Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Major Land Resource Area 097X
Major Land Resource Area
Accessed: 05/02/2026
Previous
Sections
Next
Next steps
-
1
Select an ecological site
Select an ecological site using the list, keys, photos, briefcase, or quick search option located on this page. -
2
Explore the ecological site description
Next, learn more about the selected ecological site and its characteristic dynamics by browsing the ecological site description and exploring alternative state and transition model formats.
Ecological site list
Tools
Search
Filter by
interactive key
precipitation
frost free days
more..
clear all
Sort by
id
name
stage
Viewing 20 of 27
View all
Ecological site map
Basemap
Topo
Road
Aerial
Hybrid
Find me
Find point
Full screen
Zoom in to display soil survey map units for an area of interest, and zoom out to display MLRAs. Select a map unit polygon to view ecological sites correlated to that map unit. View a brief description of an ecological site by clicking on its name in the map popup. Soil survey correlations may not be accurate, and ecological site classification of a location should always be verified in the field. Each selection may require the transfer of several hundred KB of data.
Briefcase
Add ecological sites and Major Land Resource Areas to your briefcase by clicking on the briefcase (
) icon wherever it occurs. Drag and drop items to reorder. Cookies are used to store briefcase items between browsing sessions. Because of this, the number of items that can be added to your briefcase is limited, and briefcase items added on one device and browser cannot be accessed from another device or browser. Users who do not wish to place cookies on their devices should not use the briefcase tool. Briefcase cookies serve no other purpose than described here and are deleted whenever browsing history is cleared.
Ecological sites
Major Land Resource Areas
Ecological site photos
Tools
Filter by
interactive key
precipitation
frost free days
more..
clear all
Type
Image size
Done
Filters
Interactive key
Precipitation
Frost free days
Elevation
Slope
Landform
Parent material kind
Soil texture
Beaches and Sand dunes within 2 km of Great Lakes, sometimes subject to strong wind, waves, and fog; or River Mouths subject to variation in water levels of Great Lakes, including storm surges.
Inland, not subject to immediate coastal influences.
Sites in river mouths.
R097XA024MI – Great Lakes Marsh
R097XA024MI – Great Lakes Marsh
Sites not in river mouths.
Storm wave washed or active windblown dunes
R097XA001MI – Beach And Foredune
R097XA001MI – Beach And Foredune
Large/older forested dunes.
Historically infrequent fire (except locally) and mean annual snowfall roughly >160 cm, northeast of Galien River, (Berrien County, Michigan).
F097XA002MI – Backdune
F097XA002MI – Backdune
Historically frequent fire (widespread) and annual snowfall roughly <160 cm, west of Trail Creek, southwest of Galien River, (Berrien County, Michigan).
F097XB003IN – Chicago Backdune
F097XB003IN – Chicago Backdune
Historically infrequent fire (except locally) and mean annual snowfall roughly >160 cm, east of Trail Creek, (LaPorte County, Indiana) inland, or northeast of Galien River, (Berrien County, Michigan) near Lake Michigan.
Historically frequent fire (widespread) and and annual snowfall roughly <160 cm, west of Trail Creek, (LaPorte County, Indiana) inland, or southwest of Galien River, (Berrien County, Michigan) near Lake Michigan
Floodplain.
Non-Floodplain.
Hydric Soil.
F097XA027MI – Wet Floodplain
F097XA027MI – Wet Floodplain
Non-Hydric Soil.
F097XA025MI – Moist Floodplain
F097XA025MI – Moist Floodplain
Mineral Soil with no histic epipedon.
Histosol or Histic Subgroup.
Sandy Site: ≥ 80% sand in the top 150 cm and ≥ 70% sand in the top 50 cm; or ≥ 80% sand in top 50 cm; or < 20% clay in top 150 cm, pH <6, and ultic subgroup.
Loamy Site: < 80% sand in the top 150 cm or < 70% sand in the top 50 cm; and not in ultic subgroup unless pH ≥6 or clay ≥20%.
No water table (well drained or drier).
Seasonal water table present (moderately well Drained or wetter).
Slope ≥ 15%.
F097XA010MI – Sandy Slopes
F097XA010MI – Sandy Slopes
Slope < 15%.
F097XA004MI – Dry Sandy Lake Plain
F097XA004MI – Dry Sandy Lake Plain
Non-hydric Soil.
