LOCATION BELLTOWER MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Belltower loam, in coniferous forest (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--2 inches to 0; undecomposed and slightly decomposed forest litter.
A--0 to 8 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky parting to weak fine granular structure; soft and very friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine, common medium and coarse roots; many very fine and common fine tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
E--8 to 17 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 5 percent channer sized soft fragments; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
Bt--17 to 32 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) sandy clay loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium subangular blocky; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine and common fine tubular pores; 20 percent channer sized soft fragments; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (9 to 20 inches thick)
Bk--32 to 36 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; 50 percent channer and flagstone sized coarse fragments; few fine and medium masses and seams of lime; disseminated lime; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 12 inches thick)
Cr--36 to 60 inches; light gray (5Y 7/2) semiconsolidated sedimentary beds that crush to loam, olive gray (5Y 5/2) moist.
TYPE LOCATION: Carter County, Montana; 2,600 feet east and 1,300 feet north of the SW corner of sec. 24, T. 1 N., R. 57 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Depth to Bt horizon - 10 to 18 inches.
Depth to Bk horizon - 19 to 35 inches.
Depth to semiconsolidated sedimentary beds - 20 to 40 inches.
A horizon - Value: 3, 4, or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Clay content: 12 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent--0 to 5 percent hard flagstones; 0 to 5 percent hard channers; 0 to 20 percent soft flagstones and channers.
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
E horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 12 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent--0 to 5 percent hard flagstones; 0 to 5 percent hard channers; 0 to 20 percent soft flagstones and channers.
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bt horizon - Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 10 to 60 percent--0 to 5 percent hard flagstones; 0 to 5 percent hard channers; 10 to 50 percent soft flagstones and channers
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bk horizon - Hue: 2.5Y or 5Y
Value: 5, 6, or 7
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 20 to 80 percent--0 to 5 percent hard flagstones; 0 to 5 percent hard channers; 20 to 70 percent soft flagstones and channers
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Eaglecreek (MT) - does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation; has lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Elbuck (NM) - does not have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; formed in glacial till.
Hoyt (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Jemez (NM) - do not have carbonates; have an argillic horizon shallower than 10 inches.
Kandota (MN) - does not have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; formed in glacial till.
Kunz (UT) - does not have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulations in the solum.
Lobat (NM) - does not have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulations in the solum.
Maitland (SD) - does not have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulations in the solum.
Shoemaker (NM) - does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Tunitcha (NM) - does not have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Waukon (MN) - does not have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; formed in glacial till; has a wider moisture regime.
Zerkel (MN) - does not have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - alluvial fans; stream terraces; sedimentary plains; hills.
Elevation - 3,000 to 4,500 feet.
Slope- 0 to 60 percent.
Parent material - residuum or in colluvium over the semiconsolidated sedimentary beds.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 19 inches.
Mean annual temperature - 40 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 110 to 130 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production and understory grazing. The native vegetation is ponderosa pine with an understory of common chokecherry, Oregon-grape, kinnikinnick, Columbia needlegrass, and bearded wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Belltower soils are of small extent in southeastern Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Carter County, Montana, 1992.
REMARKS: Soil interpretation record: MT1137. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: an ochric epipedon from the soil surface to 17 inches (A and E horizons); an albic horizon from 8 to 17 inches (E horizon); an argillic horizon from 17 to 32 inches (Bt horizon); a particle-size control section that is the entire argillic horizon; an accumulation of secondary calcium carbonates from 32 to 36 inches (Bk horizon); and a paralithic contact at a depth of 36 inches. Belltower soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.