LOCATION SARANAC MI+IN OHEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, mesic Fluvaquentic Endoaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Saranac clay loam - on a 1 percent slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate coarse granular structure; firm; many fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.
A--8 to 11 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; firm; many fine roots; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 8 to 15 inches.)
Bg--11 to 20 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) silty clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm; many fine roots; common medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 40 inches thick)
Cg--20 to 50 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) silty clay loam; thin lenses of silt loam, loam, and clay; massive; firm; common fine roots; many medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of iron accumulation; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Ionia County, Michigan; about one half mile south of Ionia; 1,200 feet east and 750 feet south of the center of sec. 24, T. 7 N., R. 7 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum ranges from 15 to 50 inches. Depth to carbonates ranges from 18 to 70 inches. Rock fragments are typically absent but range from 0 to 5 percent throughout the series control section.
The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is clay loam, loam, silt loam, silty clay loam, silty clay or clay. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
The Bg horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y, or is neutral; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 0 to 2. It is clay loam, silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 1 or 2. It is clay loam, silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay with thin strata of silt loam, loam, or fine sand in some pedons. The C horizon ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline. Gravelly and stratified substratum phases are recognized.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Dunning series. Dunning soils contain more clay in the control section and are in warmer climates where the mean annual air temperature is more than 53 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Saranac soils are on flood plains. Slope ranges from 0 to about 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 29 to 42 inches, and mean annual temperature ranges from 48 to 53 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ceresco, Cohoctah, Shoals, and Sloan soils. The somewhat poorly drained Ceresco and Shoals soils are on slightly higher landscape positions on flood plains. Cohoctah and Sloan soils are on similar positions and have more sand and less clay in the control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained or very poorly drained. The potential for surface runoff is negligible. Permeability is moderately slow or slow. The depth to the seasonal high water table ranges from 0.5 feet above the surface to 0.5 feet below the surface during late fall and into the spring in normal years. These soils are subject to frequent or occasional flooding during this same period.
USE AND VEGETATION: About 50 percent is cropped to corn and soybeans; smaller amounts are in hay. The remainder is in permanent pasture or woodland. The native vegetation is chiefly ash, swamp white oak, alder, red maple, and silver maple.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Michigan, northern and central Indiana, and northern Ohio. MLRAs 98 and 111.The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ionia County, Michigan, 1965.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the pedon are: mollic epipedon - zone from surface to a depth of approximately 11 inches (Ap, A); cambic horizon - zone from approximately 11 to 20 inches (Bg). Aquic moisture regime.
A till substratum phase is currently recognized in Ohio and may become a new series when evaluated during MLRA updating activities.