LOCATION EMMET MI+WIEstablished Series
The Emmet series consists of very deep, well drained and moderately well drained soils formed in sandy loam till on end moraines, drumlins, and ground moraines. Permeability is moderate or moderately slow. Slopes range from 0 to 50 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 31 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, active, frigid Inceptic Hapludalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Emmet sandy loam - on a 4 percent northeast-facing slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; moderate fine granular structure; friable; many fine roots; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)
E--8 to 12 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) sandy loam; weak medium platy structure; friable; many fine roots; slightly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
Bw--12 to 24 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; many fine roots; about 1 percent gravel; 2 percent cobbles; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 16 inches thick)
E'--24 to 30 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; few fine roots; slightly acid; abrupt irregular boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
Bt--30 to 38 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) loam; thick coatings of grayish brown (10YR 5/2), extend from E' horizon on vertical faces of peds; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine roots; common brown (7.5YR 4/3) clay films on some peds and in pores; about 2 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
C--38 to 60 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy loam; weak coarse subangular blocky fragments; very friable; 3 percent gravel; about 3 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Emmet County, Michigan; about 2 miles southwest of Petoskey; 2,320 feet east and 100 feet north of southwest corner, sec. 11, T. 34 N., R. 6 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum typically is 30 to 40 inches, but ranges from 24 to 50 inches and is the same as the depth to carbonates. The solum is moderately acid to neutral except for the Bt horizon which is neutral or slightly alkaline. In areas where the soil is limed, reaction of the A and E horizons may range to neutral. Gravel content ranges from 2 to 25 percent in the solum and 5 to 25 percent in the substratum. Cobble content ranges from 0 to 20 percent in the surface layer and 0 to 10 percent in the rest of the pedon. Stone content ranges form 0 to 5 percent throughout the pedon.
The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 1 or 2, or is neutral with value of 3 or 4.
T
he A horizon, where present has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, chroma of 0 to 2 or is neutral, and is 1 to 6 inches thick. The A horizons are sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, gravelly sandy loam, cobbly sandy loam, cobbly fine sandy loam, or loamy sand.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loamy sand. In some cultivated pedons, all of the E horizon has been mixed in the Ap horizon.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR to 5YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is dominantly sandy loam, but the range includes fine sandy loam or loamy sand.
The E' horizon has hue of 10YR to 5YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loamy sand. The E' horizon has some characteristics of a fragipan. It is hard and brittle especially during dry periods, and some contain vesicular pores.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR to 5YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam, and some pedons have thin subhorizons of sandy clay loam. Some pedons have BC horizons.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR to 5YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 6. It is sandy loam, gravelly sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or gravelly fine sandy loam. Lenses of loam, loamy sand, sand, or gravel occur in some pedons. In some areas the C horizon is firm, dense till.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. Closely related are the Chetek, Flak, Millward, Sanburn, and Sugarbush series. These soils have a superactive activity class.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Emmet soils are on end moraines, drumlins, and ground moraines. Slope gradients range from 0 to 50 percent. Emmet soils formed in till of Wisconsin age. Mean annual precipitation ranges from about 28 to 32 inches, and the mean annual temperature ranges from 41 to 45 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Charlevoix, Ensley, Leelanau, Omena, and Onaway soils. The somewhat poorly drained Charlevoix soils and the poorly drained and very poorly drained Ensley soils are in the same drainage sequence. Leelanau, Omena, and Onaway soils are well drained associates and are on similar landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained or moderately well drained. The potential for surface runoff is low to high, depending upon slope. Permeability is moderate or moderately slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: A large part of the less sloping areas are cropped. Corn, hay, oats, and wheat are the principal crops. Apple and cherry orchards are in favorable air drainage locations. A large part of the steeper areas is in permanent pasture or forest. Native vegetation is dominantly quaking aspen, American basswood, American beech, eastern hemlock, northern red oak, red pine, and sugar maple.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula of Michigan and northeastern Wisconsin. The series is of large extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Antrim County, Michigan, 1923.
REMARKS: Changed the classification from Typic to Inceptic. The Bt horizon is less than 15 inches thick.
Laboratory data available for Emmet series to support classification change is S79MI-165-3, Sample Nos. 79P 361-167, Michigan Technological University, Ford Forestry Center, L'Anse, Michigan.
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 12 inches and 24 to 30 inches (E and E' horizons); cambic horizon - the zone from 12 to 24 inches (Bw horizon); argillic horizon - the zone from 30 to 38 inches (Bt horizon).