LOCATION ZIMMERMAN               MN+MI

Established Series
Rev. AGG-TCJ
05/2012

ZIMMERMAN SERIES


The Zimmerman series consists of very deep, excessively drained soils that formed in sandy glacial outwash or eolian sediments on glacial outwash plains, stream terraces, deltas, lake terraces, dunes, beach deposits and valley trains. These soils have rapid permeability. Their slopes range from 0 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 28 inches. Mean annual air temperature is about 41 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, frigid Lamellic Udipsamments

TYPICAL PEDON: Zimmerman fine sand with a slope of 1 percent on a glacial outwash plain in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist conditions unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 7 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few very fine roots; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)

E--7 to 27 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) fine sand; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; few very fine roots; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 30 inches)

Bw--27 to 44 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) fine sand; single grain; loose; few very fine roots; moderately acid; abrupt irregular boundary. (6 to 36 inches thick)

E'&Bt--44 to 80 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) fine sand (E); single grain; loose; few dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) loamy fine sand (Bt) lamellae 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick, irregular and discontinuous; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable; clay bridging between sand grains; moderately acid.

TYPE LOCATION: Sherburne County, Minnesota; about 2 miles south of Santiago, 100 feet north and 780 feet west of southeast corner sec. 17, T. 35 N., R. 28 W. ; USGS Santiago quadrangle; lat. 45 degrees 30 minutes 58 seconds N and long. 93 degrees 50 minutes 37 seconds W., NAD27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The lamellae typically range from 24 to 60 inches below the soil surface but are deeper than 60 inches in some pedons. Free calcium carbonate is at depths greater than 60 inches. Rock fragments range from 0 to 5 percent throughout the profile. The control section averages between about 40 and 70 percent fine sand. The content of very fine sand is similar to the content of medium sand. The content of coarse sand is less than 5 percent and very coarse sand is less than 1 percent.

The Ap or A horizons have hue of 7.5YR, 10YR or is neutral, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 0 to 2. An Ap horizon up to 10 inches thick with hue of 10YR, value of 4, and chroma of 2 or 3 is in some pedons.

The E and E' horizons have hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 to 4. The A and E horizons are fine sand or loamy fine sand. Soil reaction is strongly acid to slightly acid.

The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR with value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 3 to 8. It is fine sand, loamy fine sand, or loamy very fine sand. Soil reaction is strongly acid to neutral.

The Bt part consists of one or more thin irregular discontinuous or continuous lamellae or bands that begin at depths ranging from 15 to 80 inches. They range from 1/16 of an inch thick to no more than 3 inches thick if loamy and no more than 6 inches thick if sandy. They have hue of 5YR to 10YR; value is 3 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 7. Typically, they are fine sand or loamy fine sand, but the range includes very fine sand, loamy very fine sand, and fine sandy loam. The lamellae commonly have 2 to 3 times as much clay as adjacent E' soil material.

The C horizon when present, has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 2 to 6. It is typically sand or fine sand, but some pedons have thin finer or coarser textured strata.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Biwabik (T), Eagleview, Faunce, Graycalm and Grettum (T) series. Biwabik soils have more than 5 percent rock fragments in the series control section. Eagleview soils have less than 40 percent fine sand in the series control section. Faunce soils have free calcium carbonate above 40 inches. Graycalm soils have more than 6 percent coarse sand or coarser in the series control section. Grettum soils are saturated in the lower third of the series control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils are nearly level to steep with convex slopes on outwash and lake plains, stream terraces, deltas lake terraces, dunes, and valley trains. Slopes are short and irregular with slope gradients of 0 to 60 percent. The Zimmerman soils formed in deeply leached, glacial outwash, lacustrine, or eolian origin. These sediments are Late Wisconsinan Age. Mean annual air temperature ranges from about 36 to 45 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from about 22 to 34 inches. Frost-free days range from 88 to 150. Elevation above sea level ranges from 670 to 1600 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the excessively drained Sartell soils, well drained Anoka soils, moderately well drained Cantlin soils, somewhat poorly drained Soderville, and the poorly and very poorly drained Isanti soils. The Sartell, Cantlin, Lino, Soderville, and Isanti soils are in a hydrosequence with the Zimmerman soils. The Anoka soils have an argillic horizon whose lamellae total more than 6 inches thick.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained. Surface runoff is negligible to low. Permeability is rapid.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the acreage in southern part is used to grow alfalfa, corn, and soybeans. Most in northern areas remain in forest. Native vegetation was primarily mixed oak forest or jack pine and red pine.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East-central and north-central Minnesota, Northern Lower and Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and possibly northwestern Wisconsin. Extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, 1927.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized are: Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to 27 inches (A and E horizons); argic subgroup - lamellae totalling less than 6 inches within 60 inches (E' & Bt horizon). This soil was formerly classified as an Alfic Udipsamment. A thick solum phase (60 to 80 inches to lamellae) is being used on the terraces of the Mississippi River (MLRA 91A)in Benton and Sherburne counties. Type location moved from Anoka County, Mn. to Sherburne County, Mn., 11/96 to better exemplify the series concept within the MLRA.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Refer to MAES Central File Code Nos. 1079 and 1550 for results of some laboratory analysis.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.