LOCATION FRANKENMUTH MIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, semiactive, mesic Aquic Argiudolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Frankenmuth silt loam - on a 2 percent slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 9 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very fine sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 10 inches thick)
E--9 to 13 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silt loam; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) mottles; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bt--13 to 18 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam; many medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and common medium prominent greenish gray (5G 6/1) mottles; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; firm; common distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; many distinct and common faint silt coatings on faces of peds; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
2C1--18 to 35 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very fine sand; common medium and coarse distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) mottles; massive; friable; mildly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.
2C2--35 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) stratified very fine sand and silty clay loam; common coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8), common coarse prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8), and few fine and common coarse prominent greenish gray (5G 6/1) mottles; massive with weak medium and thin plates inherent from deposition; light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) silty clay coatings; moderately alkaline; violent effervescence.
TYPE LOCATION: Saginaw County, Michigan; about 8 miles northeast of the city of Saginaw; 650 feet south and 100 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 33, T. 13 N., R. 3 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum ranges from 10 to 22 inches.
The Ap horizon has value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 1 or 2.
The E horizon has value of 5 or 6 and chroma of 3 or 4. It is silt loam or loam.
The Bt horizon has a hue of 10YR or 7.5YR and value of 4 or 5. It is silt loam or silty clay loam.
The C horizons have hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 3 or 4. They are very fine sandy or stratified very fine sand to silty clay loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Brenton, Elburn, Harco, Higginsville, Keller, Lafayette, Lawndale, Libson, Loran, Mundelein, Nevin, Raub, and Rowley series in the same family, and the related Ingersoll Series. The Brenton, Elburn, Harco, Higginsville, Keller, Lafayette, Lawndale, Lisbon, Loran, Mundelein, Nevin, Raub, and Rowley series have thicker sola and are formed in loess. The Ingersoll soil does not have a mollic epipedon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Frankenmuth soils are on lake plains. Slopes range from 0 to 4 percent. They formed in stratified calcareous silt loam, very fine sand, and silty clay loam containing lenses of finer and coarser textures. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 29 to 37 inches and the mean annual temperature ranges from 47 to 52 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Pella, Strawn, Gagetown, Tappan, and Londo soils. The poorly drained Pella and Tappan soils are in shallow depressions in the landscape. The Londo soils are on similar landscape positions. The moderately well drained Gagetown and well drained Strawn soils are on slightly higher landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. The depth to the seasonal high water table ranges from 1 to 2 feet below the surface from November to May. Runoff is very slow or slow. Permeability is moderately slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cultivated. Corn, sugar beets, soybeans, edible beans, and small grain are the principle crops.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Saginaw valley area of Lower Michigan. The series is of small extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Saginaw County, Michigan, 1991.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to 9 inches (Ap horizon); argillic horizon - the zone from 13 to 18 inches (Bt horizon).