LOCATION STETSON            ME+NH VT
Established Series
Rev. PAH-KJL-WDH
02/2000

STETSON SERIES


The Stetson series consists of very deep, well drained and somewhat excessively drained soils on outwash plains, terraces, kames, and eskers. These soils formed in glaciofluvial deposits derived mainly from slate, shale and phyllite, with lesser amounts of gneiss, granite and limestone. Slope ranges from 0 to 60 percent. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid in the solum and rapid or very rapid in the substratum. Mean annual temperature is about 39 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is about 36 inches at the type location.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Typic Haplorthods

TYPICAL PEDON: Stetson fine sandy loam, on a 3 percent slope in a forested area. (Colors are for moist soil.)

Oe--0 to 1 inch; hemic material.

E--1 to 2 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sandy loam; weak thin platy structure; friable; many roots; 10 percent fine gravel; very strongly acid; abrupt irregular boundary. (0 to 3 inches thick)

Bhs--2 to 3 inches; dusky red (2.5YR 3/2) fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; many roots; 10 percent fine gravel; strongly acid; abrupt broken boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)

Bs1--3 to 8 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/8) fine sandy loam; moderate fine granular structure; friable; many roots; 10 percent gravel; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.

Bs2--8 to 22 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) very gravelly fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; common roots; 35 percent gravel; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bs horizon is 8 to 21 inches.)

BC--22 to 28 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly loamy sand; single grain; loose; few roots; 40 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)

C--28 to 65 inches; intermingled dark olive gray (5Y 3/2) and olive (5Y 5/3) very gravelly sand; single grain; loose; strata of sand and gravel; 50 percent gravel; slightly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Somerset County, Maine; Pittston Academy Grant (T2 R4); 1.25 miles north of Pittston Farm, and 500 feet west of the shore of Seboomook Lake.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum ranges from 18 to 30 inches and generally corresponds to the depth to stratified sands and gravel. Depth to bedrock is more than 60 inches. Gravel content ranges from 5 to 40 percent by volume in the solum. Rock fragments in the substratum range from 35 to 65 percent by volume and consist mostly of gravel and cobbles. Rock fragments are mainly slate, shale, and phyllite with lesser amounts of gneiss, granite, and limestone. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid in the solum, unless limed, and from very strongly acid to slightly alkaline in the substratum.

Some pedons have an Ap or A horizon with hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, and value and chroma of 2 to 4. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam in the fine-earth fraction. It has weak or moderate very fine to medium granular structure. Consistence is very friable or friable.

The E horizon is neutral or has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 0 to 2. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam in the fine-earth fraction. It has weak or moderate, very fine to medium granular structure. Consistence is very friable or friable.

The Bhs horizon has hue of 2.5YR to 10YR with value and chroma of 3 or less. Some pedons have a Bh horizon with hue of 2.5YR to 10YR, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 2 to 6. The Bs horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4 to 8. The B horizons are fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam in the fine-earth fraction. They have weak or moderate, very fine to medium granular or weak medium subangular blocky structure. Consistence is very friable or friable.

The BC horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 7, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy fine sand, or loamy sand in the fine-earth fraction, but the lower depth limit of sandy loam or fine sandy loam in the fine-earth fraction is 27 inches from the mineral soil surface. It has weak fine granular structure or it is single grain. Consistence is loose to friable.

The C horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loamy fine sand, loamy sand, fine sand, sand, or coarse sand in the fine-earth fraction, with strata of sands and gravel.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Brownstone(T), Colton, Grotto, Guardlake, Hermon, Marblemount, Masardis, Teneriffe, and Waiska series. The Brownstone(T), Grotto, Guardlake, Marblemount, Teneriffe, and Waiska series are from outside of Region R. Brownstone and Marblemount soils have a lithic or paralithic contact within 20 to 40 inches of the soil surface. Colton and Masardis soils have loamy caps less than 18 inches thick. Grotto soils have an ustic moisture regime. Guardlake soils have a thinner solum and have free carbonates within 60 inches. Hermon soils do not have stratification in the lower part of the series control section. Teneriffe soils formed in volcanic ash and do not have stratification in the substratum. Waiska soils have red and white sandstone rock fragments and have thinner loamy surface layers.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Stetson soils are on glacial outwash plains, terraces, kames and eskers. Slope ranges from 0 to 60 percent. The soils formed in sand and gravel derived mainly from slate, shale and phyllite, with lesser amounts of gneiss, granite and limestone. The climate is humid and cool temperate. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 34 to 46 inches, and the mean annual temperature ranges from 38 to 46 degrees F. The frost-free season ranges from 90 to 140 days. Elevation ranges from 5 to 2000 feet above mean sea level.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Adams, Allagash, Machias, Madawaska, Masardis and Sheepscot soils. The excessively drained and somewhat excessively drained Adams soils, well drained Allagash soils, and somewhat excessively drained Masardis soils are in similar positions on the landscape. Adams and Masardis soils have thinner loamy caps. Allagash soils have finer textured loamy caps. The moderately well drained Machias and Sheepscot soils and moderately well to somewhat poorly drained Madawaska soils are in lower positions on the landscape.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained and somewhat excessively drained. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid in the solum and rapid or very rapid in the substratum.

USE AND VEGETATION: Many areas are used for hay, pasture, and cultivated crops. Common crops are potatoes, oats, and silage corn. Remaining areas are wooded. Common tree species are eastern white pine, white spruce, red spruce, and sugar maple.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont (MLRAs, 142, 143, 144B and 146). The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Amherst, Massachusetts.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Waldo County, Maine, 1940.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
a. Albic horizon - the zone from 1 to 2 inches (E horizon).
b. Spodic horizon - the zone from 2 to 22 inches. (Bhs, Bs1, and Bs2 horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: The Soil Interpretation Record number for the Stetson series is ME0021.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.