LOCATION BURNEL MT
Established Series
Rev. JB-JAL
01/2023
BURNEL SERIES
The Burnel series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium. These soils are on stream terraces, alluvial fans, drainageways, and foot slopes of hills. Slopes are 0 to 8 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 22 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Vertic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Burnel silty clay loam, in hayland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Ap--0 to 6 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; the surface 1-inch has strong very fine granular structure and the lower 5 inches has strong fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many fine and very fine roots and common medium and coarse roots; many very fine pores; few angular sandstone pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
Bt1--6 to 14 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) silty clay, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong very fine and fine subangular blocky; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many fine and very fine roots and common medium and coarse roots; many fine and very fine pores and few medium pores; few angular sandstone pebbles; many distinct clay film on faces of peds; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--14 to 21 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong fine subangular blocky; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; many fine and very fine roots and common medium and coarse roots; many fine and very fine pores and few medium pores; many faint clay films on faces of peds; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary.
Bt3--21 to 26 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong fine and very fine subangular blocky; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine, very fine, and medium roots; many fine and very fine pores and few medium pores; common faint clay films on faces of prisms; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 14 to 51 inches)
Bk1--26 to 33 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to strong fine and medium subangular blocky; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine, very fine, and medium roots; many fine and very fine pores and few medium pores; common medium masses of lime; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual irregular boundary.
Bk2--33 to 50 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; few to common distinct reddish brown (5YR 4/3) mottles; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine and very fine roots; many fine and very fine pores and few medium pores; common medium masses of lime; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); gradual irregular boundary. (Combined thickness of Bk horizons is 7 to 26 inches)
BC--50 to 67 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay loam stratified with loam and fine sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and gray (10YR 5/1) mottles; massive; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine and very fine roots; common fine and very fine pores; few fine seams of lime; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (ph 7.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Fergus County, Montana; 1,550 feet east and 700 feet south of the NW corner of sec. 26, T. 14 N., R. 17 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 42 to 45 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches; not dry in all parts for 45 consecutive days.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 17 to 35 inches.
Control section - 35 to 50 percent clay and 0 to 10 percent rock fragments.
Depth to Bk horizon - 18 to 52 inches.
Ap horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 or 4 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: silty clay loam, clay loam
Clay content: 30 to 40 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles; less than 5 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bt1, Bt2 horizons - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3, 4, or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: silty clay loam, silty clay, clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles; less than 5 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.8
Bt3 horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: silty clay loam, silty clay, clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent--0 to 10 percent cobbles; less than 5 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
Bk horizons - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: clay loam, silty clay loam, silty clay
Clay content: 30 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent--0 to 10 percent cobbles; less than 5 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
BC horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: silty clay loam or clay loam stratified with silt loam, loam, or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 27 to 40 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles; 0 to 10 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Bearpaw (MT) - is not pachic.
Cedarsprings (NM) - does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation; has an O horizon.
Cerro (CO) - has stones in the Bt and Bk horizons.
Danvers (MT) - is not pachic.
Fergus (MT) - is not pachic.
Gerber (MT) - is not pachic.
Grail (ND) - is in a 15 to 18 inches prcipitation zone.
Mondamin (SD) - is not pachic.
Montillo (NM) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Pagoda (CO) - affected by peak periods of precipitation in July and August; is at elevations of 6200 to 9000 feet.
Regent (ND) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; is not pachic.
Reget (WY) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; is not pachic.
Ridgeview (SD) - is not pachic.
Wyola (MT) - is not pachic.
Suposo (NM) - has a Btk horizon; is driest in
May and June; is at elevations of 6900 to 7400 feet.
Tomasaki (UT) - is not pachic.
Tsoodzil (NM) - does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Yankee (NM) - has a Btk horizon; formed in material weather from basalt.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - stream terraces; alluvial fans; drainageways; foot slopes of hills.
Elevation - 4,100 to 6,000 feet.
Slope - 0 to 8 percent.
Parent material - alluvium.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; moist summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 18 to 24 inches.
Mean annual temperature - 39 to 43 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 90 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Burnel soils are used mainly for dry cropland, hay, pasture, and rangeland. Potential native vegetation is mainly rough fescue, bearded wheatgrass, mountain brome, western wheatgrass, Columbia needlegrass, Idaho fescue, forbs, and shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Burnel soils are of small extent in central and eastern Montana in the foothill areas.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fergus County, Montana, 1979.
REMARKS: Soil interpretations record: MT0303. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a mollic epipedon from the soil surface to 21 inches (Ap, Bt1, Bt2 horizons); an argillic horizon from 6 to 26 inches (Bt horizons); and horizons of lime accumulations from 26 to 50 inches (Bk horizons). Burnel soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime bordering on udic.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.