LOCATION CASTNER MT+CO WY
Established Series
Rev. JB-DES-JCK
01/2019
CASTNER SERIES
The Castner series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in colluvium or slope alluvium over residuum derived from sandstone, argillite, quartzite or fine grained igneous rock. These soils are on hills, plains, escarpments, ridges, eroded fan remnants, scarp slopes, dip slopes and mountain slopes. Slopes are 0 to 70 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 432 mm, and mean annual temperature is about 5.5 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Lithic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Castner channery loam, grassland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A1--0 to 5 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) channery sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; many fine and medium pores; 25 percent channers, 2 percent flagstones; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary.
A2--5 to 25 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) extremely channery loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many fine and very fine roots; many fine and very fine pores; 50 percent channers, 10 percent flagstones; carbonate coats on bottom of some rock fragments; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of A horizons is 18 to 38 cm)
BCk--25 to 41 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely channery loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots with a root mat at lithic contact; 60 percent channers, 15 percent flagstones; common prominent carbonate coats and pendants; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt wavy boundary.
R--41 cm; layered, fractured calcareous sandstone with carbonate coats at contact of fractures.
TYPE LOCATION: Cascade County, Montana; about 90 meters west and 315 meters south of the NE corner of sec. 18, T. 20 N., R. 3 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 4.4 to 8 degrees C
Mollic epipedon thickness - 18 to 38 cm
Depth to lithic contact - 25 to 50 cm
Particle size control section (weighted average):
Clay content - 10 to 18 percent
Rock fragments - 35 to 80 percent
A1 horizon
Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR, 7.5YR, or 5YR
Value: 3, 4, or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, or 3
Texture: loam, sandy loam, or loamy fine sand
Clay content: 5 to 25 percent with
Rock fragments: 5 to 45 percent--5 to 30 percent gravel and channers, 0 to 25 percent cobbles and stones
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.2
A2 horizon
Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR, 7.5YR, or 5YR
Value: 3, 4, or 5 dry; 2, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, or 3
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 70 percent--30 to 55 percent gravel and channers, 0 to 20 percent cobbles and stones
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.2
BCk or Bk horizon
Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR, 7.5YR, or 5YR
Value: 4, 5, or 6 dry; 3, 4, or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 18
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent--25 to 60 percent gravel and channers, 5 to 25 percent cobbles and stones
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 15 percent
Electrical Conductivity: 0 to 2 mmhos/cm
Reaction: pH 7.8 to 8.4
Some pedons have a Bw above the BCk/Bk horizon.
COMPETING SERIES:
Catgulch (MT) - do not have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Celeste (CO) - have more than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section; do not have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Cosnino (AZ) - do not have a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation
Duffymont (CO) - do not have a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation
Firo (NM) - have more than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section; do not have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Highpark (CO) - do not have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Moonset (UT) - do not have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Nivean (MT) - have more than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section; do not have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate
Paunsaugunt (UT) - do not have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Vershal (MT) - are very shallow; do not have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Whitlash (MT) - do not have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Wuby (UT) - have more than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section; do not have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - hills, plains, escarpments, ridges, eroded fan remnants, scarp slopes, dip slopes and mountain slopes
Elevation - 1,020 to 2,070 meters
Slope - 0 to 70 percent
Parent material - colluvium or slope alluvium over residuum derived from sandstone, argillite, quartzite or fine grained igneous rock
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers
Mean annual precipitation - 356 to 559 mm
Mean annual air temperature - 3.9 to 7.0 degrees C
Frost-free period - 70 to 135 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate or moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Castner soils are used mainly for rangeland. Native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, rough fescue, western wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, forbs and shrubs. Some areas have an overstory of Douglas fir, ponderosa pine or limber pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Castner soils are extensive in Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. MLRA 43A, 43B, 44B, 46, 48A, 49 and 58A.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Reconnaissance Soil Survey of Central Montana, 1946.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 25 cm (A1 and A2 horizons)
Secondary calcium carbonate accumulation - from 25 to 41 cm (BCk horizon)
Lithic contact - at 41 cm (R horizon)
Particle-size control section - from 25 to 41 cm (BCk horizon)
Castner soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
Note: The frost-free period ranging up to 135 days in Cascade County Area, Montana needs to be investigated.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.