LOCATION FAIRFIELD MT
Established Series
Rev. BDD-WDB-EMM
07/2012
FAIRFIELD SERIES
The Fairfield series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in glacial outwash, alluvium, colluvium and till. These soils are on alluvial fans, fan remnants, stream terraces, till plains, and moraines. Slopes are 0 to 35 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 16 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 42 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Fairfield clay loam, cultivated (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Ap--0 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; strong medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; many fine pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bt--6 to 10 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine roots; common fine and very fine pores; few distinct clay films on vertical faces of peds and patchy horizontal faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
Bk1--10 to 17 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; common fine and very fine pores; 5 percent gravel; continuous faint lime coatings on gravel; common fine masses of lime; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 9 inches thick)
Bk2--17 to 22 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common fine and very fine pores; 5 percent gravel; many distinct lime coatings on gravel; many fine masses of lime; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary.
Bk3--22 to 30 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine pores; 10 percent gravel; many distinct lime coatings on gravel; many fine masses of lime; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bk2 and Bk3 horizons is 10 to 40 inches.)
Bk4--30 to 60 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine masses of lime; 15 percent gravel; common faint lime coatings on gravel, violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0)
TYPE LOCATION: Teton County, Montana; about 650 feet north and 2,300 feet west of the SE corner of sec. 17, T. 27 N., R. 6 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 10 inches.
Depth to calcic horizon - 7 to 10 inches.
A Btk horizon is allowed.
Soil phases - cobbly; stony; gravelly substratum.
Ap horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 32 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones, 0 to 20 percent gravel
Rock fragments, surface cover: 0.01 to 0.1
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
Bt horizon
Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR, or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: clay loam, loam, or silty clay loam
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Electrical Conductivity: 0 to 2 mmhos/cm
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 10 percent cobbles, 0 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
Bk1 horizon
Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR, or 7.5YR
Value: 5, 6, 7, or 8 dry; 4, 5, 6 or 7 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: clay loam, loam, or silty clay loam
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 10 percent cobbles, 0 to 25 percent gravel
Electrical Conductivity: 0 to 4 mmhos/cm
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 35 percent
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
Bk2, Bk3 and Bk4 horizons
Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR, or 7.5YR
Value: 6, 7, or 8 dry; 5, 6, or 7 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: clay loam, fine sandy loam, loam, or silty clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 15 percent cobbles, 0 to 20 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 30 percent
Electrical Conductivity: 0 to 4 mmhos/cm
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 9.0
COMPETING SERIES:
Absarook (MT) - has a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Archmesa (CO) - has a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Beartooth (MT) - has loamy-skeletal horizons below depths of 12 to 30 inches.
Beeno (WY) - has a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Bielenberg (MT) - does not have secondary carbonate accumulation above a depth of 40 inches.
Bitterroot (MT) - has a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Bookcliff (UT) - mollic epipedon thicker than 10 inches; lithic bedrock above a depth of 60 inches.
Burtoner (MT) - has a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 38 inches.
Clancy (MT) - has a lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Clasoil (MT) - does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation; argillic horizons are 8 to 24 inches thick.
Dooley (MT) - formed in an eolian or alluvium mantle over a discontinuity of till; base of the argillic horizon is deeper than 10 inches; does not have a calcic horizon.
Doughty (MT) - depth to the argillic horizon is greater than 10 inches.
Empedrado (CO) - argillic horizon with its base deeper than 10 inches; does not have a calcic horizon.
Farnuf (MT) - base of the argillic horizon is deeper than 10 inches; does not have a calcic horizon.
Farside (MT) - base of the argillic horizon is deeper than 10 inches; does not have a calcic horizon.
Felor (SD) - base of the argillic horizon is deeper than 10 inches; has a discontinuity immediately below the argillic horizon.
Greenway (SD) - has an argillic horizon with its base deeper than 10 inches; discontinuity within the argillic horizon.
Gurney (SD) - has a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Hangdo (UT) - does not have secondary carbonate accumulation above a depth of 40 inches.
Hoppers (MT) - has a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Howbert (CO) - has accumulations of secondary carbonates throughout the argillic horizon.
Hyalite (MT) - has a discontinuity of sandy-skeletal material above 40 inches and immediately below the argillic horizon.
Jeffcity (MT) - has lithic contact at depths of 23 to 40 inches.
Kokoruda (MT) - does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Livona (ND) - base of the argillic horizon is below a depth of 10 inches; discontinuity within the argillic horizon.
Martinsdale (MT) - has the base of the argillic horizon deeper than 10 inches; depth to secondary carbonates is deeper than 11 inches.
Maudlin (CO) - has a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Meagher (MT) - has a discontinuity of loamy-skeletal material; depth to calcic horizon is deeper than 11 inches.
Moen (CO) - has a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Moento (CO) - has a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Pianohill (MT) - has a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Placerton (MT) - has a lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Reeder (ND) - has a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Reedwest (MT) - has a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Sipple (MT) - has a lithologic discontinuity.
Snakejohn (UT) - has a lithic contact at depths of 40 to 60 inches.
Sponseller (AZ) - does not have secondary carbonate accumulation above a depth of 40 inches; does not have a calcic horizon.
Trag (CO) - does not have a calcic horizon.
Tragmon (CO) - does not have secondary carbonate accumulation above a depth of 40 inches; does not have a calcic horizon.
Trazuni (NM) - does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accunulation.
Trujillo (CO) - does not have a calcic horizon.
Ulrant (WY) - has lithic contact at depths of 40 to 60 inches.
Vida (MT) - does not have a calcic horizon.
Watne (MT) - depth to calcic horizon is 16 to 28 inches.
Watrous (ND) - has lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Wemple (MT) - has lithic contact at depths of 40 to 60 inches.
Williams (ND) - base of the argillic horizon is deeper than 10 inches; does not have a calcic horizon.
Yegen (MT) - base of the argillic horizon is deeper than 10 inches; depth to carbonates is deeper than 20 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - stream terraces; alluvial fans; fan remnants, moraines; till plains.
Elevation - 3,400 to 6,200 feet.
Slope - 0 to 35 percent.
Parent material - alluvium; colluvium; till; glacial outwash.
Climate - cold, dry winters; moist springs; moist summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 14 to 19 inches.
Mean annual temperature - 39 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 70 to 125 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Fairfield soils are used mainly for irrigated and nonirrigated cropland and for range. Potential native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass and prairie junegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Fairfield soils are extensive mainly in the west-central part of Montana. MLRAs 43B, 44B, 46, and 52.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Reconnaissance of Northern Plains of Montana, 1929.
REMARKS: Soil interpretations records: MT0095, MT0840, MT0360. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from the soil surface to 10 inches (Ap, Bt horizons); Argillic horizon - from 6 to 10 inches (Bt horizon);
Accumulation of secondary carbonates - from 10 to 60 inches (Bk1, Bk2, Bk3, Bk4 horizons);
Particle-size control section from 6 to 40 inches (Bt, Bk1, Bk2, Bk3 and part of Bk4 horizons).
Fairfield soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory samples S70MT-027-1, S70MT-027-2, S70MT-027-6.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.