Hydric Soil.
pH ≥ 5.5 or Mollisol.
F097XA012MI – Moist Sandy Depression
F097XA012MI – Moist Sandy Depression
pH < 5.5 or Spodosol or Ultic subgroup.
F097XA006MI – Moist Acidic Sandy Flatwoods
F097XA006MI – Moist Acidic Sandy Flatwoods
pH ≥ 5.5 or Mollisol. --- Wet Sandy Depression
F097XA008MI – Wet Sandy Flatwoods
F097XA008MI – Wet Sandy Flatwoods
pH < 5.5 or Spodosol or Ultic subgroup.
F097XA007MI – Wet Acidic Sandy Flatwoods
F097XA007MI – Wet Acidic Sandy Flatwoods
No water table
Seasonal water table present (moderately well Drained or wetter).
Slope ≥ 15%.
F097XA017MI – Loamy Slopes
F097XA017MI – Loamy Slopes
Slope < 15%.
F097XA018MI – Dry Loamy Drift Plains
F097XA018MI – Dry Loamy Drift Plains
Non-hydric Soil.
F097XA022MI – Moist Loamy Drift Plains
F097XA022MI – Moist Loamy Drift Plains
Hydric Soil.
F097XA023MI – Wet Loamy Depression
F097XA023MI – Wet Loamy Depression
pH of the top 50 cm ≥ 5.0 or euic if pH unknown.
F097XA030MI – Mucky Depression
F097XA030MI – Mucky Depression
pH of the top 50 cm < 5.0 or dysic if pH unknown.
F097XA031MI – Acidic Peaty Depression
F097XA031MI – Acidic Peaty Depression
Floodplain.
Non-Floodplain.
Hydric Soil.
F097XB049IN – Chicago Wet Floodplain
F097XB049IN – Chicago Wet Floodplain
Non-Hydric Soil.
F097XB044IN – Chicago Moist Floodplain
F097XB044IN – Chicago Moist Floodplain
Mineral Soil with no histic epipedon.
Histosol or Histic Subgroup.
R097XB051IL – Chicago Mucky Depression
R097XB051IL – Chicago Mucky Depression
Sandy Site: ≥ 80% sand in the top 150 cm and ≥ 70% sand in the top 50 cm; or ≥ 80% sand in top 50 cm; or < 20% clay in top 150 cm, pH <6, and ultic subgroup.
Loamy Site: < 80% sand in the top 150 cm or < 70% sand in the top 50 cm; and not in ultic subgroup unless pH ≥6 or clay ≥20%.
No water table (well drained or drier).
Seasonal water table present (moderately well Drained or wetter).
Slope ≥ 15%.
F097XB040IN – Chicago Sandy Slopes
F097XB040IN – Chicago Sandy Slopes
Slope < 15%.
F097XB033IN – Chicago Dry Sandy Lake Plain
F097XB033IN – Chicago Dry Sandy Lake Plain
Non-hydric Soil.
Hydric Soil.
pH ≥ 5.5 or Mollisol.
F097XB035IN – Chicago Moist Sandy Swale
F097XB035IN – Chicago Moist Sandy Swale
pH < 5.5 or Spodosol or Ultic subgroup. --- F097XA006MI --- Acidic Sandy Flatwoods
pH ≥ 5.5 or Mollisol. --- Wet Sandy Depression
R097XB036IN – Chicago Wet Sandy Swale
R097XB036IN – Chicago Wet Sandy Swale
pH < 5.5 or Spodosol or Ultic subgroup. --- F097XA007MI --- Wet Acidic Sandy Flatwoods
Slope ≥ 15%.
F097XB041IN – Chicago Loamy Slopes
F097XB041IN – Chicago Loamy Slopes
Slope < 15%.
Non-hydric Soil.
R097XB046IL – Chicago Moist Clayey Flats
R097XB046IL – Chicago Moist Clayey Flats
Hydric Soil.
