LOCATION HOULIHAN MT
Established Series
Rev. KTS-RJS-EMM
01/2013
HOULIHAN SERIES
The Houlihan series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium, slope alluvium, and colluvium derived from igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock. Houlihan soils are on hills, mountain slopes, swales and fan remnants. Slopes range from 1 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 480 millimeters and the mean annual temperature is about 3 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Pachic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Houlihan loam on an 8 percent south facing slope, in rangeland at about 2067 meters elevation (colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated).
A1--0 to 18 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary.
A2--18 to 38 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine and medium granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of A horizons - 25 to 85 cm)
Bw1--38 to 58 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (20 to 60 cm)
Bw2--58 to 152 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) cobbly clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Beaverhead County, Montana; located about 900 feet south and 1600 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 33, T. 9S., R 14W; Coyote Creek topographic quadrangle; UTM 12T, 316460e, 4987121n, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 2 to 5 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: greater than or equal to 40 cm
Note: Some pedons may have a BC or C horizon.
A1, A2 horizons:
Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR; dry or moist
Value: 2 to 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2; dry or moist
Texture: loam, silt loam
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent--0 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles and stones
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.8
Bw1, Bw2 horizons:
Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR; dry or moist
Value: 4 to 7 dry; 2 to 5 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: loam, silt loam, silty clay loam, clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.8
COMPETING SERIES:
Adel (MT) - have an udic moisture regime
Argee (NV) - are moderately deep to a paralithic contact
Bullbasin (CO) - are deep to a lithic contact
Duff (NV) - are deep to a lithic contact
Hackwood (NV) - have a lithologic discontinuity
Lamphier (CO) - have hues redder than 10YR
Leavittville (WY) - have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Lespate (CO) - are moderately deep to a lithic contact
Ohbejoyful (CO) - have an udic moisture regime
Osmund (WY) - have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Pavohroo (ID) - have a cambic horizon
Rhone (CO) - are deep to a lithic contact
Secondset (CO) - are moderately deep to a lithic contact
Strickland (NV) - are moderately deep to a lithic contact
Taterheap (CO) - have an udic moisture regime
Winevada (CO) - are moderately deep to a lithic contact
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - hills, mountain slopes, plateaus, swales and fan remnants
Elevation - 1800 to 2800 meters
Slope - 1 to 60 percent
Parent material - alluvium, slope alluvium, and colluvium derived from igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; short warm summers
Mean annual precipitation - 380 to 610 mm
Mean annual air temperature - 1 to 4 degrees C.
Frost-free period - 30 to 70 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for rangeland. The vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, Columbia needlegrass, rough fescue, Idaho fescue, POA (species), prairie junegrass, mountain big sagebrush, threetip sagebrush, cinquefoil, lupine and other miscellaneous forbs. Some areas have an overstory of aspen.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Houlihan soils are of moderate extent in southwestern Montana. MLRAs - 43B, 44B, 46.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Horse Prairie-South Valley Area - Part of Beaverhead County, Montana, 2011; proposed in Beaverhead County, Montana, 2009.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 152 cm. (A1, A2, Bw1, Bw2 horizons)
Particle-size control section - from 25 to 100 cm (part of A2, Bw1, part of Bw2 horizons)
Houlihan soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.