LOCATION WILLETTE MI+IN NY OH WIEstablished Series
The Willette series consists of very deep, very poorly drained organic soils. They formed in organic material 16 to 51 inches thick overlying clayey deposits in depressions on lake plains, ground moraines and end moraines. Permeability is rapid in the organic layers and slow in the clayey material. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 32 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 49 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, illitic, euic, mesic Terric Haplosaprists
TYPICAL PEDON: Willette muck - cultivated. (Colors are for moist conditions unless otherwise stated.)
Oap-- 0 to 11 inches; black (5YR 2/1) broken face and rubbed muck (sapric material); about 10 percent fiber, estimated 3 percent rubbed; moderate medium granular structure; very friable; many roots; sodium pyrophosphate black (10YR 2/1); neutral (pH 7.0 in water); abrupt smooth boundary.
Oa2-- 11 to 24 inches; black (10YR 2/1) broken face and rubbed muck (sapric material); about 15 percent fiber, estimated 3 percent rubbed, moderate medium granular structure; very friable; many roots; sodium pyrophosphate dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2); 5 percent coarse woody fragments; neutral (pH 7.0 in water); clear wavy boundary.
Oa3-- 24 to 32 inches; black (10YR 2/1) broken face, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) rubbed muck (sapric material); about 20 percent fiber, estimated 5 percent rubbed, weak medium granular structure; very friable; many roots; sodium pyrophosphate dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2); 8 percent coarse woody fragments; 50 percent mineral; neutral (pH 7.0 in water); abrupt wavy boundary.
2Cg-- 32 to 60 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) silty clay; common fine distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) mottles; massive; slightly alkaline, strongly effervescent.
TYPE LOCATION: Lenawee County, Michigan about 2 miles south of the village of Macon; 1820 feet west and 325 feet north of the southeast corner, sec. 18., T. 5 S., R. 5 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to the clayey 2C horizon typically is 20 to 40 inches but ranges from 16 to 51 inches. The fiber is derived from both woody and herbaceous material. Some pedons have layers within the organic portion of the control section that are dominantly woody fiber. The organic material ranges from moderately acid to slightly alkaline (in 0.01M CaCl2). Some subhorizons range to very strongly acid.
The surface tier has hue of 10YR or is neutral, value of 2 and chroma of 0 to 2. In a few pedons the chroma of broken faces differ from rubbed and pressed chroma by one or two units. Fiber volume after rubbing is less than one-sixth of the total volume. It has weak or moderate fine or medium granular structure. Some undisturbed pedons may have a thin layer of hemic material on the surface.
The organic part of the subsurface and bottom tiers have hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR or is neutral, value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 0 to 3. In a few pedons the chroma of broken faces differ from rubbed and pressed by one or two units. The subsurface and bottom tiers have weak, fine or medium granular, weak thin to thick platy, weak fine to coarse angular or subangular blocky structure. In a few pedons the organic layer above the 2C horizon contains 50 to 60 percent by volume of mineral material. Some pedons have a layer of coprogenous earth as much as 5 inches thick overlying the 2C horizon.
The 2Cg horizon has hue of 2.5Y, 5Y, 10YR, 7.5YR, 5YR, or is neutral, value of 3 to 6 and chroma of 0 to 3. It ranges from silty clay loam to clay and averages more than 35 percent clay. It ranges from strongly acid to moderately alkaline. In most pedons it has slight or strong effervescence.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the family. Closely related are the Adrian, Allemands, Carlisle, Cathro, Dora, Dorval, Edwards, Houghton, Kingile, Linwood and Palms series. Adrian soils have sandy 2C horizons. Allemands and Kingile soils are thermic. Carlisle and Houghton soils formed in organic deposits more than 51 inches thick. Cathro Dora and Dorval soils are frigid. Edwards soils are underlain by marl at depths less than 51 inches. Linwood and Palms soils contain less clay in their 2C horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Willette soils are on lake plains, ground moraines, or end moraines. They are in former lakes or ponds that range in size from a few acres to several hundred acres. Slopes are less than 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation ranges from about 25 to 40 inches and the mean annual temperature ranges from 48 to 50 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Carlisle, Edwards, Linwood, and Palms soils on similar landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained. The depth to the seasonal high water table ranges from 1 foot above the surface to 1 foot below the surface from November to May.Surface runoff is very slow. Permeability is rapid in the organic layers and slow in the clayey material.
USE AND VEGETATION: The greater part of this soil is in natural vegetation of alder, quaking aspen, willow, dogwood,
American elm, white ash, red maple, and a few conifers. A few acres are drained and used for pasture and truck crops.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The southern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan, New York, Ohio, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sanilac County, Michigan, 1955.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: organic material from the surface to a depth of 32 inches (Oap, Oa2, and Oa3 horizons); mineral material within a depth of 16 to 51 inches - terric feature.