LOCATION WIXOM                   MI

Established Series
Rev. ESG-MCB
07/2017

WIXOM SERIES

The Wixom series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils formed in sandy material and the underlying loamy till or lacustrine deposits on till plains, outwash plains, and lake plains. Slope ranges from 0 to 6 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 920 mm, and mean annual temperature is about 9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy over loamy, mixed, semiactive, mesic Alfic Epiaquods

TYPICAL PEDON: Wixom loamy sand, on a south-facing, 2 percent slope in a residential area. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 23 cm; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) loamy sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; many roots; about 1 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (15 to 25 cm thick)

Bs1--23 to 43 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) loamy sand; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; common roots; common fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron accumulation; about 1 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 76 cm thick)

Bs2--43 to 61 cm; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) sand; single grain; loose; few roots; brittle in about 20 percent of the horizon; common coarse prominent dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) masses of oxidized iron accumulation; about 1 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 38 cm thick)

E--61 to 66 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sand; single grain; loose; few roots; common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron accumulation; about 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 20 cm thick)

Bt1--66 to 69 cm; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few roots; clay bridging between sand grains; common fine distinct grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) iron depletions and strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron accumulation; about 3 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.7); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 20 cm thick)

2Bt2--69 to 79 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay loam; weak medium platy structure parting to weak very fine subangular blocky; firm; gray (5Y 6/1) coatings on faces of peds; many coarse prominent gray (5Y 5/1) iron depletions; about 3 percent gravel and cobbles; neutral (pH 7.3); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 36 cm thick)

2C--79 to 152 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam; weak medium plates parting to weak fine subangular blocks of geogenic origin; firm; gray (5Y 6/1) coatings on faces of peds; many coarse prominent gray (5Y 6/1) iron depletions; about 3 percent gravel and cobbles; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).

TYPE LOCATION: Allegan County, Michigan; 460 feet north and 2,610 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 1, T. 4 N., R. 15 W.; USGS Holland East, Michigan topographic quadrangle; lat. 42 degrees 45 minutes 21.67 seconds N. and long. 86 degrees 1 minute 39.97 seconds W., WGS84.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the loamy material: 50 to 100 cm.
Rock fragment content: 0 to 5 percent gravel or cobbles throughout.

A horizon, where present
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 2 or 3.
Chroma: 1 or 2.
Texture: sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand.
Reaction (pH): 5.1 to 7.3.
Thickness: 2 to 10 cm.

Ap horizon
Value: 2 to 4.
Chroma: 1 or 2.
Texture: sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand.
Reaction (pH): 5.1 to 7.3.

E horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 5 to 7.
Chroma: 1 or 2.
Texture: sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand.
Reaction (pH): 5.1 to 7.3.
Thickness: 0 to 15 cm.

Bs horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 3 to 6.
Chroma: 2 to 8.
Texture: sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand.
Ortstein content: some pedons have small fragments of ortstein.
Reaction (pH): 5.1 to 6.0. In pedons that have been limed, the pH may range up to 7.3.

E' horizon, where present, occurs as thick coatings on faces of peds in the upper part of the Bt or 2Bt horizon in some pedons
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 5 or 6.
Chroma: 2 to 4.
Texture: sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand.
Reaction (pH): 5.1 to 7.3.

Bt or Btg horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 4 to 6.
Chroma: 2 to 6.
Texture: sandy loam or loam.
Reaction (pH): 5.1 to 7.3.

2Bt or 2Btg horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR.
Value: 4 or 5.
Chroma: 2 to 6.
Texture: silty clay loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam, loam, or silt loam.
Reaction (pH): 6.1 to 7.8.

2C horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR.
Value: 4 to 6.
Chroma: 1 to 4.
Texture: loam, clay loam or silty clay loam.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family. Similar series include the Avoca, Bixler, Markton, Rapson, Rimer, and Selfridge series. None of these soils have a spodic horizon. The Avoca and Rapson soils do not have an argillic horizon. Rimer soils have densic material within the series control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wixom soils are on till plains, outwash plains, and lake plains. Slopes are dominantly 0 to 3 percent, but range from 0 to 6 percent. They formed in 50 to 100 cm of sandy sediments and in the underlying loamy till or lacustrine deposits. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 770 to 1040 mm. Mean annual temperature ranges from 6 to 11 degrees C.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Belleville, Capac, Ithaca, and Pipestone soils. The poorly drained or very poorly drained Belleville soils are in depressions and do not have a spodic horizon. The somewhat poorly drained Capac and Ithaca soils are on similar landform positions and do not have sandy materials in the upper part of the series control section. The somewhat poorly drained Pipestone soils are on similar landform positions and have sandy materials throughout the series control section.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff is very low to medium. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high or very high in the sandy material and moderately high in the underlying loamy material.

USE AND VEGETATION: About 80 percent of the area of this soil is cultivated or is in pasture. The remainder is in woodland. Corn, oats, wheat, and legume hay are the principle crops. Native vegetation is mixed hardwood, predominantly American elm, white ash, and swamp white oak.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: MLRAs 96, 97, and 98 in the southern half of Lower Michigan. The series is of moderate extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gratiot County, Michigan, 1975.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from the surface to a depth of 23 cm (Ap horizon).
Spodic horizon: from a depth of 23 to 43 cm (Bs1 horizon).
Argillic horizon: from a depth of 66 to 79 cm (Bt1 and 2Bt2 horizons).
Aquic conditions: redox features present in all horizons (including the spodic horizon) below the Ap horizon.

---

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.