LOCATION BUTCHHILL MT

Established Series
REV. GFB-KTS-RJS
03/2011

BUTCHHILL SERIES

The Butchhill series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in outwash, alluvium or colluvium derived from conglomerate, sedimentary, metamorphic or igneous rock. These soils are on outwash fans, fan remnants, hills, mountain slopes, ridges, escarpments and landslides. Slopes are 4 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 22 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 36 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic Alfic Argicryolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Butchhill gravelly loam, in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

A--0 to 12 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; soft, very friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout; 15 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear irregular boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)

E/Bt--12 to 19 inches; E part (80 percent): pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2), light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; Bt part (20 percent): light brown (7.5YR 6/3), brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist, very gravelly loam; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common distinct clay films on all faces of peds; many very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout; 30 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)

Bt1--19 to 30 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/3) very cobbly clay, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; many prominent clay films on all faces of peds; many very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout; 30 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy boundary.

Bt2--30 to 60 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/3) very cobbly clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common distinct clay films on all faces of peds; few fine and medium roots throughout; 35 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2). (Combined thickness of Bt horizons - 20 to 44 inches)

TYPE LOCATION: Beaverhead County, Montana; 3,100 feet south and 2,100 feet west of the NE corner of sec. 36, T. 6 S., R. 14 W. Butch Hill topographic quadrangle, UTM 12T, 0322550e, 5015693n. NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 35 to 40 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature - 53 to 57 degrees F.
Depth to argillic horizon - 16 to 24 inches
Mollic epipedon thickness - 10 to 15 inches

Note: Some pedons have a thin E horizon, Bt/E horizon and/or BC horizon.

A horizon
Value: 3 or 4 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2; dry or moist
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Content of rock fragments: 0 to 40 percent--0 to 25 percent gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3

E/Bt horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR; dry or moist
Value: E part: 6 or 7 dry; 5 or 6 moist
Bt part: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent
Content of rock fragments: 15 to 60 percent--15 to 35 percent gravel, 0 to 30 percent cobbles
Reaction: 6.1 to 7.3

Bt horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR; dry or moist
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 5; dry or moist
Texture: clay loam, silty clay or clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--15 to 40 percent gravel, 5 to 35 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3

BC horizon (if present)
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR; dry or moist
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 5; dry or moist
Texture: clay loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--15 to 35 percent gravel, 20 to 35 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3

COMPETING SERIES:
Callings (UT) - do not have a glossic horizon
Lizardhead (CO) - do not have a glossic horizon
Sunshine (CO) - have a lithologic discontinuity

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - outwash fans, fan remnants, hills, mountain slopes, ridges, escarpments and landslides
Elevation - 6,100 to 8,450 feet
Slope - 2 to 60 percent
Parent material - outwash, alluvium or colluvium derived from conglomerate, sedimentary, metamorphic or igneous rock
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short summers
Mean annual precipitation - 14 to 24 inches
Mean annual air temperature - 34 to 39 degrees.
Frost free season - 30 to 70 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Libeg, Hairpin, and Garlet soils. Libeg soils are loamy-skeletal and on hills. Garlet soils are loamy-skeletal, lack a mollic epipedon, and formed under forest cover. Hairpin soils are fine and on hills and alluvial fans.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Butchhill soils are used mainly for rangeland grazing and as wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is mainly timber danthonia, Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, bearded wheatgrass, Richardson's needlegrass, forbs and mountain sagebrush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Butchhill soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana. MLRAs - 43B and 44B.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Beaverhead County, Montana, Big Hole Valley Area, 2005.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 12 inches (A horizon)
Glossic horizon - from 12 to 19 inches (E/Bt horizon
Argillic horizon - from 19 to 60 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
Particle-size control section - from 18 to 38 inches (Bt1 and part of Bt2 horizons)

Butchhill soils have a cryic soil temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime bordering on udic.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.