LOCATION EPOUFETTE MI+MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Mollic Endoaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Epoufette loamy sand on a nearly level area of 1 percent on an outwash plain in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loamy sand; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; very friable; about 10 percent gravel; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
Eg--8 to 26 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loamy sand; single grain; loose; common medium distinct reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) and light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) iron accumulations; about 10 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 22 inches thick)
Btg--26 to 32 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few faint brown (10YR 5/3) clay films on faces of peds; common medium distinct reddish yellow (5YR 6/8) iron accumulations and light gray (10YR 7/2) iron depletions; about 10 percent gravel; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
2Cg--32 to 60 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly sand; single grain; loose; about 35 percent gravel; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Arenac County, Michigan; 1200 feet east and 300 feet south of the northwest corner of sec. 23, T. 19 N., R. 5 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to free carbonates ranges from 12 to 40 inches. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from about 42 to 47 degrees F.
The Ap and A horizons have hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y; value of 2 or 3; and chroma of 1 or 2 or are N 2/0. They are typically sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, or loamy sand, or loamy fine sand; but in some areas are mucky analogs of these textures or are muck or mucky sand up to 8 inches thick. The A horizons are slightly acid or neutral. Gravel content ranges from 0 to 15 percent by volume.
The Eg horizon has a hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 1 or 2. Mottles are faint to distinct. It is gravelly loamy sand, loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, gravelly sand, or sand. It is slightly acid or neutral. Gravel content ranges from 5 to 25 percent by volume.
The Btg horizon has a hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 1 or 2. Mottles are faint to prominent. It is gravelly sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, or sandy loam. Included are thin subhorizons of loamy sand, coarse loamy sand, or fine sandy loam, however the weighted average of the Btg is between 8 to 18 percent clay. It is slightly acid to slightly alkaline. Gravel content ranges from 5 to 25 percent by volume but includes up to 35 percent.
The C horizon has a hue of 7.5YR to 5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 1 or 2. Textures include sand, coarse sand, loamy coarse sand, and their gravelly analogues and are stratified in some pedons. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Gravel content ranges from 5 to 35 percent by volume.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Hillview (T) and Nowen series in the same family. Hillview soils have less than 5 percent rock fragments and have a sand fraction that is dominated by fine and very fine sand. Nowen soils do not have carbonates within 60 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Epoufette soils are on nearly level to depressional areas on outwash plains, lake plains and glacial lake deltas formed in materials of Wisconsinan Age. Slopes are less than 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation ranging from about 20 to 35 inches. The mean annual temperature ranges from about 40 to 45 degrees F. The mean summer temperature is about 65 degrees F. The frost-free period is 90 to 140 days and the elevation is 600 to 1,200 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the somewhat excessively drained Mancelona and East Lake soils, the moderately well drained Karlstad soils, and the somewhat poorly drained Gladwin soils. Mancelona and Gladwin soils have spodic horizons and are in the same drainage sequence. The moderately well drained Karlstad soils are slightly higher on the landscape and have thinner A horizons. The poorly drained Wheatley soils, which lack Btg horizons, are also associated with the Epoufette soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly or very poorly drained. The poorly drained phase has an apparent water table at a depth of .5 to 1.5 feet at some time from October to July in most years. The very poorly drained phase has an apparent water table from one foot above the surface to .5 feet below the surface at some time from March to July in most years. Permeability is moderately rapid in the solum and very rapid in the C horizon. Surface runoff is very slow or ponded.
USE AND VEGETATION: Primarily in woodland. Predominate species include red maple, northern white cedar, quaking aspen, black spruce, yellow birch, and balsam fir. Some areas have been cleared and used for pasture. A minor acreage has been drained and used for small grain.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern half of the Lower Peninsula, the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and northern Minnesota. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sanilac County, Michigan, 1955.
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 26 inches (Eg horizon); argillic horizon - the zone from 26 to 32 inches (Btg horizons); aquic moisture regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record No.: MI0214; MI0206 (LOW PPT)