LOCATION REEDWEST MT
Established Series
Rev. DRS-JAL-EMM
03/2014
REEDWEST SERIES
The Reedwest series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in material weathered from soft, calcareous, sandy and loamy sedimentary beds. These soils are on sedimentary plains, hills, dikes and escarpments. Slopes are 0 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 15 inches and mean annual temperature is about 42 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Reedwest loam, in cropland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted)
Ap--0 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak medium and fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine and few medium roots; many fine pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--6 to 13 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine prismatic structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots; many fine pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--13 to 19 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine and very fine roots; common fine and very fine pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bt horizons is 6 to 20 inches.)
Bk--19 to 27 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; many fine pores; common medium masses of lime; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 23 inches thick)
Cr--27 to 60 inches; soft calcareous sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Sweet Grass County, Montana; 200 feet south and 1,300 feet east of the northwest corner of section 33, T. 5 N., R. 15 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 41 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 15 inches.
Depth to Bk horizon - 11 to 30 inches.
Depth to Cr horizon - 20 to 40 inches.
A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3, 4, or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Texture: loam, silt loam or clay loam
Clay content: 15 to 33 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent--0 to 10 percent cobbles; 0 to 20 percent gravel or channers
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.8
Bt horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4, 5, or 6 dry; 2, 3, 4, or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4; dry or moist
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent clay
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles; 0 to 10 percent gravel or channers
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
Bk horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 6, 7, or 8 dry; 4, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4; dry or moist
Texture: loam, clay loam, fine sandy loam or sandy clay loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles; 0 to 15 percent gravel or channers
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Absarook (MT) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Archmesa (CO) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Beartooth (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches; has loamy-skeletal material directly underlying the argillic horizon.
Beeno (WY) - has a Btk horizon.
Bielenberg (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 40 to 58 inches; does not have horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Bitterroot (MT) - has a calcic horizon.
Bookcliff (UT) - has a lithic contact at 40 to 60 inches.
Burtoner (MT) - has a lithic contact at 23 to 40 inches.
Clancy (MT) - has a lithic contact at 40 to 60 inches; does not have horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Clasoil (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches; does not have horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Dooley (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Doughty (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Empedrado (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact above 40 inches.
Fairfield (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches; has a calcic horizon.
Farnuf (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Farside (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Felor (SD) - does not have a paralithic contact above 40 inches.
Greenway (SD) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Gurney (SD) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Hangdo (UT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Hoppers (MT) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Howbert (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Hyalite (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches; does not have horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation; has a sandy-skeletal discontinuity above a depth of 40 inches.
Jeffcity (MT) - has a lithic contact at 23 to 40 inches.
Kokoruda (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches; does not have horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Livona (ND) - does not have a paralithic contact above 40 inches.
Martinsdale (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Maudlin (CO) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Meagher (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Moen (CO) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; does not have horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Moento (CO) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Perrypark (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Pianohill (MT) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; does not have horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Placerton (MT) - has a lithic contact at 40 to 60 inches.
Reeder (ND) - is at elevations of less than 3,600 feet.
Sipple (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Snakejohn (UT) - has a lithic contact at 40 to 60 inches.
Sponseller (AZ) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches; does not have horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Trag (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Tragmon (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches; does not have horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Trazuni (NM) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches; does not have horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Ulrant (WY) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Vida (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Watne (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Watrous (ND) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Wemple (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Williams (ND) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Yegen (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - sedimentary plains, hills, dikes, escarpments.
Elevation - 3,600 to 6,200 feet.
Parent material - material weathered from sedimentary beds.
Slope - 0 to 60 percent.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 19 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 39 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 70 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for cropland, hayland and rangeland. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, needleandthread, western wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, big sagebrush and numerous forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Reedwest soils are of large extent in south central Montana. MLRAs 43B, 44B, and 46.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gallatin County, Montana, 1997; Proposed in Sweet Grass County, Montana, 1996.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from the soil surface to 13 inches (Ap, Bt1 horizons)
Argillic horizon - from 6 to 19 inches (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation - from 19 to 27 inches (Bk horizon)
Paralithic contact - at 27 inches (Cr horizon).
Reedwest soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
Soil Interpretations Record MT1621.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.