LOCATION SISSON                  MI+IN OH WI

Established Series
Rev. RWJ-LWB-NWS
06/2011

SISSON SERIES

The Sisson series consists of well drained soils formed in stratified loamy and silty deposits on lake plains, outwash plains and deltas. Slope ranges from 0 to 50 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 813 mm (32 inches), and mean annual temperature is about 9.4 degrees C (49 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, mesic Typic Hapludalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Sisson fine sandy loam, on a convex, 4 percent slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 23 cm (9 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. [15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches) thick]

E--23 to 36 cm (9 to 14 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam; weak medium platy parting to weak very fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; slightly acid; clear irregular boundary. [0 to 20 cm (8 inches) thick]

B/E--36 to 43 cm (14 to 17 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) fine sandy loam (B) and brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam (E) coatings 2 to 5 mm thick on faces of peds (less than 15 percent by volume); moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; neutral; clear irregular boundary. [0 to 15 cm (6 inches) thick]

Bt1--43 to 56 cm (17 to 22 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common thin clay films on faces of peds; neutral; clear smooth boundary.

Bt2--56 to 76 cm (22 to 30 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common moderately thick brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; few fine distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) segregations; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 25 to 64 cm (10 to 25 inches).]

BC1--76 to 86 cm (30 to 34 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) very fine sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; slightly acid; abrupt wavy boundary.

BC2--86 to 94 cm (34 to 37 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. [Combined thickness of the BC horizon is 0 to 23 cm (9 inches).]

C--94 to 152 cm (37 to 60 inches); stratified brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very fine sand; massive; friable and very friable; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Washtenaw County, Michigan, about 1/2 mile east of the village of Stony Creek; 1,940 feet south and 785 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 7, T. 4 S., R. 7 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the solum: dominantly 66 to 91 cm (26 to 36 inches) but ranges from 61 to 107 cm (24 to 42 inches)

A horizon, where uncultivated:
Thickness: 2.5 to 8 cm (1 to 3 inches)
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3
Chroma: 2
Texture: fine sandy loam, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, loam, silt loam, or very fine sandy loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 1 percent gravel
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral

Ap horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, loam, silt loam, or very fine sandy loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 1 percent gravel
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral

E horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 or 6
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: fine sandy loam, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, loam, silt loam, or very fine sandy loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 1 percent gravel
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral

Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: silt loam, loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam, silty clay loam or fine sandy loam; 6 mm to 8 cm (1/4 to 3 inch) thick strata of clay and medium and fine sand are in the lower part
Rock fragment content: 0 to 1 percent gravel
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral

BC horizon, where present:
Texture: very fine sandy loam to clay loam

C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: commonly stratified silt loam and very fine sand containing thin strata of clay and medium and fine sand
Structure: massive or single grain
Consistence: friable to loose
Rock fragment content: 0 to 1 percent gravel
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Chenault, Kalamazoo, Nollville, and Owosso series. Chenault and Owosso soils have more than 1 percent rock fragments in the lower part of the series control section. Kalamazoo soils have dominant sand textures in the lower part of the series control section. Nollville soils have a lithic contact within a depth of 152 cm (60 inches).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sisson soils are on lake plains, outwash plains, and deltas. Slope gradients are mostly 2 to 6 percent but range from 0 to 50 percent. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 737 to 940 mm (29 to 37 inches). Mean annual temperature ranges from 7.8 to 9.4 degrees C (46 to 49 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: The moderately well drained Tuscola soils, the somewhat poorly drained Kibbie soils, and the poorly drained or very poorly drained Colwood soils are in a drainage sequence with Sisson soils. The well drained Boyer and Oshtemo soils are nearby on some outwash plains. The somewhat poorly drained Del Rey and the poorly drained or very poorly drained Lenawee soils are nearby on lake plains.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. The potential for surface runoff ranges from negligible to high depending on the slope gradient. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high. Permeability is moderate.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated. Corn, small grains, beans and hay are the principal crops. A smaller part, especially on the steeper slopes, is in permanent pasture or forest. Native forest is mostly maple, elm, oaks, hickory, and beech.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 95A, 95B, 96, 98, 99, 105, 110, and 111B in southern Michigan, southeastern Wisconsin, northern Ohio, and northern Indiana. The series is of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lapeer County, Michigan, 1966.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 23 cm (9 inches) (Ap horizon).
Albic horizon: from a depth of 23 to 36 cm (9 to 14 inches) (E horizon).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 36 to 76 cm (14 to 30 inches) (B part of B/E, Bt1, and Bt2 horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.