LOCATION PIPESTONE MI+CT IN MA NH NYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, mesic Typic Endoaquods
TYPICAL PEDON: Pipestone sand - on a 1 percent convex east-facing slope in an idle field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
E--8 to 11 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sand; common medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) iron accumulation in the matrix; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; common fine roots; moderately acid; abrupt broken boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bhs--11 to 15 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) sand; common fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) iron accumulation in the matrix; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable; few fine roots; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bs--15 to 31 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sand; single grain; loose; moderately acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 23 inches thick)
C--31 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sand; single grain; loose; slightly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Berrien County, Michigan; about 4 miles northeast of Benton Harbor; 1,172 feet south and 99 feet west of the northeast corner, sec. 28, T. 3 S., R. 18 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness typically is 20 to 50 inches. Gravel content ranges from 0 to 10 percent throughout.
The Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is sand, fine sand, loamy sand, loamy fine sand, or loamy coarse sand.
Forested areas have A horizons with hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, or neutral, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 0 to 3. These forested areas have similar textures to those of the Ap horizon.
Some forested pedons have partially or well decomposed O horizons of forest litter up to 5 inches thick.
The E horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is sand, loamy sand, fine sand, loamy fine sand, coarse sand, or loamy coarse sand. Reaction of the A and E horizon range from extremely acid to neutral.
The Bhs horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR and value and chroma of 2 or 3. It is sand, loamy sand, fine sand, coarse sand, or loamy coarse sand. Some pedons have varying amounts of ortstein within the Bhs horizon. The amount of ortstein ranges from 0 to 30 percent of the surface area exposed in a vertical cut through the Bhs horizon and is present in less than 50 percent of the pedons. The Bhs horizon ranges from extremely acid to moderately acid.
Pedons with no Bhs horizons have Bs horizons with hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 or 4 and chroma of 4. In other pedons where there is a Bhs horizon, the Bs horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 3 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. Iron and manganese concretions are present in some pedons. It is sand, loamy sand, loamy fine sand, fine sand, coarse sand, or loamy coarse sand. The Bs horizon ranges from extremely acid to moderately acid.
Some pedons have BC horizons, with hue of 10YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 4 to 6. Textures are the same as for the Bs horizon. Reaction of the BC horizon ranges from very strongly acid to neutral.
The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 2 to 6. It is sand, fine sand, coarse sand, or loamy coarse sand, and is very strongly acid to neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Pipestone soils are on outwash plains, sandy lake plains, beach ridges, and till plains. Pipestone soils formed in drift of Wisconsinan Age. Slope gradients range from 0 to 8 percent. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 36 inches, and the mean annual temperature ranges from 45 to 50 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: The well drained or moderately well drained Oakville soils, the excessively drained Grattan soils, and the poorly or very poorly drained Granby, Kingsville, and Newton soils are in a drainage sequences with Pipestone soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. The water table fluctuates from near the surface during prolonged wet periods to depths greater than 4 feet in dry seasons. Depth to the seasonal high water table ranges from .5 to 1.5 feet below the surface at some time from October to June. Surface runoff is negligible. Permeability is rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: A large part is or has been cultivated. Some areas are in permanent pasture. Special crops such as blueberries, cucumbers, and melons are important crops on this soil. Many areas are in various stages of reforestation. Natural forests are American basswood, eastern cottonwood, northern red oak, bitternut hickory, white ash, swamp white oak, and red maple.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Michigan, northeastern Indiana, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York. The series is of large extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gratiot County, Michigan, 1975.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to 11 inches (Ap and E horizon); albic horizon - the zone from 8 to 11 inches (E horizon); spodic horizon - the zone from 11 to 15 inches (Bhs horizon); aquic soil moisture regime.
The loamy substratum phase from 40 to 60 inches is no longer within the series concept.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretation Record: MI0257