LOCATION BERRAY MT
Established Series
Rev. GLS-TJW-JAL
01/2023
BERRAY SERIES
The Berray series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in volcanic ash over glaciolacustrine deposits. These soils are on lake plains and terraces. Slopes are 4 to 15 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 32 inches and mean annual temperature is about 44 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy over loamy, amorphic over mixed, active, frigid Alfic Udivitrands
TYPICAL PEDON: Berray ashy silt loam, forested (colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--0 to 2 inches; undecomposed and slightly decompoesd forest litter.
A--2 to 3 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) ashy silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual smooth boundary. (1 to 2 inches thick)
Bw1--3 to 10 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) ashy silt loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual smooth boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
Bw2--10 to 18 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) ashy silt loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few coarse roots; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 14 inches thick)
2E & Bt1--18 to 25 inches; E part (90 percent) is dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak very fine granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and few coarse roots; moderately acid (pH 5.6); Bt part (10 percent) is dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) 1/8 to 3/8 inch thick silt loam lamellae, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and few coarse roots; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 16 inches thick)
2E and Bt2--25 to 41 inches; E part (85 percent) is dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak very fine granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and few coarse roots; moderately acid (pH 5.6); Bt part (15 percent) is dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) 1/8 to 3/4 inch thick silt loam lamellae, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and few coarse roots; moderately acid (pH 5.6); gradual wavy boundary. (9 to 26 inches thick)
2E and Bt3--41 to 60 inches; E part (75 percent) is dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak very fine granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine coarse roots; moderately acid (pH 5.6); Bt part (25 percent) is dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) 3/8 to 2 inch thick silt loam lamellae, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and coarse roots; moderately acid (pH 5.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Sanders County, Montana; 400 feet west and 600 feet north of the southeast corner of section 9, T. 28 N., R. 33 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 42 to 45 degrees F.
A horizon - Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Clay content: 2 to 10 percent
Volcanic glass content: 12 to 20 percent
Bulk density: 0.85 to 1.0 g/cc
Phosphate retention: 25 to 75
1500-kPa water retention on air dried samples: 8 to 12 percent
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 6.5
Bw1 horizon - Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Clay content: 2 to 10 percent
Bulk density: 0.85 to 1.0 g/cc
Acid oxalate extractable Al + 1/2 Fe: 1.0 to 2.0 percent
Volcanic glass content: 12 to 20 percent
Phosphate retention: 25 to 75
1500-kPa water retention on air dried samples: 8 to 12 percent
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 6.5
Bw2 horizon - Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Clay content: 2 to 10 percent
Bulk density: 0.85 to 1.0 g/cc
Acid oxalate extractable Al + 1/2 Fe: 1.0 to 2.0 percent
Volcanic glass content: 12 to 20 percent
Phosphate retention: 25 to 75
1500-kPa water retention on air dried samples: 8 to 12 percent
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 6.5
2E and Bt horizons - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry
Texture: silt loam or very fine sandy loam
Clay content 2E part: 4 to 10 percent
Clay content Bt part: 8 to 18 percent
Clay content mixed: 4 to 12 percent
Reaction: pH 5.1 to 6.0
COMPETING SERIES:
Bargamin (ID) - does not have horizons containing lamellae; has 20 to 46 percent clay in argillic horizons; has burried argillic horizons.
Hobnail (ID) - does not have horizons containing lamellae; has 18 to 34 percent clay in argillic horizons; has 30 to 60 percent coarse fragments in lower part of argillic horizons; is moderately well drained.
Odennell (ID) - does not have horizons containing lamellae; has 18 to 34 percent clay in argillic horizons; has burried argillic horizons; is moderately well drained.
Revling (ID) - does not have horizons containing lamellae; has 21 to 34 percent clay in argillic horizons; has burried argillic horizons.
Tomodo (ID) - has fragic characteristics at 26 to 43 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - lake plains and terraces.
Elevation - 2,200 to 2,600 feet.
Slope - 4 to 15 percent.
Parent material - volcanic ash over glaciolacustrine deposits.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 28 to 34 inches.
Mean annual temperature - 42 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 70 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Berray soils are used mainly for woodland and wildlife habitat. Potential native vegetaion is mainly western larch, Douglas-fir, lodgepole pine, western white pine, grand fir, western hemlock, and western redcedar. Undestory vegetation is mainly brackenfern, queencup beadlily, twinflower, bunchberry dogwood, western goldthread, wild ginger, round-leaved violet, rough-leafed ricegrass, and prince's pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Berray soils are of small extent in the valleys of northwestern Montana.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sanders County, Montana 1997.
REMARKS: Soil Interpretation Record: MT1509. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: an ash influenced layer from 2 to 18 inches (A, Bw1, Bw2 horizons); an ochric epipedon 2 to 8 inches (A, Bw1 horizons); an argillic horizon from 25 to 60 inches (2E and Bt2, 2E and Bt3 horizons); a particle size control section from the mineral soil surface to 40 inches (A, Bw1, Bw2, 2E and Bt1, 2E and Bt2, and 2E and Bt3 horizons). Berray soils have a udic moisture regime and a frigid temperature regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data S93MT-089-4.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.