gray (2.5Y 7/2) iron depletions; 25 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 14 inches thick)
R--38 inches; schistose bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Hancock County, Maine; Town of Brooklin; 1.8 miles west of Brooklin village on Maine Route 175, north on old town road 0.3 mile, 50 feet west of road; USGS Brooklin topographic quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees 16 minutes 47 seconds N. and long. 68 degrees 35 minutes 39 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth of soil over bedrock ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Rock fragments range from 5 to 30 percent throughout the mineral soil. Stones cover 0 to 3 percent of the surface. Reaction ranges from extremely acid to strongly acid in the O and E horizons and is very strongly acid or strongly acid in the B and BC horizons. Some pedons have an Oe horizon.
The E horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loamy sand in the fine-earth fraction. It has weak fine granular structure or it is single grain. Consistence is very friable or friable.
Some pedons have an A horizon. It has hue of 10YR, value of 4, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is fine sandy loam or sandy loam in the fine-earth fraction.
The Bh horizon has hue of 2.5YR to 7.5YR, with value and chroma of 2 to 4. The Bhs horizon, where present, has hue of 2.5YR to 7.5YR, value of 2 to 3, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is loamy sand or gravelly loamy sand. They have weak or moderate, very fine or fine granular structure or they are massive or single grain. Consistence is loose, very friable, or may be weakly cemented in up to 50 percent of the horizon. The Bs horizon, where present, has hue of 2.5YR to 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is loamy sand or gravelly loamy sand and is massive or single grain. Consistence is loose, or may be weakly cemented in up to 50 percent of the horizon.
The BC horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 3 or 4. Texture is gravelly loamy sand or gravelly sand and it is massive or single grain. Consistence is loose, or may be weakly cemented in up to 50 percent of the horizon.
The bedrock is mainly schist, diorite, granite, phyllite, or gneiss.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Kinsmas and
Naumburg series. They are very deep to bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Naskeag soils formed in glacial till in depressions between shallow glaciated bedrock ridges. They are in coastal areas, mainly on peninsulas and islands. They usually occur in a complex pattern with very shallow and shallow soils and rock outcrop. Slopes are dominantly 0 to 3 percent but range to 8 percent. Depth to bedrock ranges from 20 to 40 inches. The climate is humid and cool temperate. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 42 to 48 inches and mean annual temperature ranges from 43 to 46 degrees F. The frost-free season ranges from 120 to 160 days. Elevations range from 5 to 250 feet above mean sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Abram,
Bucksport,
Colonel,
Dixfield,
Hermon,
Lyman,
Ricker,
Schoodic,
Tunbridge, and
Wonsqueak soils. Abram and Schoodic soils are very shallow and excessively drained soils on more convex slopes on higher positions within the landscape. Bucksport and Wonsqueak soils are very poorly drained organic soils in bogs and depressions. Colonel, Dixfield and Hermon soils are very deep and on more convex slopes on higher positions within the landscape. Lyman soils are shallow, and Tunbridge soils are moderately deep, these are on knolls and more convex slopes on higher positions. Ricker soils are thin organic soils over bedrock in convex positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained and poorly drained. Permeability is rapid. Estimated saturated hydraulic conductivity is high or very high.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for forestry. Common trees are eastern white pine, red spruce, white spruce, balsam fir, red maple, and white ash. A few areas are idle land with shrub vegetation.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Maine. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Amherst, Massachusetts
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Hancock County, Maine, 1988.
REMARKS: 1. From pedons reviewed, it appears the soil is borderline between coarse-loamy and sandy but sandy appears to reflect the more common field condition. 2. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
a. Albic horizon - the zone from 5 to 16 inches (E horizon).
b. Spodic horizon - the zone from 16 to 26 inches (Bh horizon).
c. Aquods - has within 20 inches of the mineral surface, redoximorphic features in the albic horizon.
ADDITIONAL DATA:
The Soil Interpretation Record Number for the Naskeag series is ME0023.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.