LOCATION WORCESTER          WI
Established Series
Rev. MJM-HFG-JJJ
11/2006

WORCESTER SERIES


The Worcester series consists of very deep somewhat poorly drained soils which are moderately deep to sandy outwash on glacial lake plains, outwash plains, and stream terraces. These soils formed mostly in loamy alluvium and in the underlying sandy outwash. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid in the loamy mantle and rapid or very rapid in the sandy outwash. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 30 inches. Mean annual air temperature is about 42 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Argic Endoaquods

TYPICAL PEDON: Worcester sandy loam - on a 2 percent slope in a wooded area at an elevation of about 1,490 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 2 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sandy loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; few charcoal fragments; about 2 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)

E--2 to 3 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) sandy loam, pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) dry; weak medium platy structure; very friable; many fine roots; about 2 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)

Bhs--3 to 6 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) sandy loam; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; many fine roots; about 3 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)

Bs--6 to 16 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; many fine roots; few fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; about 3 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (4 to 15 inches thick)

B/E--16 to 20 inches; 70 percent brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy loam (Bt); weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; many distinct dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) clay bridges between mineral grains; penetrated by tongues of brown (7.5YR 5/3) loamy sand (E'), very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; weak medium platy structure; very friable; common fine roots; common fine prominent red (2.5YR 4/6) and many medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; many medium prominent and distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions in the matrix; few fine prominent very dusky red (2.5YR 2/2) concretions (iron and manganese oxides); about 5 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)

Bt1--20 to 32 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine roots; few distinct dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) clay films on faces of peds and many clay bridges between mineral grains; common fine distinct brown (7.5YR 5/2) iron depletions in the matrix; common fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; about 8 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; very strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)

2Bt2--32 to 39 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) gravelly loamy sand; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few fine roots; common prominent dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) clay bridges between mineral grains; few medium distinct reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; about 25 percent gravel and 4 percent cobbles; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)

2C--39 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) stratified gravelly sand and sand; single grain; loose; few medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; about 17 percent gravel as an average and 2 percent cobbles; strongly acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Lincoln County, Wisconsin; about 2 miles south and 3.5 miles east of Tripoli; 35 feet south and 580 feet east of the northwest corner, sec. 18, T. 35 N., R. 5 E. USGS Tripoli, Wis. Quad. Latitude 45 degrees 31 minutes 32 seconds N. Longitude 89 degrees 54 minutes 59 seconds W. NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: (Unless otherwise stated, thickness and depth in the following paragraph is measured from the top of the mineral soil.) Thickness of the loamy mantle and depth to sandy outwash range from 24 to 40 inches. In some pedons, the solum extends several inches into the underlying sandy outwash. The upper part of the particle-size control control section averages from 8 to 17 percent clay and more than 50 percent fine sand or coarser. Volume of rock fragments averages less than 35 percent in the upper part of the series control section. Volume of gravel, ranges from 0 to 35 percent throughout the loamy mantle, but is typically less than 15 percent. Volume of gravel averages from 3 to 50 percent in the sandy outwash, but ranges from 0 to 65 percent in individual strata. Volume of cobbles ranges from 0 to 5 percent throughout. Reaction typically ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid in the upper part of the soil, but ranges to neutral in the Ap horizon, where the soil is limed. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to slightly acid below the spodic horizon. Redox features are in the albic or the spodic horizon within a depth of 20 inches. Aquic conditions occur within a depth of 20 inches at some time in most years.

Some pedons have an Oa or Oe horizon with hue of 7.5YR or 10YR or the hue is neutral. Value is 2 or 3 and chroma in 0 to 3.

The A horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR or is neutral in hue. Value is 2 or 3 and chroma is 0 to 3. Cultivated pedons have an Ap horizon with hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture of the A or Ap horizon is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam. The E horizon has hue of 5YR, 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. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, loamy sand or the gravelly analogs.

The Bhs horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR and value and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, or the gravelly analogs.

The Bs horizon has hue of 5YR, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 6, or hue of 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 4. It has texture like the Bhs horizon above.

Some pedons have an E' horizon with hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, loamy sand or the gravelly analogs.

Typically, Worcester soils have a glossic horizon (E/B or B/E horizons, or both). The E part has color and texture like the E' horizon described above. The Bt part has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 3 to 6. Texture is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, or the gravelly analogs. Some pedons do not have a glossic horizon

The Bt horizon has color and texture the Bt part described above.

The 2Bt horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR; value of 3 to 6; and chroma of 4 to 6. Texture is loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, sand, coarse sand, or the gravelly, very gravelly, or extremely gravelly analogs.

The 2C horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 3 to 6. Texture is stratified sand, coarse sand, or the gravelly, very gravelly, or extremely gravelly analogs. Sand content averages more than 85 percent in the fine earth fraction.

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Robagoseries. A similar soil is the Oesterle series. Robago soils have less than 85 percent sand in the lower part of the series control section. Oesterle soils do not have a spodic horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils are on glacial lake plains, outwash plains and stream terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. Worcester soils formed mostly in loamy alluvium and in the underlying stratified sandy outwash. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 33 inches. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 39 to 45 degrees F. The frost free period ranges from about 90 to 120 days. Elevation ranges from 700 to 1900 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Minocqua, Padus, and Tipler soils. The well drained Padus soils, the moderately well drained Tipler soils, and the poorly drained and very poorly drained Minocqua soils are in a drainage sequence with the somewhat poorly drained Worcester soils.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff ranges from negligible to low. Permeability is moderate or moderately rapid in the loamy mantle and rapid or very rapid in the sandy outwash. These soils have an apparent seasonal high water table at a depth of 1 to 2 feet at some time during the period October to June in most years.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for woodland. Timber stands are mostly red maple, sugar maple, paper birch, quaking aspen, and balsam fir, but yellow birch and eastern hemlock are in most stands. Some areas are used for cropland or pastureland. Corn, small grain, and hay are the principal crops.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Wisconsin. These soils are of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Oconto County, Wisconsin, 1985.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - 0 to 3 inches (A, E); spodic horizon - 3 to 16 inches (Bhs, Bs); glossic horizon - 16 to 20 inches (B/E); argillic horizon - 16 to 39 inches (B/E, Bt1, 2Bt2); aquic feature - mottles in the albic or spodic horizon within a depth of 20 inches and saturation within a depth of 20 inches.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.