LOCATION DELPLAIN MT+WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, nonacid, frigid Aridic Lithic Ustorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Delplain channery clay loam, rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 4 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) channery clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, friable, sticky and plastic; many fine and very fine roots; 20 percent channers; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
C1--4 to 8 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) extremely channery clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many fine and very fine roots; 70 percent channers; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
C2--8 to 18 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) extremely channery clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common fine and very fine roots; 80 percent channers; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
R--18 inches; hard shale and fine grained sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Fergus County, Montana; 1,640 feet north and 1,220 feet east of the SW corner of sec. 19, T. 15 N., R. 24 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Depth to bedrock - 10 to 20 inches.
A horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: clay loam or loam
Clay content: 20 to 40 percent
Rock fragments: 20 to 50 percent--0 to 5 percent flagstones; 20 to 45 percent channers
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.8
Bw horizon
Some pedons have a Bw horizon that is less than 6 inches thick or has its base at a depth of less than 10 inches.
C horizons
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: clay loam or clay
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 85 percent--0 to 5 percent flagstones; 45 to 80 percent channers
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - sedimentary plains, dipslopes and hills.
Elevation - 3,000 to 4,200 feet.
Slope- 2 to 60 percent.
Parent material - residuum or colluvium derived from hard shale and sandstone.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 10 to 14 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 42 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 105 to 135 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Delplain soils are used mainly for rangeland. Potential native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, green needlegrass, little bluestem, and shrubs. A few ponderosa pine trees occur along some bench edges.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Delplain soils are moderately extensive in central Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fergus County, Montana, 1979.
REMARKS: Soil Interpretations Record: MT0365.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - from the soil surface to 4 inches (A horizon); lithic contact - at 18 inches (R horizon); particle-size control section - from 10 to 18 inches (C2 horizon)