LOCATION RIGGSVILLE MI

Established Series
Rev. GET-WEF-MLK
08/2012

RIGGSVILLE SERIES

The Riggsville series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that are moderately deep or deep to dense till. Riggsville soils are on moraines, drumlins, lake terraces and till plains. They formed in sandy deposits and the underlying loamy till. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 762 mm (30 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 6.7 degrees C (44 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, active, frigid Alfic Epiaquods

TYPICAL PEDON: Riggsville loamy sand, on a northeast-facing, 2 percent slope in a forested area at an elevation of 262 meters (860 feet) above mean sea level. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A/E--0 to 5 cm (2 inches); black (N 2.5/) (A) and light gray (N 7/) (E) loamy sand, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine and common medium roots; 2 percent cobbles and 1 percent gravel; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. [0 to 8 cm (3 inches) thick]

E--5 to 23 cm (2 to 9 inches); pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) loamy sand; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine and common coarse roots; few prominent gray (N 5/) organic coatings throughout; few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; 2 percent cobbles and 1 percent gravel; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. [5 to 20 cm (2 to 8 inches) thick]

Bs1--23 to 30 cm (9 to 12 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) loamy sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; many fine and common medium roots; common prominent cracked coatings on sand grains; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron; 2 percent cobbles and 1 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. [5 to 20 cm (2 to 8 inches) thick]

Bs2--30 to 41 cm (12 to 16 inches); dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) loamy sand; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; few distinct cracked coatings on sand grains; many fine and common medium roots; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; 2 percent cobbles and 1 percent gravel; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. [8 to 38 cm (3 to 15 inches) thick]

E/Bt--41 to 58 cm (16 to 23 inches); light brown (7.5YR 6/4) loamy sand (E) and reddish brown (5YR 4/4) sandy loam (Bt); moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and many very fine roots; common fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron; 2 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. [10 to 33 cm (4 to 13 inches) thick]

2Bt--58 to 76 cm (23 to 30 inches); reddish brown (5YR 4/4) sandy loam; moderate medium angular blocky structure; friable; common fine and many very fine roots; few faint reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay films on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; common fine distinct brown (10YR 5/3) iron depletions; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron; 2 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. [10 to 28 cm (4 to 11 inches) thick]

2Cd--76 to 152 cm (30 to 60 inches); brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy loam; moderate very thick platy fragments; very firm; common prominent light gray (5Y 7/1) carbonate coatings throughout; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron; 4 percent gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Cheboygan County, Michigan; about 5 miles southwest of the village of Tower; 600 feet north and 1,500 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 27, T. 34 N., R. 1 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the solum: typically 61 to 102 cm (24 to 40 inches), but ranges from 61 to 127 cm (24 to 50 inches)
Depth to densic contact: typically 61 to 102 cm (24 to 40 inches), but ranges from 61 to 127 cm (24 to 50 inches)
Depth to carbonates: typically 61 to 102 cm (24 to 40 inches), but ranges from 61 to 127 cm (24 to 50 inches)
Depth to leached till (2Bt horizon): 43 to 69 cm (17 to 27 inches)
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral in the solum
Rock fragment content: 1 to 10 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles throughout

A part of the A/E horizon, or A horizon, where present:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR, or is neutral
Value: 2, 2.5, or 3
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: loamy sand or loamy fine sand

E part of the A/E horizon and the E horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR, or is neutral
Value: 6 or 7
Chroma: 0 to 2
Texture: sand, loamy sand or loamy fine sand

Bs horizon:
Value: 3 to 5
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand

Some pedons have Bhs horizons.

E part of the E/Bt horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 2 to 4
Bt part:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 6

In some pedons the E horizon occurs as thick coatings on peds and fillings in cracks in the upper part of the Bt horizon.

2Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 4 to 6
Texture: sandy loam or sandy clay loam

2Cd horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 or 6

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Lablatz series. Lablatz soils do not have a densic contact within a depth of 127 cm (50 inches).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Riggsville soils are on moraines, drumlins, lake terraces, and till plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 3 percent. They formed in sandy deposits and the underlying loamy till. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 711 to 838 mm (28 to 33 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 4.4 to 6.7 degrees C (40 to 44 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These soils are the Au Gres, Brevort, Cheboygan and Otisco soils. The somewhat poorly drained Au Gres and Otisco soils are formed in adjacent sandy sediments. The very poorly drained or poorly drained Brevort soils are in depressional areas and lower landscape positions. The well drained or moderately well drained Cheboygan soils are on higher positions in the landscape.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Potential for surface runoff is negligible or very low. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high in the upper sandy material and low in the lower loamy horizons. Permeability is moderately rapid in the upper sandy material and very slow in the lower loamy horizons.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the Riggsville soils are in woodland. Forest vegetation consists mainly of sugar maple, red maple, American basswood and American beech; many areas have quaking aspen, white birch and balsam fir. Selected acreage is used for pasture.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA 94A in Lower Michigan. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cheboygan County, Michigan, 1988.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 23 cm (9 inches) (A/E and E horizons).
Spodic horizon: from a depth of 23 to 41 cm (9 to 16 inches) (Bs horizons).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 58 to 76 cm (23 to 30 inches) (2Bt horizon).
Lithologic discontinuity: at 58 cm (23 inches) (top of the 2Bt horizon).
Densic contact: at 76 cm (30 inches) (top of the 2Cd horizon).
Aquic conditions: redox concentrations present in all horizons below the A/E horizon.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.