LOCATION BAXTON MT
Established Series
Rev. PEM/JMS/EMM
06/2012
BAXTON SERIES
The Baxton series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium, slope alluvium, or residuum from coarse grained igneous rocks. They are on mountain slopes, hills and ridges. Slopes are 2 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 432 mm, and mean annual temperature is about 5 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Baxton coarse sandy loam, in rangeland (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 28 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) coarse sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine and very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and few fine, medium and coarse roots; many very fine and fine pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (25 to 36 cm thick)
Bw1--28 to 56 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and few fine, medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine pores; 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (25 to 61 cm thick)
Bw2--56 to 79 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly coarse sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine, medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine pores; 30 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.3); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of Bw horizons is 45 to 75 cm thick)
Cr--79 to 145 cm; reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) disintegrated granite bedrock (grus) that crushes to very gravelly loamy coarse sand. (8 to 71 cm thick)
R--145 cm; hard granite bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; 2,200 feet north and 2,350 feet east of the SW corner of Sec. 26, T. 8 N., R. 4 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 4 to 7 degrees C
Mollic epipedon thickness - 25 to 36 cm
Depth to paralithic contact - 50 to 100 cm
Depth to lithic contact - 100 to 150 cm
Surface stones or boulders - 0 to 15 percent
Rock fragments are dominantly less than 7 mm.
A horizon
Value: 3, 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, sandy loam or coarse sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bw1 horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: sandy loam or coarse sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 10 to 35 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bw2 horizon
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 4, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 3, 4 or 6
Texture: sandy loam, coarse sandy loam or loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Some pedons have a BC horizon.
COMPETING SERIES:
Baggs (MT) - do not have a paralithic or lithic contact above 152 cm
Belain (MT) - have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation; have a lithic contact at depths of 50 to 102 cm
Bitterroot (MT) - have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation; do not have a lithic contact above 152 cm
Burnt Fork (MT) - have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation; do not have a paralithic or lithic contact above 152 cm
Chincap (WY) - have a lithic contact at depths of 50 to 102 cm; rock fragments are angular sandstone
Hopley (MT) - have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation; do not have a lithic contact above 152 cm
Kalispell (MT) - have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation; do not have a paralithic or lithic horizon above 152 cm
Losttrail (MT) - have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation; do not have a paralithic or lithic horizon above 152 cm
Mott (ND) - do not have a paralithic or lithic contact above 152 cm
Relan (MT) - have a horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation; do not have a lithic contact above 152 cm
Tally (MT) - have horizons of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation; do not have a paralithic or lithic contact above 152 cm
Tinytown (CO) - do not have a paralithic or lithic horizon above 152 cm
Unaweep (CO) - have horizons of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation; do not have a paralithic or lithic contact above 152 cm
Vebar (ND) - have horizons of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation; do not have a lithic contact above 152 cm
Victor (MT) - do not have a paralithic or lithic horizon above 152 cm
Weedzunit (MT) - have a lithic contact at depths of 50 to 102 cm; rock fragments are angular lahar breccia
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - mountain slopes, hills and ridges
Elevation - 1,180 to 1,829 meters
Slope - 2 to 60 percent
Parent material - colluvium, slope alluvium or residuum from coarse grained igneous rock
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers
Mean annual precipitation - 380 to 560 mm
Mean annual air temperature - 3 to 6 degrees C
Frost free season - 70 to 105 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Baxton soils are used mainly for rangeland, wildlife habitat and watershed. The native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, rough fescue, western yarrow, lupine, big sagebrush and Rocky Mountain juniper. Areas with forest canopy cover have an overstory of Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine and an understory of Rocky Mountain juniper, big sagebrush, Idaho fescue, and rough fescue.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Baxton soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana. MLRA 43B.
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:
Mollic epipedon from - the soil surface to 28 cm (A horizon)
Cambic horizon from - 28 to 79 cm (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons)
Paralithic contact from - 79 to 145 cm (Cr horizon)
Lithic contact at 145 cm (R horizon)
Particle-size control section from - 25 to 79 cm (part of the A, Bw1, and Bw2 horizons)
Baxton soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
Additional Data: Soil interpretation record - MT1545.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.