LOCATION BANGTAIL MT
Established Series
Rev. GAR-JB-JCK
11/2013
BANGTAIL SERIES
The Bangtail series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in sedimentary residuum and colluvium. These soils are on hills, mountains, and escarpments. Slopes are 4 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 533 mm, and mean annual air temperature is about 2.2 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive Ustic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Bangtail loam, in rangeland (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 23 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; many very fine, common fine and few medium pores; 5 percent channers, 10 percent shale parachanners; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 36 cm thick)
Bt1--23 to 36 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; many very fine and few fine and medium pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent channers, 10 percent shale parachanners; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--36 to 58 cm; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; common very fine and few fine and medium pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent channers, 15 percent shale parachanners; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bt horizons is 36 to 76 cm).
C--58 to 94 cm; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) clay loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; common very fine and few fine and medium pores; 5 percent channers, 20 percent shale parachanners; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 38 cm thick)
Cr--94 to 152 cm; olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) very weakly cemented shale and fine grained sandstone; neutral (pH 6.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Gallatin County, Montana; 366 meters west and 640 meters north of the SE corner of sec. 24, T.2S.,R.7E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 2.2 to 4.4 degrees C
Mollic epipedon thickness - 20 to 38 cm
Depth to paralithic contact - 50 to 100 cm
A horizon
Value: 3, 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1, 2 or 3
Texture: Loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 20 percent--5 to 15 percent channers or gravel, 0 to 5 percent flagstones or cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones
Pararock fragments: 0 to 20 percent parachanners
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
Bt1 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4, 5 or 6 dry; 3, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Texture: clay loam or clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent-- 5 to 15 percent channers or gravel, 0 to 10 percent flagstones or cobbles
Pararock fragments: 0 to 20 percent parachanners
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
Bt2 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4, 5 or 6 dry; 3, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Texture: clay loam or clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent--5 to 15 percent channers or gravel, 0 to 10 percent flagstones or cobbles
Pararock fragments: 0 to 20 percent parachanners
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
C horizon (where present)
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 3, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Texture: clay loam or clay
Clay content: 27 to 45 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent--5 to 15 percent channers or gravel, 0 to 10 percent flagstones or cobbles
Pararock fragments: 10 to 25 percent parachanners
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES:
Bridger (MT) - are very deep; have horizons of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Duckcreek (MT) - have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Echard (UT) - do not have a paralithic contact above 152 cm; are formed in soft rhyolitic tuff or strongly cemented ash
Melville (MT) - are very deep; have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Mollet (MT) - are very deep
Rattler (MT) - are very deep; have horizons of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Sevier (UT) - have an argilllic horizon less than 25 cm thick; are moderately well drained
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - hills, mountains, and escarpments
Elevation - 1,585 to 2,530 meters
Slope - 4 to 60 percent
Parent material - colluvium and residuum derived from cretaceous, interbedded shale and sandstone
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short summers
Mean annual precipitation - 432 to 610 mm
Mean annual air temperature - 1.1 to 4.4 degrees C
Frost-free period - 50 to 70 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Bangtail soils are used mainly for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Potential native vegetation may include Idaho fescue, Richardson needlegrass, Columbia needlegrass, mountain brome, lupine, and sticky geranium.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Bangtail soils are moderately extensive in central and southwestern Montana. MLRA - 43B.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gallatin County, Montana, 1997.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 36 cm (A and Bt1 horizons)
Argillic horizon - from 23 to 58 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
Paralithic contact at 94 cm (Cr horizon)
Particle-size control section - from 23 to 58 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
Bangtail soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil interpretations record: MT1458.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.