LOCATION COMETCRIK          MT 
Established Series
Rev. TJK-JAL
7/98

COMETCRIK SERIES


The Cometcrik series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from mixed sources. These soils are on flood plains, flood plain steps and drainageways. Slopes are 0 to 4 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 17 inches and mean annual temperature is about 40 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Cumulic Endoaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Cometcrik loam, in grassland (colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted).

A--0 to 12 inches; black (10YR 2/1) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; moderate fine granular structure; hard, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and common medium roots; many fine and very fine pores; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual smooth boundary. (9 to 18 inches thick)

Bw--12 to 24 inches; black (10YR 2/1) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) dry; few fine distinct yellowish red (5YR 4/6) dry, redox concentrations; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine and medium roots; many very fine and common fine pores; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (9 to 18 inches thick)

Cg--24 to 42 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) dry; common fine distinct yellowish red (5YR 4/6) dry, redox concentrations; massive; extremely hard, firm, very sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine pores; 5 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (12 to 30 inches thick)

2Cg--42 to 58 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loamy coarse sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; massive; hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 30 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)

3Cg--58 to 60 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam consisting of fine strata of very fine sandy loam and silty clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) dry, redox concentrations; massive; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; 5 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; 2,000 feet north and 2,100 feet west of the SE corner of sec. 13, T. 7 N., R. 4 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil temperature - 38 to 44 degrees F.

Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.

Mollic epipedon thickness - 24 to 60 inches.

Depth to seasonal high water table - 12 to 24 inches during the spring and early summer.

Depth to 2Cg horizon - 40 to 60 inches.

A horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y

Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist

Chroma: 1 or 2

Clay content: 18 to 27 percent

Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent pebbles

Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3

Bw horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y

Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist

Chroma: 1 or 2

Redox concentrations - few to common; Hue 5YR or 7.5YR; Value 4, 5 or 6 dry; Chroma 4 or 6

Texture: loam, silt loam, or silty clay loam

Clay content: 18 to 35 percent

Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent pebbles

Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3

Cg horizon - Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR or 2.5Y

Value: 4, 5 or 6 dry; 2 or 3 moist

Chroma: 1 or 2

Redox concentrations - few to common; Hue 5YR or 7.5YR; Value 4, 5 or 6 dry; Chroma 4 or 6

Redox depletions: none to few; faint to distinct; Hue - 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y; Value - 2, 2.5 or 3; Chroma - 0 or 1

Texture: loam, silt loam, or silty clay loam

Clay content: 18 to 35 percent clay

Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent pebbles

Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3

2Cg horizon - Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR or 2.5Y

Value: 5, 6 or 7 dry; 4, 5 or 6 moist

Chroma: 1, 2 or 3

Redox concentrations - none to few; Hue 5YR or 7.5YR; Value 4, 5 or 6 dry; Chroma 4 or 6

Texture: coarse sand, loamy coarse sand or coarse sandy loam.

Clay content: 2 to 10 percent clay

Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent pebbles

Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3

3Cg horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y

Value: 5, 6 or 7 dry, 4, 5 or 6 moist

Chroma: 1 or 2

Redox concentrations - few to common; Hue 5YR or 7.5YR; Value 5 or 6 dry; Chroma 4 or 6

Texture: stratified textures ranging from fine sandy loam to silty clay loam

Clay content: 10 to 35 percent

Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles, 0 to 30 percent pebbles

Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.8

COMPETING SERIES:

Eagleton (MT) - does not have a lithologic discontinuity.

Kovich (UT) - has a skeletal lithologic discontinuity in particle-size control section; has moderately slow permeability.

Larkpark (MN) - does not have a lithologic discontinuity.

Lobe (CO) - does not have a lithologic discontinuity.

Mannixlee (MT) - has skeletal material below a depth of 40 inches.

Marshbrook (SD) - does not have a lithologic discontinuity.

Nythar (MT) - does not have a lithologic discontinuity.

Welch (NV) - has a high component of vitric pyroclastic materials in the particle-size control section; has a water table at or near the surface in late winter and early spring; does not have redox concentrations in the mollic epipedon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:

Landform - flood plains, flood plain steps and drainageways.

Elevations - 4,600 to 6,000 feet.

Slopes- 0 to 8 percent.

Parent material - alluvium derived from mixed sources.

Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.

Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 19 inches.

Mean annual air temperature - 36 to 42 degrees F.

Frost free period - 70 to 105 days.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained, moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Cometcrik soils are primarily used for grass hay, pasture and wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is mainly tall reedgrass, mannagrass, American sloughgrass, tuffed hairgrass, sedges, rushes, blue-eyedgrass and willows.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Cometcrik soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Montana, 1998.

REMARKS: Soil Interpretation Record: MT1501. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a mollic epipedon from the soil surface to 42 inches (A, Bw and Cg horizons); a particle size control section from 10 to 40 inches (A, Bw and Cg horizons). Cometcrik soils have a frigid temperature regime and an aquic moisture regime.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.