LOCATION SHAGAWA MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Typic Dystrudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Shagawa loam on a convex slope of 12 percent on an end moraine under a mixed stand of aspen, paper birch, red maple, and balsam fir. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 3 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) cobbly loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; common very fine to medium roots; 2 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
Bw1--3 to 13 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) cobbly loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; common very fine to medium roots; 2 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 142 inches thick)
2Bw2--13 to 32 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly coarse sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few discontinuous yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt coats on upper surfaces of rock fragments; common medium roots; 25 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (10 to 25 inches thick)
2C--32 to 80 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly loamy sand; single grain; loose; 40 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; slightly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: St. Louis County, Minnesota; about 8 miles west of Embarrass; about 2150 feet north and 200 feet east of the southwest corner of Section 22, T. 60 N., R. 16 W. USGS Biwabik NE, Minnesota Quadrangle; latitude 47 degrees 40 minutes 07 seconds N., longitude 92 degrees 22 minutes 04 seconds W., NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to free carbonates is greater than 80 inches. The rock fragment content by volume averages 5 to 45 percent in the loamy mantle, and 35 to 80 percent in the underlying till. The loamy mantle is 10 to 22 inches thick. Total silt plus clay is less than 30 percent in the till.
Some pedons have an Oa or Oe horizon up to 3 inches thick.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 1 or 2. It is loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam or silt loam. Rock fragment content ranges from 2 to 20 percent gravel, 2 to 20 percent cobbles, 2 to 20 percent stones, and 0 to 10 percent boulders. Reaction is very strongly acid to moderately acid.
The E horizon (when present) is up to 4 inches thick. It has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 1 to 3. Texture, rock fragment content and reaction are similar to the A horizon.
The Bw1 horizon has a hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 5 and chroma of 3 to 6. It is loam, fine sandy loam or sandy loam in the fine-earth fraction. Rock fragment content ranges from 2 to 30 percent gravel, 2 to 20 percent cobbles, 2 to 20 percent stones and 0 to 10 percent boulders. Reaction is strongly acid to slightly acid.
The Bw2 horizon (when present) is up to 8 inches thick. It has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 3 to 6. Texture, rock fragment content and reaction are similar to the Bw1 horizon.
The 2Bw2 horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 3 to 6. It is coarse sandy loam or sandy loam in the fine-earth fraction. Rock fragment content averages 15 to 45 percent gravel, 5 to 20 percent cobbles, 5 to 15 percent stones, and 0 to 10 percent boulders. Reaction is strongly acid to slightly acid.
The 2C horizon has hue of 2.5Y, 5Y or 10YR, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 3 to 4. It is loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, coarse sandy loam or sandy loam in the fine-earth fraction. Rock fragment content ranges from 10 to 50 percent gravel, 5 to 30 percent cobbles, 5 to 20 percent stones and 0 to 10 percent boulders. Reaction is strongly acid to slightly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bigdutch, Bobsgarden, Rilea and Tincup series. Bigdutch, Rilea and Tincup soils have a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Bobsgarden soils have 20 to 35 percent clay in the lower third of the series control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Shagawa soils are on convex or linear slopes of end moraines. Slopes range from 1 to 60 percent. They formed in a loamy mantle and underlying coarse-textured skeletal glacial till. The mean annual air temperature is 367 to 39 degrees F. The mean annual precipitation is 27 to 2930 inches. The frost-free period is 90 to 120 days. Elevation above sea level is 1400 to 1900 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Beargrease, Greenwood and Oysterlake soils. Well drained Beargrease soils are on similar positions on end moraines and formed in a loamy mantle over outwash. Very poorly drained Greenwood soils are in deep depressions and formed in organic materials. Moderately well drained Oysterlake soils are in depressions.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. Runoff is medium to very high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderate in the upper part and rapid in the lower part.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are forested. Principal trees are aspen, paper birch, red maple, balsam fir, red pine, white pine and jack pine. Native vegetation is mixed deciduous and coniferous forest.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRA-93A. Northeast Minnesota; St. Louis and Lake Counties; Moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: St. Louis County, Minnesota, 2005.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon-the zone from the surface to a depth of 3 inches (A horizon); cambic horizon-the zone from 3 to 32 inches (Bw1 and 2Bw2 horizons); dystric subgroup based on no free carbonates above 40 inches.