R097XB047IL – Chicago Wet Clayey Flats
R097XB047IL – Chicago Wet Clayey Flats
Long term average mean annual precipitation
- No filter
- 80 – 100cm (31 – 39in)
—
cm
Long term average frost free days
- No filter
- 110 – 130days
- 130 – 150days
- 150 – 170days
—
days
- No filter
- 0 – 200m (0 – 700ft)
- 200 – 400m (700 – 1300ft)
—
m
- No filter
- 0 – 3%
- 3 – 5%
- 5 – 10%
- 10 – 15%
- 15 – 20%
- 20 – 25%
- 25 – 30%
- 30 – 35%
- 35 – 40%
- 40 – 45%
- 45 – 50%
- 50 – 60%
- 60 – 70%
- 70 – 80%
- 80 – 90%
- 90 – 100%
—
%
- No filter
- Beach
- Beach ridge
- Channel
- Depression
- Dune
- Estuary
- Fen
- Flood plain
- Interdune
- Kame
- Lake plain
- Lakebed
- Outwash plain
- Pitted outwash plain
- Ravine
- Till plain
- No filter
- Alluvium
- Beach sand
- Drift
- Eolian deposits
- Eolian sands
- Glaciofluvial deposits
- Glaciolacustrine deposits
- Lacustrine deposits
- Marl
- Organic, unspecified
- Till, unspecified
Soil surface texture
- No filter
- Clay
- Fine sand
- Loam
- Sand
- Silt
Print Options
Sections
Font
A
A
A
A
Other
Print
Ecological site keys
MLRA 97
1a.
Beaches and Sand dunes within 2 km of Great Lakes, sometimes subject to strong wind, waves, and fog; or River Mouths subject to variation in water levels of Great Lakes, including storm surges.
2b.
Sites not in river mouths.
3b.
Large/older forested dunes.
4a.
Historically infrequent fire (except locally) and mean annual snowfall roughly >160 cm, northeast of Galien River, (Berrien County, Michigan).
... F097XA002MI – Backdune
4a.
Historically frequent fire (widespread) and annual snowfall roughly <160 cm, west of Trail Creek, southwest of Galien River, (Berrien County, Michigan).
... F097XB003IN – Chicago Backdune
1b.
Inland, not subject to immediate coastal influences.
5a.
Historically infrequent fire (except locally) and mean annual snowfall roughly >160 cm, east of Trail Creek, (LaPorte County, Indiana) inland, or northeast of Galien River, (Berrien County, Michigan) near Lake Michigan.
6a.
Floodplain.
6b.
Non-Floodplain.
8a.
Mineral Soil with no histic epipedon.
9a.
Sandy Site: ≥ 80% sand in the top 150 cm and ≥ 70% sand in the top 50 cm; or ≥ 80% sand in top 50 cm; or < 20% clay in top 150 cm, pH <6, and ultic subgroup.
10a.
No water table (well drained or drier).
10b.
Seasonal water table present (moderately well Drained or wetter).
12a.
Non-hydric Soil.
12b.
Hydric Soil.
9b.
Loamy Site: < 80% sand in the top 150 cm or < 70% sand in the top 50 cm; and not in ultic subgroup unless pH ≥6 or clay ≥20%.
15a.
No water table
15b.
Seasonal water table present (moderately well Drained or wetter).
8b.
Histosol or Histic Subgroup.
5b.
Historically frequent fire (widespread) and and annual snowfall roughly <160 cm, west of Trail Creek, (LaPorte County, Indiana) inland, or southwest of Galien River, (Berrien County, Michigan) near Lake Michigan
19a.
Floodplain.
19b.
Non-Floodplain.
21a.
Mineral Soil with no histic epipedon.
22a.
Sandy Site: ≥ 80% sand in the top 150 cm and ≥ 70% sand in the top 50 cm; or ≥ 80% sand in top 50 cm; or < 20% clay in top 150 cm, pH <6, and ultic subgroup.
23a.
No water table (well drained or drier).
23b.
Seasonal water table present (moderately well Drained or wetter).
25a.
Non-hydric Soil.
26b.
pH < 5.5 or Spodosol or Ultic subgroup. --- F097XA006MI --- Acidic Sandy Flatwoods
25b.
Hydric Soil.
27b.
pH < 5.5 or Spodosol or Ultic subgroup. --- F097XA007MI --- Wet Acidic Sandy Flatwoods
22b.
Loamy Site: < 80% sand in the top 150 cm or < 70% sand in the top 50 cm; and not in ultic subgroup unless pH ≥6 or clay ≥20%.
28b.
Slope < 15%.
The Ecosystem Dynamics Interpretive Tool is an information system framework developed by the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and New Mexico State University.
Accessibility statement