LOCATION WAYKA WIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, isotic, frigid Typic Epiaquods
TYPICAL PEDON: Wayka fine sandy loam - on a south facing 2 percent slope in a mixed forest at an elevation of about 950 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated)
Oa--0 to 1 inches; black (7.5YR 2/1) highly decomposed forest plant material; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; extremely acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
E--1 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, light gray (10YR 7/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine roots; 1 percent gravel; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
Bs1--3 to 5 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine roots; 1 percent gravel; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary.
Bs2--5 to 11 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; few medium strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; 1 percent gravel; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bs3--11 to 17 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; few medium strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; 1 percent gravel; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bs is 5 to 16 inches)
E/B--17 to 21 inches; 85 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry (E); weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; surrounds remnants of brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy loam (Bt); weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; few distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds; few medium strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; 2 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
2BC--21 to 27 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly loamy coarse sand; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; 40 percent gravel; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
2R--27 to 60 inches; unweathered igneous bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Menominee County, Wisconsin; approximately 1810 feet west and 1150 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 25, T. 30 N., R. 14 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: (Unless otherwise stated, depth and thickness are measured from the top of the mineral soil.) Depth to a lithic contact ranges from 20 to 40 inches. The weighted average clay content ranges from 5 to 18 percent and the weighted average content of fine sand or coarser ranges from 35 to 70 percent in the particle-size control section. Rock fragments are mostly of igneous and metamorphic origin and mixed lithology. Volume of gravel averages from 0 to 15 percent in the upper part. Volume of cobbles ranges from 0 to 15 percent throughout the profile. Average content of rock fragments in the particle size control section ranges from 10 to 35 percent with individual horizons ranging as high as 45 percent. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid in the upper part of the solum and from strongly acid to neutral below the spodic horizon. Redox features are in the albic or spodic horizon within a depth of 20 inches. Saturation occurs within 20 inches for some time in most years.
The Oa horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR; value of 2 or 3; and chroma of 1 or 2. It is highly decomposed forest litter.
The A horizon where present has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is sandy loam.
The E horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam.
The Bs horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 4 to 6. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam.
Some pedons have an E' horizon with hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 or 3. Colors of 4/3 or 5/3 have value dry of 7 or more. It is loamy sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, or the gravelly analogs.
Wayka soils have a glossic horizon (E/B or B/E horizons, or both). The E part has color and texture like the E' horizon above. The Bt part has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 2 to 6. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loamy sand or the gravelly analogs.
The 2R horizon is hard, fractured igneous or metamorphic bedrock.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Kawabawgam series. Kawabawgam soils average less than 10 percent gravel in the series control section, have Bhs horizons and have paralithic materials.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wayka soils are on stream terraces underlain by igneous or metamorphic bedrock. Slope gradients range from 0 to 4 percent. Wayka soils formed in loamy glacial drift over bedrock. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 33 inches. Mean annual temperature ranges from 39 to 45 degrees F. The frost free period ranges from about 120 to 135 days. Elevation ranges from 820 to 1150 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Lablatz (T), Mequithy, and Worcester soils. The well drained Mequithy soils are in a drainage sequence with Wayka soils. The somewhat poorly drained Lablatz (T) and Worcester soils are on nearby areas where the underlying bedrock is below a depth of 60 inches. Lablatz (T) soils are underlain by loamy glacial till. Worcester soils are underlain by sandy outwash.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Surface runoff is slow. Permeability is moderate. Wayka soils have a seasonal high water table at depths of 0.5 to 2.0 feet at some time during the period of September to June in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are mostly in woodland. Timber stands are mostly red maple, sugar maple, eastern hemlock, and yellow birch with American basswood, eastern white pine, balsam fir, quaking aspen, and white ash as associates in most stands. Red pine is an associate in some stands. A few areas are cleared and used for cropland. Common crops are corn, small grain, and hay. A few areas are used for pastureland.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Wisconsin; currently recognized in MLRA K93 The extent is small.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Menominee County, Wisconsin, 1999. Source of the name is a creek in Menominee County.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon: albic horizon - 1 to 3 inches (E); spodic horizon - 3 to 5 inches (Bs1); glossic horizon - 17 to 21 inches (E/B); redox accumulations and saturation within a depth of 20 inches)
ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to soil survey number S98WI-078-998 for NSSL data on the typical pedon.