LOCATION OCONTO WI+MI

Established Series
Rev. DCR-HFG-AAC
01/2011

OCONTO SERIES

The Oconto series consists of very deep, well drained soils that are moderately deep to calcareous sandy outwash. These soils formed in loamy alluvial deposits over sandy outwash that is stratified in some pedons. They are on outwash plains, glacial lake basins, and stream terraces. Slope ranges from 0 to 20 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 762 mm (30 inches). Mean annual air temperature is about 6.7 degrees C (44 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, active, frigid Haplic Glossudalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Oconto fine sandy loam - on a 4 percent slope in a cropped area at an elevation of about 261 meters (857 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 23 cm (0 to 9 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; common roots; about 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. [10 to 25 cm (4 to 10 inches) thick]

Bs--23 to 36 cm (9 to 14 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) fine sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; common roots; about 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. [0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 inches) thick]

E--36 to 41 cm (14 to 16 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; common roots; about 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. [0 to 15 cm (0 to 6 inches) thick]

B/E--41 to 56 cm (16 to 22 inches); 60 percent reddish brown (5YR 4/4) sandy loam (Bt); moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few faint clay bridges between mineral grains; penetrated by tongues of brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam (E), very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; common roots; about 5 percent gravel; neutral; clear irregular boundary. [10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 inches) thick]

Bt--56 to 84 cm (22 to 33 inches); reddish brown (5YR 4/4) sandy loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common distinct clay bridges between mineral grains; common roots; about 5 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [15 to 33 cm (6 to 13 inches) thick]

2C--84 to 152 cm (33 to 60 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) sand; single grain; loose; about 10 percent gravel; few 1/8 inch strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) loamy sand strata; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Oconto County, Wisconsin; about 2 miles southwest of Suring; about 2,490 feet south and 30 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 28, T. 29 N., R. 17 E.; USGS Berry Lake Wis. Quad.; Latitude 44 degrees 57 minutes 54 seconds N. Longitude 88 degrees 26 minutes 54 seconds W. NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 61 to 102 cm (24 to 40 inches)
Depth to calcareous sandy outwash, and depth to carbonates: 61 to 102 cm (24 to 40 inches)
Volume of gravel: 0 to 15 percent in the loamy deposits; 5 to 35 percent in the sandy outwash
Volume of cobbles: 0 to 2 percent in the sandy outwash
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline in the loamy deposits; slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline in the sandy outwash

Ap horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 or 4
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam or very fine sandy loam

A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 2 or 3
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: fine sandy loam or very fine sandy loam

Bs horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam
Other features:
This horizon does not meet the chemical requirements for a spodic horizon.

E horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam or loam
Other features:
Some uncultivated pedons have an E horizon between the A horizon and Bs horizon.

E/B and/or B/E horizons (glossic horizons):
E part;
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam or loam
Bt part:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam or loam; some pedons have thin subhorizons of sandy clay loam

Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam or loam; some pedons have thin subhorizons of sandy clay loam

2Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: loamy sand, loamy coarse sand or the gravelly analogues

2C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: typically sand, in some pedons it has stratified layers of sand, coarse sand or the gravelly or very gravelly analogues

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Hodenpyl, Millersburg, Omena, and Perote series. Hodenpyl soils have lamellae in the series control section. Millersburg soils have a sandy mantle that is 25 to 51 cm (10 to 20 inches) thick. Omena soils are less than 61 cm (24 inches) to the base of the argillic horizon and are loamy throughout the series control section. Perote soils are more than 102 cm (40 inches) deep to sandy outwash.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Oconto soils are on outwash plains, stream terraces and glacial lake basins. Slopes range from 0 to 20 percent. These soils formed in loamy alluvial deposits over stratified calcareous sandy outwash. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 711 to 813 mm (28 to 32 inches). Mean annual air temperature ranges from 5.6 to 7.2 degrees C (42 to 45 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Rousseau soils. On nearby sandy areas in similar landscape positions are the well drained Rousseau soils.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. The potential for surface runoff ranges from negligible to medium. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high to high (4.23 to 14.11 micrometers per second) and high to very high (42.34 to 141.14 or more micrometers per second) in the sandy outwash. Permeability is moderate in the loamy alluvium and rapid or very rapid in the sandy outwash.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most gently sloping and sloping areas are used for cropland. Common crops are corn, small grain, and hay. The moderately steep areas are generally used for pastureland or woodland. Native vegetation is mixed deciduous and coniferous forests. Northern red oak, sugar maple, American basswood, and white ash are the dominant species.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 90A, 93B, 94B, and 95A in northeastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the calcareous glacial drift region. These soils are of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Oconto County, Wisconsin, 1985.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - 0 to 23 cm (0 to 9 inches) (Ap); argillic horizon - 41 to 84 cm (16 to 33 inches) (B/E, Bt); glossic horizon 41 to 56 cm (16 to 22 inches) (B/E).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.