LOCATION BOWERY MT
Established Series
Rev. JB-JAL-EMM
07/2012
BOWERY SERIES
The Bowery series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium or colluvium. These soils are on alluvial fans, flood-plain steps, swales, stream terraces, hills, and escarpments. Slopes are 0 to 45 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 17 inches. Mean annual air temperature is about 42 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Bowery loam, in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A1--0 to 7 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary.
A2--7 to 24 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of A horizons is 16 to 35 inches)
Bw1--24 to 44 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 25 inches thick)
Bw2--44 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine pores; 5 percent cobbles, 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Hill County, Montana; 300 feet south and 2,500 feet east of the NW corner of sec. 25, T. 30 N., R. 16 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 41 to 45 degrees F.
Soil moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 16 to 60 inches.
Depth to calcium carbonates - deeper than 60 inches.
A horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 or 4 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam or silt loam
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.6
Bw1 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent
Fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.6
Bw2 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 dry
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: loam or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 27 percent
Fragments: 10 to 25 percent--10 to 25 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Bulk density: 1.4 to 1.55
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.6
COMPETING SERIES:
Arnegard (ND) - has accumulations of secondary carbonates.
Beman (CO) - has accumulations of secondary carbonates.
Falkirk (ND) - has accumulations of secondary carbonates.
Garlips (CO) - has accumulations of secondary carbonates.
Garza (WY) - has accumulations of secondary carbonates.
Lonecone (CO) - is 20 to 40 inches deep to a paralithic contact of sandstone.
Obrien (MT) - has accumulations of secondary carbonates; has a bulk density of 1.55 to 1.75; formed in till.
Roseglen (ND) - has accumulations of secondary carbonates.
Shawa (CO) - does not have a cambic horizon.
Sheckle (UT) - dominantly sandy clay loam in the particle-size control section; does not have a cambic horizon.
Yeoman (MT) - has accumulations of secondary carbonates.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - alluvial fans; swales; stream terraces; escarpments; hills.
Elevation - 3,000 to 6,200 feet.
Slope - 0 to 45 percent.
Parent material - alluvium; colluvium.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 20 inches, most of which falls during spring and early summer.
Mean annual air temperature - 39 to 43 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 70 to 115 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Bowery soils are used as rangeland, nonirrigated and irrigated cropland. The potential plant community is bluebunch wheatgrass, rough fescue, Idaho fescue, green needlegrass, and mountain brome.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Bowery soils are of moderate extent in central Montana. MLRAs 44B and 46.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Hill County, Montana, 1994; proposed in Hill County, Montana, 1992.
REMARKS: Soil interpretation record: MT1354. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from the surface to 24 inches (A horizons)
Cambic horizon - from 24 to 60 inches (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons)
Particle-size control section - from 10 to 40 inches (A2 and Bw1 horizons)
Bowery soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory information--S92MT-041-1
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.