LOCATION COVERT MI+NYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, mesic Oxyaquic Haplorthods
TYPICAL PEDON: Covert sand - on a nearly level area with a slope of 2 percent in an idle field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) sand, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many roots; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
E--8 to 15 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sand; single grain; loose; common roots; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (1 to 10 inches thick)
Bs1--15 to 20 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) sand; single grain; loose; few roots; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bs2--20 to 35 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sand; single grain; loose; few cemented chunks of ortstein; moderately acid; gradual wavy boundary. (The combined thickness of the Bs horizons is 10 to 40 inches.)
C--35 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sand; single grain; loose; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation throughout; moderately acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Van Buren County, Michigan; 1,120 feet east and 2,370 feet south of the northwest corner, sec. 9, T. 2 S., R. 17 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The base of the spodic horizon ranges from 24 to 45 inches in thickness. Depth to redoximorphic features ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Gravel content ranges from 0 to 5 percent throughout the pedon.
Forested areas have O horizons of partially or well decomposed forest litter up to 4 inches thick.
The Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is sand or loamy sand. An A horizon is present in some pedons with hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1. Reaction of the A or Ap horizon ranges from very strongly acid to neutral.
The E horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is sand or loamy sand. Reaction of the E horizon ranges from very strongly acid to neutral.
The Bs1 horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 4. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately acid.
The Bs2 horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value 4 or 5 and chroma of 4 to 8. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid to neutral. Some pedons have ortstein ranging from 0 to 30 percent within the Bs horizon. Some pedons have BC horizons, that can have redoximorphic features.
The C horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 4 to 7, and chroma of 1 to 8. It commonly has distinct or prominent redoximorphic features. It is strongly acid to moderately alkaline. It is sand or fine sand.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Brethren series. The Brethern series have Bhs horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Covert soils are on ground moraines, outwash plains, lake plains, and dunes. Slope gradient ranges from 0 to 8 percent. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 40 inches, and mean annual temperature ranges from 47 to 50 degrees F. Frost free days ranges from 130 to 170. Elevation above sea level ranges from 600 to 1,000 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: The excessively drained Grattan soils, the somewhat poorly drained Pipestone soils, and the poorly and very poorly drained Granby, Kingsville, and Newton soils are in a drainage sequence with Covert soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Depth to the apparent seasonal high water table ranges from 2.0 to 3.5 feet below the surface at some time during the period from September to May. Surface runoff is negligible or very low. Permeability is rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: About 40 percent of this soil is under cultivation to small grain and hay. The remainder is idle cropland, permanent pasture, or forest. The forest vegetation consists of quaking aspen, white oak, northern red oak, wild cherry, eastern white pine, and jack pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Michigan and central New York. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Midland County, Michigan, 1976.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to 8 inches (Ap horizon); albic horizon - the zone from 8 to 15 inches (E horizon); spodic horizon - the zone from 15 to 20 inches (Bs1 horizon). Oxyaquic subgroup - the soil is saturated with water in one or more layers within 40 inches of the surface for 1 month or more per year in 6 or more out of 10 years.
The loamy and gravelly substratum phases of this series with loamy or gravelly material ranging from 40 to 60 inches are no longer within the concept of this series.
ADDITIONAL DATA: A similar Covert pedon was sampled as S73MI-80-2. Laboratory numbers 73B419-73B420. Found in Soil Survey Investigation Report No. 36.
Soil Interpretation Record No.: MI0272