LOCATION BELLCANYON MT
Established Series
REV. KTS-RJS
01/2012
BELLCANYON SERIES
The Bellcanyon series consists of very deep well drained soils that formed in alluvium or colluvium derived from limestone. These soils occur on stream terraces, alluvial fans, fan remnants, hills and mountain slopes. Slopes are 1 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 483 mm and mean annual temperature is about 3 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, carbonatic Ustic Calcicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Bellcanyon gravelly loam, in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 13 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and non-plastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; many fine and very fine dendritic tubular pores; 20 percent gravel; disseminated calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 38 cm thick)
Bk1--13 to 28 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slighty hard, friable, slighty sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; 20 percent gravel; 5 percent soft masses of calcium carbonate; continuous distinct calcium carbonate crusts on underside of fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 50 cm thick)
Bk2--28 to 58 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slighty hard, friable, slightly sticky and non-plastic; few very fine and fine roots; 20 percent gravel; 25 percent soft masses of calcium carbonate; continuous distinct calcium carbonate crusts on underside of fragments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary.
Bk3--58 to 152 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) gravelly loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and non-plastic; 20 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; disseminated calcium carbonate; continuous distinct calcium carbonate coats on fragments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Beaverhead County, Montana; located about 2200 feet east and 2400 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 30, T. 13 S., R 10 W; Dixon Mountain topographic quadrangle; UTM 12T, 351890 e., 4948489 n. NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 1 to 4 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 18 to 40 cm
Depth to calcic horizon - 8 to 50 cm
Soil surface is calcareous when mixed to 18 cm
Particle-size control section
Clay content - averages 18 to 27 percent clay
Rock fragments - averages less than 35 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent - averages more than 40 percent
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 3 to 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3; dry or moist
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent--0 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles and stones
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
Bk1 horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 3 to 5 dry; 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 25 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles and stones
Calcium Carbonate Equivalent: 15 to 40 percent, including coarse fragments less than 20 mm in size
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
Bk2 and Bk3 horizons
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 6 to 8 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 10 to 40 percent--10 to 40 percent gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles and stones
Calcium Carbonate Equivalent: 40 to 60 percent, including coarse fragments less than 20 mm in size
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - stream terraces, alluvial fans, fan remnants, hills and mountain slopes Elevation - 1890 to 2600 meters
Slope - 1 to 60 percent
Parent material - alluvium and colluvium derived from limestone
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers
Mean annual precipitation - 375 to 610 mm
Mean annual air temperature - 1 to 4 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 50 to 70 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Bellcanyon soils are used mainly for rangeland. The vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, kingspike fescue, POA (species), prairie junegrass, mountain big sagebrush, threetip sagebrush, rubber rabbitbrush, and miscellaneous forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Bellcanyon soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana. MLRA 43B.
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, 2008.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from the mineral soil surface to 28 cm (A and Bk1 horizons)
Calic horizon - from 13 to 152 cm (Bk1, Bk2 and Bk3 horizons)
Particle-size control section - from 25 to 100 cm (part of Bk1, Bk2 and part of Bk3 horizons)
Bellcanyon soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
Taxonomic version: Eleventh Edition, 2010.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.