LOCATION BAGGS MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Baggs loam, in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 10 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
Bw1--10 to 16 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary.
Bw2--16 to 22 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bw horizons is 9 to 18 inches)
BC--22 to 31 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 22 inches thick)
C--31 to 60 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) fine sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots, few very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Granite County, Montana; 200 feet west and 100 feet north of the SE corner of sec. 16 T. 7 N R. 15 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 41 to 46 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 16 inches.
A horizon - Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, or 3
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3
Bw horizons - Value: 5 or 6 dry; 3, 4, or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, 4, or 6
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3
BC horizon - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5, 6 or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
C horizon - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
COMPETING SERIES:
Baxton (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; has lithic contact at 40 to 60 inches.
Belain (MT) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; has horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Bitterroot (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Chincap (WY) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Hopley (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 40 to 60 inches; has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Mott (ND) - is sandy at 25 to 48 inches.
Relan (MT) - has horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation, does not have a cambic horizon.
Tally (MT) - has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Unaweep (CO) - has horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Vebar (ND) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; formed in residuum from calcareous sandstone.
Victor (MT) - is sandy-skeletal at moderate depths.
Weedzunit (MT) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - alluvial fans; stream terraces.
Elevation - 3,600 to 6200 feet.
Slope - 0 to 15 percent.
Parent material - alluvium.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 19 inches.
Mean annual temperature - 39 to 44 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 70 to 90 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Baggs soils are used as irrigated cropland and rangeland. Potential native vegetation is mainly rough fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, forbes, and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Baggs soils are of small extent in western Montana valleys. MLRA 44.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Granite County, Montana, 1997.
REMARKS: Soil interpretations record: MT1535. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a mollic epipedon from the soil surface to 10 inches (A horizon); a cambic horizon from 10 to 22 inches (Bw1, Bw2 horizons); a particle-size control section from 10 to 40 inches (Bw1, Bw2 BC, C horizons). Baggs soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.