LOCATION BIELENBERG MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Bielenberg sandy loam, in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A1--0 to 3 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine and common medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 3 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary.
A2--3 to 9 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) coarse sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine pores; 10 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 7 to 15 inches.)
BA--9 to 15 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) coarse sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine and few medium roots; many very fine and common fine pores; 10 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bt--15 to 28 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) coarse sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong medium prismatic structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and plastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; common very fine and fine pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)
BC--28 to 50 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly coarse sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; common very fine and few fine pores; 5 percent cobbles, 25 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual irregular boundary. (6 to 26 inches thick)
Cr--50 to 55 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) decomposed granite bedrock (gruss) that crushes to very gravelly loamy coarse sand or coarse loamy sand. (3 to 18 inches thick)
R--55 inches; hard granite bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; 1,350 feet south and 150 feet east of the NW corner of sec. 29, T. 9 N., R. 2 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 38 to 45 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 15 inches.
Depth to argillic horizon - 7 to 22 inches.
Depth to Cr horizon - 40 to 58 inches.
Depth to bedrock - 43 to 60 inches.
Phases- contaminated surface.
A horizons - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3, 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, sandy loam, or coarse sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles, 0 to 20 percent pebbles (pebbles are mainly less than 7mm in diameter)
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
BA horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, sandy clay loam
Clay content: 12 to 25 percent clay
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles, 0 to 20 percent pebbles (pebbles are mainly less than 7mm in diameter)
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
Bt horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4, 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Texture: sandy clay loam, loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent clay and more than 45 percent sand
Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles, 5 to 30 percent pebbles (pebbles are mainly less than 7mm in diameter)
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
BC horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3, 4, or 6
Texture: sandy loam or coarse sandy loam
Clay content: 12 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 50 percent--0 to 10 percent cobbles, 15 to 40 percent pebbles (pebbles are mainly less than 7mm in diameter)
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.8
Cr horizon - Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES:
Absarook (MT) - has a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches; has a calcic horizon.
Beartooth (MT) - has a horizon of secondary accumulation; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Beeno (WY) - has a paralithic contact between depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Bookcliff (UT) - has a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Bullflat (SD) - has a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Burtoner (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 38 inches.
Clancy (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Clasoil (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Cortyzack (CO) - has a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Dooley (MT) - has a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Empedrado (CO) - has a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Fairfield (MT) - has a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Farnuf (MT) - has a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Felor (SD) - has a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Greenway (SD) - has a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Gurney (SD) - has a lithic contact between depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Hangdo (UT) - has hues redder than 10YR throughout the profile; has pHs that are slightly to moderately alkaline.
Hoppers (MT) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Hyalite (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Jeffcity (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 38 inches.
Lefor (ND) - has a paralithic contact between depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Lininger (CO) - has a paralithic contact between depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Livona (ND) - has a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Martinsdale (MT) - has a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Maudlin (CO) - has a lithic contact between depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Meagher (MT) - does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Moen (CO) - has a lithic contact between depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Pianohill (MT) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Placerton (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Reeder (ND) - has a paralithic contact between depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Reedwest (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Snakejohn (UT) - has a lithic contact at 40 to 60 inches.
Sponseller (AZ) - has hues redder than 10YR throughout the profile; has less than 45 percent sand in the argillic horizon; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Trag (CO) - has less than 15 percent rock fragments below the argillic horizon; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Trazuni (NM) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Tschicoma (NM) - has an argillic horizon that has hues redder than 10YR; has rock fragments that are mainly stones to a depth of 40 inches; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Ulrant (WY) - has a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Vida (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above 60 inches.
Watrous (ND) - has a lithic contact between depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Wemple (MT) - has a paralithic contact between depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Williams (ND) - has a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Yegen (MT) - has a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - bedrock-floored plains; mountains; hills.
Elevation - 4,400 to 6,200 feet.
Slope- 2 to 70 percent.
Parent material - alluvium, colluvium and residuum derived from granitic and other coarse grained igneous rocks.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 19 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 36 to 44 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 70 to 110 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability in the argillic horizon and moderately rapid below.
USE AND VEGETATION: Bielenberg soils are primarily used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is rough fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, western wheatgrass, and Idaho fescue.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Bielenberg soils are of moderate extent in southwestern Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gallatin County, Montana, 1997. Series proposed Jefferson County, Montana, 1993.
REMARKS: Soil Interpretation Record: MT1241. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a mollic epipedon from the soil surface to 15 inches (A1, A2, BA horizons); an argillic horizon from 15 to 28 inches (Bt horizon); a particle-size control section from 15 to 28 inches (Bt horizon); a layer of decomposed granite (gruss) from 50 to 55 inches (Cr horizon); hard granite bedrock at 55 inches (R horizon). Bielenberg soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.