LOCATION ELVICK             MT 
Established Series
Rev. DES-EMM-RJS
01/2009

ELVICK SERIES


The Elvick series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium from hard coarse and fine grained igneous rock. These soils are on alluvial fans and drainageways in mountains. Slopes are 1 to 25 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 18 inches, and mean annual air temperature is about 38 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Oxyaquic Haplocryepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Elvick very cobbly loam, very bouldery, in forest (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

Oi--0 to 2 inches; partially decomposed needles, leaves and twigs.

A--2 to 3 inch; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) cobbly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 20 percent cobbles and 15 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)

E1--3 to 9 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very cobbly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 25 percent cobbles and 20 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy bundary.

E2--9 to 20 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very cobbly loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 30 percent cobbles and 20 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of E horizons is 10 to 22 inches).

E/Bw--20 to 28 inches; E part (80 percent) is light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very cobbly coarse sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; Bw part (20 percent) is pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly coarse sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 30 percent cobbles, 25 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.3) gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

Bw--28 to 40 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly coarse sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; common fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redox concentrations; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 30 percent cobbles and 25 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)

BC--40 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely cobbly coarse sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; common fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redox concentrations; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 40 percent cobbles and 25 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4).

TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; 950 feet south and 2,500 feet east of the NW corner of sec. 6, T. 3 N., R. 3 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil Temperature - 36 to 42 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 8 and 24 inches.
Depth to seasonal high water table - 24 to 42 inches during months of May through July.
Surface stones or boulders - 0 to 15 percent

A horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 65 percent--0 to 20 percent stones and boulders, 0 to 30 percent cobbles and 0 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 6.5

E horizons - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Texture: loam or coarse sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 65 percent--0 to 20 percent stones and boulders, 0 to 30 percent cobbles and 0 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 6.5

E/Bw horizon - Value: E part - 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist Bw part - 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: coarse sandy loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent--0 to 20 percent stones, 20 to 30 percent cobbles and 10 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 6.5

Bw horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: coarse sandy loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent--0 to 20 percent stones, 20 to 30 percent cobbles and 10 to 25 percent gravel
Redox concentrations: few to common, faint to distinct, fine and medium; Hue - 10YR, 7.5YR or 5YR; Value - 5 or 6; Chroma - 4, 6 or 8
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 6.5

BC horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry
Chroma: 3, 4, or 5
Texture: coarse sandy loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent--0 to 25 percent stones, 20 to 40 percent cobbles and 15 to 30 percent gravel.
Redox concentrations: few to common, faint to distinct, fine and medium; Hue - 10YR, 7.5YR or 5YR; Value - 5 or 6; Chroma - 4, 6 or 8
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 6.5

COMPETING SERIES:

There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:

Landform- alluvial fans and drainageways in mountains.
Elevation - 5,500 to 7,000 feet.
Slope - 1 to 25 percent.
Parent material - alluvium from hard coarse and fine grained igneous rock.
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short, cool summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 24 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 36 to 40 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 50 to 70 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained, moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Elvick soils are primarily used for timber production, wildlife habitat and watershed. The potential native vegetation is mainly lodgepole pine, subalpine fir, quaking aspen, Engelmann spruce, Douglas-fir, Rocky Mountain juniper, tall sedges, starry false solomonseal, western meadowrue, buttercup, strawberry and pinegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Elvick soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Montana, 1998.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon from - 0 to 20 inches (Oi, A, E1 and E2 horizons);
Cambic horizon from - 20 to 40 inches (E/Bw and Bw horizons); and a
Particle size control section from - 10 to 40 inches (E2, E/Bw and Bwhorizons).

Elvick soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.

ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL sample number S93MT-043-011; Soil interpretation records MT3023 and MT3024.

The 3/2008 description reflects a change in classification from Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Oxyaquic Eutrocryepts to Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Oxyaquic Haplocryepts due to revision of the cryepts great groups and subgroups. The competing series section was not updated and should be reviewed after all the cryepts have been re-classified.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.