LOCATION ROBAGO WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Argic Endoaquods
TYPICAL PEDON: Robago fine sandy loam on a plain, north-facing 1 percent slope in a wooded area at an elevation of about 1490 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oa--0 to 2 inches; black (10YR 2/1) highly decomposed plant material; about 40 percent fiber and 10 percent rubbed; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many very fine and fine and few medium and coarse roots; extremely acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
E--2 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, light gray (10YR 7/1) dry; weak medium platy structure; friable; few very fine and fine roots; very strongly acid; clear broken boundary. (1 to 7 inches thick)
Bs1--7 to 11 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) fine sandy loam; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bs2--11 to 17 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) fine sandy loam; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bs horizon ranges from 4 to 22 inches.)
E'--17 to 20 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; weak very thick platy structure; friable; many fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
E/B--20 to 27 inches; 70 percent brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam (E'), very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; weak very thick platy structure; friable; extends as tongues into and surrounds remnants of brown (7.5YR 4/4) fine sandy loam (Bt); moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few faint brown (7.5YR 4/3) clay films on faces of some peds; many medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; few fine faint and prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions in the matrix; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary.
B/E--27 to 38 inches; 70 percent brown (7.5YR 4/4) fine sandy loam (Bt); moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few faint brown (7.5YR 4/3) clay films on faces of some peds; penetrated by tongues of brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam (E'), very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; many medium prominent red (2.5YR 4/8) masses of iron accumulation in the marix; few fine prominent and faint light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions in the matrix; slightly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (Glossic horizon - 4 to 30 inches thick)
C--38 to 62 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) stratified very fine sandy loam and silt loam with thin strata of very fine sand and fine sand; massive; friable; many medium distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; many medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matix; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Florence County, Wisconsin; about 0.5 miles south and 0.75 miles west of the village of Fence; 1,350 feet south and 700 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 36, T. 38 N., R. 16 E. USGS Armstrong Creek, Wis. Quad. Latitude 45 degrees 43 minutes 54 seconds N. Longitude 88 degrees 26 minutes 35 seconds W. NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: (Unless otherwise stated, depth is measured from the top of the mineral soil.) Depth to stratification ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Depth to the base of the argillic horizon ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Rock fragments typically are absent, but volume of gravel ranges from 0 to 15 percent throughout the profile. Reaction naturally ranges from extremely acid to moderately acid in the upper part of the solum, but ranges to neutral in the Ap horizon, where the soil is limed. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to neutral in the lower part of the solum and is slightly acid or neutral in the substratum. Carbonates are absent to a depth of 60 inches or more. Redox features are in the albic or spodic horizon within a depth of 20 inches and continue to 60 inches or more. Saturation occurs in or above the spodic horizon and within 20 inches at some time in most years.
The O horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR or the hue is neutral. Value is 2 or 3 and chroma is 0 to 2.
Some pedons have an A horizon with hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR; value of 2 or 3; and chroma of 1 or 2. Cultivated pedons have an Ap horizon with hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR; value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture od the A or Ap is fine sandy loam.
The E horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR; value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 or 3. Colors of 4/3 and 5/3 have value dry of 7 or more. Texture is fine sandy loam or sandy loam.
The Bs horizon has hue of 5YR, value of 3 to 6 and chroma of 4 to 6 or hue of 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 4. Texture is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam.
The E' horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 3. Texture is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam.
Robago soils have a glossic horizon (E/B or B/E horizon, or both). The E part has color and texture like the E' horizon described above. The Bt part has hue of 2.5YR, 5YR, or 7.5YR; value of 4 or 5; and chroma of 3 or 4. Texture is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam.
Some pedons have a Bt horizon with color and texture like the Bt part described above. The Bt horizon is stratified, at least in the lower part, in some pedons.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 3 or 4. Texture is typically stratified very fine sandy loam, silt loam, very fine sand, and fine sand but strata of coarser or finer texture are in some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Worcester series. Worcester soils have more than 85 percent sand in the lower part of the series control section within 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Robago soils formed in lacustrine deposits on lake plains. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 33 inches. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 39 to 45 degrees F. The frost free period range from about 90 to 120 days. Elevation ranges from 600 to 1,800 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alcona, Annalake, and Tonkey series. The well drained Alcona soils, the moderately well drained Annalake soils, and the poorly drained and very poorly drained Tonkey soils form a drainage sequence with Robago soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff ranges from negligible to low. Permeability is moderate. These soils have an apparent seasonal high water table at a depth of 0.5 to 2 feet below the surface from October to June in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for woodland. Native vegetation is mixed deciduous and coniferous forest. Common trees are red maple, sugar maple, yellow birch, balsam fir, paper birch, eastern hemlock, and quaking aspen. A few areas have been cleared and are used for cropland or pastureland. Common crops are corn, small grain, and hay.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Wisconsin. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Florence County, Wisconsin, 1995.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
ochric epipedon - 0 to 7 inches (Oa, E);
albic horizons - 2 to 7 inches (E) and 17 to 20 inches (E');
spodic horizon - 7 to 17 inches (Bs1, Bs2);
glossic horizon - 20 to 38 inches (E/B, B/E);
argillic horizon - 27 to 38 inches (B/E);
aquic feature - redox accumulations in the spodic horizon within a depth of 20 inches and saturation within a depth of 20 inches for some time in most years.