LOCATION DRYDEN MIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, semiactive, mesic Oxyaquic Hapludalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Dryden sandy loam - cultivated. (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine roots; 1 percent coarse fragments; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
B1--8 to 14 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; 2 percent coarse fragments; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
B21t--14 to 24 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few thin dark-brown (10YR 3/3) clay films; few fine roots; 2 percent coarse fragments; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
B22t--24 to 30 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam; common fine faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and light brownish gray (10YR 5/2) mottles; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; few thin dark-brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; few fine roots; 2 percent coarse fragments; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 16 inches thick)
C--30 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam; common fine and medium faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), dark brown (10YR 4/3) and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) mottles; massive; friable; moderately alkaline; strong effervescence.
TYPE LOCATION: Macomb County, Michigan; about 1 mile south and 1.5 miles west of Romeo; 220 feet east and 400 feet south of the northwest corner of sec. 10, T. 4 N., R. 12 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 20 to 40 inches and coincides with the depth to free carbonates. Coarse fragments range from 0 to 10 percent throughout the solum. The reaction generally ranges from medium acid to neutral, but in some pedons the A2 and B1 horizons are strongly acid. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 47 to 58 degrees F. Where the soil has not been cultivated it has a very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) or very dark brown (10YR 2/2) A1 horizon that ranges from 1 to 3 inches in thickness.
The Ap horizon is dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), brown (10YR 5/3) or dark brown (10YR 4/3). It is sandy loam, loam or silt loam. The profiles with a thin loess mantle have the silt loam surface texture. Some pedons have an A2 horizon, 1 to 6 inches thick, with hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6 and chroma of 2 or 3.
The B1 horizon is yellowish brown (10YR 5/4, 5/6) dark brown (10YR 4/3) or dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4). It is sandy loam or heavy sandy loam.
The Bt horizon is brown (10YR 5/3), dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) or yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) and is sandy clay loam, loam or sandy loam. Mottles of 2 chroma or less are 10 or more inches below the top of the argillic horizon. The argillic horizon averages less than 18 percent clay; but individual subhorizons may contain more than 18 percent clay.
The C horizon is brown (10YR 5/3), yellowish brown (10YR 5/4), light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4), pale brown (10YR 6/3) and grayish brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam. In some pedons there are pockets of loamy sand or sand. The amount of coarse fragments ranges from 2 to 15 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alvin, Boyer, Bridgeville, Burnsville, Cranston, Eleva, Elmdale, Hillsdale, Lamont, Lapeer, Mecan, Oshtemo, Perrin, Townsbury and Wyocena series. Similar soils are the Kidder, Locke, Miami and Spinks series. Alvin, Boyer, Bridgeville, Burnsville, Cranston, Oshtemo, Perrin and Townsbury soils have sand and gravel in the sola and C horizons. Eleva soils have a paralithic contact at depths between 20 and 40 inches. Elmdale and Hillsdale soils have thicker and more acid sola. Lamont soils are more acid and are coarser textured in the lower C horizon. Lapeer soils lack mottles of low chroma in the lower part of the argillic horizon. Mecan soils have thicker sola and 5YR or redder colors in their Bt horizons. Wyocena soils have less silt and clay in their sola and have loamy sand C horizons. Kidder soils are fine-loamy with sandy loam C horizons. Locke soils have dark colored surface horizons and mottles of low chroma within the upper 10 inches of the argillic horizon. Miami soils have finer textures in the B and C horizons. Spinks soils have coarser textures in the sola.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Dryden soils are on till plains and low moraines of Wisconsinan Age. The dominant slope gradients are between 0 and 6 percent and the full range is from 0 to about 10 percent. The climate is continental. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 29 to 37 inches. The mean annual temperature is about 48 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature is about 70 degrees F., near the type location.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: Barry, Lapeer, and Locke soils are closely associated in a drainage sequence. Spinks soils are on nearby slightly higher elevations. Gilford, Mussey and Wasepi soils are in associated small drainageways in a few places.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Surface runoff is slow to medium, depending upon slope. Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: The greater part is under cultivation. Corn, beans, small grain, and legume-grass hay are the principal crops. A smaller part is in permanent pasture or forest. The native vegetation was chiefly sugar maple, beech, oaks, and hickory.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Michigan and possibly southern Wisconsin. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ionia County, Michigan, 1965.
REMARKS: Classification was adjusted to agree with ST Issue #17 on 6 Sept 94 by CLG. Dryden soils were formerly classified as Gray-Brown Podzolic soils.