LOCATION COPEMISH MITentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, mesic, ortstein Entic Haplorthods
TYPICAL PEDON: Copemish sand, in a convex 4 percent slope, in a forested area. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise indicated. When described on July 15, 1996, the profile was dry to 40 inches and moist below.)
A--0 to 2 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many very fine to medium and few coarse roots; extremely acid; clear wavy boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
E1--2 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sand, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; single grain; loose; many very fine to medium and few coarse roots; extremely acid; clear wavy boundary.
E2--7 to 11 inches; (80%) brown (7.5YR 5/3) and (20%) dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sand; light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; single grain; loose; many very fine to medium and few coarse roots; extremely acid; clear wavy boundary. (Total thickness of the E horizons ranges from 4 to 9 inches)
Bs1--11 to 28 inches; (60%) dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) and (40%) strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) sand; single grain; loose; few fine and medium roots; columns of moderately cemented reddish brown (5YR 4/4) ortstein and strongly cemented dark reddish brown ortstein 18 to 24 inches wide and 6 to 8 inches apart extend into the Bs2 horizon; ortstein occupies 70 percent of the horizon; extremely acid; clear irregular boundary.
Bs2--28 to 36 inches; (50%) yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and (50%) brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) sand; single grain; loose; columns of moderately cemented brown (7.5YR 4/4) ortstein strongly cemented dark reddish brown (5YR 2.5/2) ortstein 18 to 24 inches wide and 6 to 8 inches apart extend into this horizon from the Bs1; ortstein occupies 70 percent of the horizon; extremely acid; clear irregular boundary. (Total thickness of the Bs horizons is 3 to 30 inches)
C--36 to 96 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sand; single grain; loose; very strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Manistee County, Michigan, about 1 mile west of Copemish; 1300 feet north and 1400 feet east of the southwest corner of section 13, T. 24 N., R. 14 W.; USGS Copemish topographic Quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees 28 minutes 25 seconds N., and long. 85 degrees 57 minutes 14 seconds W., NAD83; Springdale township.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Reaction is extremely acid or very strongly acid throughout the series control section.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2.5 to 4, and chroma of 1.
The E horizons have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 4.
The Bs1 horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 4 to 6. Ortstein content ranges form 51 to 70 percent and occurs in columns.
The Bs2 horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 6. Ortstein content ranges from 51 to 80 percent and occurs in columns.
Some pedons have a BC horizon.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 6, and chroma of 4 to 8.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Copemish soils are on dunes and old beach ridges on outwash plains. Slopes range from 3 to 35 percent. These soils formed in sandy eolian deposits. Elevations ranges from 600 to 1000 feet. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 30 to 32 inches. The mean annual temperature ranges from 47 to 49 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Adrian, Dair (T), Brethren (T), Covert, Grattan, Houghton, Kaleva (T), Pipestone, and Saugatuck soils. The poorly drained Dair and the very poorly drained Houghton and Adrian soils are located in and along minor drainageways. The moderately well drained Brethren and Covert are located on slightly lower landform positions. The Grattan and Kaleva soils are on similar landform positions. The somewhat poorly drained Pipestone and Saugatuck soils are on lower landform positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. The potential surface runoff is low. Permeability is moderately rapid in the ortstein and rapid below.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of the Copemish soil are forested. Native vegetation includes red and white oak, aspen, red maple, bracken fern, and wintergreen.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern lower peninsula of Michigan, MLRA 96. The series is of minor extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES PROPOSED: Manistee County, Michigan, 1996. Source of the name is a village in the county.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: Ochric epipedon - from a depth of 0 to 11 inches (A and E horizons).
Albic horizon - from a depth of 2 to 11 inches (E horizons).
Spodic Horizon - from a depth of 11 to 36 inches (Bs horizons).
Orstein feature - cementation in 70 percent of the Bs horizons.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Site of Typical Pedon: Reference Soil No. S96MI-101-003, National Soil Survey Laboratory Pedon No. 97P 138, Sample No. 97P 921-926.