LOCATION DANVERS MT

Established Series
Rev. RGB-GAR-JAL
01/2023

DANVERS SERIES

The Danvers series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium and colluvium, or loess from mixed rock sources. These soils are on alluvial fans, stream terraces and mountains. Slopes are 0 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 15 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 42 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Vertic Argiustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Danvers silty clay loam, grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted)

A1--0 to 2 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; coatings on ped surfaces of dark gray (10YR 4/1), black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine and very fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual boundary.

A2--2 to 4 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; coatings on ped surfaces of dark gray (10YR 4/1), black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak fine platy; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine interstitial and tubular pores; faint skeletans on faces of peds; neutral (pH 7.0); clear boundary. (Combined A horizons 3 to 9 inches thick)

Bt1--4 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; coatings on ped surfaces of dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure that separates to strong fine and very fine subangular blocky; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; continuous distinct clay films on peds; common very fine roots; many very fine and common fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual boundary.

Bt2--8 to 14 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; coatings on ped surfaces of dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium and fine prismatic structure parting easily to strong fine and very fine blocky; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; continuous distinct clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (Combined Bt horizons 8 to 14 inches thick)

Btk--14 to 17 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay, olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; moderate fine and medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine and few fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds with common medium masses of lime; 5 percent pebbles; common distinct lime crusts on underside of pebbles; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)

Bk1--17 to 27 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) clay, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) moist; moderate very coarse prismatic structure that separates to moderate fine and medium blocky; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 5 percent pebbles; many large white (2.5Y 8/1) masses and nodules of lime; disseminated lime; few faint lime coatings on surface of pebbles; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); diffuse boundary.

Bk2--27 to 44 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; moderate very coarse prismatic structure; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 5 percent pebbles; lime disseminated; few medium masses of lime; few lime coated pebbles; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (Combined Bk horizons 15 to 35 inches thick)

2C--44 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; disseminated lime; strongly effervescent; 20 percent limestone pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Fergus County, Montana; 110 feet east and 75 feet north of center of sec. 21, T. 19 N., R. 13 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil temperature - 41 to 47 degrees F.

Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches, never dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 45 consecutive days.

Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 12 inches.

Depth to calcic horizon - 14 to 25 inches.

A Bk horizon to 60 inches is allowed.

Soil phases - stony.

A horizons - Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y

Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist

Chroma: 2 or 3

Texture: silty clay loam, loam, clay loam, silty clay, or loam

Clay content: 20 to 45

Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones, 0 to 20 percent pebbles

Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.8

Bt horizons - Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y

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

Chroma: 2, 3 or 4

Texture: silty clay loam, clay loam, silty clay, or clay

Clay content: 35 to 50 percent

Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles and stones, 0 to 10 percent pebbles

Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4

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

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

Chroma: 2 or 3

Texture: silty clay, clay, clay loam, or silty clay loam

Clay content: 35 to 45 percent

Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent--0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones, 0 to 10 percent pebbles

Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 20 percent

Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4

Bk horizons - Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y

Value: 6, 7, or 8 dry; 5, 6 or 7 moist

Chroma: 1, 2, or 3

Texture: silty clay, clay loam, silty clay loam, or clay

Clay content: 27 to 45 percent

Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 20 percent cobbles and stones, 0 to 15 percent pebbles

Calcium carbonate equivalent: 20 to 40 percent

Reaction: pH 7.4 to 9.0

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

Value: 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist

Chroma: 2 or 3

Texture: loam, sandy loam, or clay loam

Clay content: 10 to 35 percent

Rock fragments: 15 to 65 percent--0 to 10 percent cobbles and stones, 10 to 55 percent pebbles

Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 35 percent

Reaction: pH 7.4 to 9.0

COMPETING SERIES:

Acree (CO) - has hues of 5YR and redder.

Bearpaw (MT) - has high bulk density till above a depth of 40 inches; does not have a calcic horizon.

Brolliar (AZ) - is medium acid; has iron and manganese oxide concretions throughout the profile.

Cerro (CO) - does not have a calcic horizon.

Delson (CO) - does not have a calcic horizon.

Fergus (MT) - does not have a calcic horizon.

Gerbana (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.

Gerber (MT) - does not have a calcic horizon.

Grail (ND) - has a mollic epipedon more than 16 inches thick.

Herm (CO) - does not have a calcic horizon.

Mondamin (SD) - have redoximorphic features at depths below 24 inches, does not have rock fragments and formed in glaciolacustrine sediments.

Montillo (NM) - has a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.

Morapos (CO) - dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 45 consecutive days after July 15; also has chroma of 4 and 6 in the argillic horizon.

Pagoda (CO) - does not have a calcic horizon.

Regent (ND) - has a paralithic contact at a depth of 20 to 40 inches.

Reget (WY) - has a paralithic contact at a depth of 20 to 40 inches.

Ricot (CO) - has a lithological discontinuity in the control section.

Ridgeview (SD) - have more than 45 percent clay throughout the Bt horizon and formed in shale residuum.

Suposo (NM) - have a mollic epipedon 18 to 35 inches thick.

Tomasaki (UT) - does not have a calcic horizon.

Tsoodzil (NM) - have a mollic epipedon 21 to 40 inches thick.

Tukuhnik (UT) - has a lithic contact at a depth of 40 to 60 inches.

Work (MT) - does not have a calcic horizon.

Wyola (MT) - does not have a calcic horizon.

Yankee (NM) - have a mollic epipedon 20 to 60 inches thick.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:

Landform - stream terraces, alluvial fans and mountains.

Elevation - 3,500 to 6,800 feet.

Slope - 0 to 60 percent.

Parent material - alluvium and colluvium, or loess from mixed rock sources with high amounts of limestone.

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

Mean annual precipitation - 14 to 20 inches.

Mean annual air temperature - 39 to 45 degrees F.

Frost-free period - 70 to 135 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kissick and Shaak soils. Kissick soils occur on uplands, lack an argillic horizon, and have a lithologic discontinuity. Shaak soils occur on alluvial fans and terraces, have an abrupt textural change above the argillic horizon, and have a lithologic discontinuity.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. slow permeability. Runoff is low to very high depending on slope.

USE AND VEGETATION: Danvers soils are used mainly for dryland production of small grains, native range, and tame pasture. Potential native vegetation is mainly western wheatgrass, blue grama, needleandthread, and prairie junegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Danvers soils are moderately extensive in central and southern Montana on high terraces and fans bordering the eastern front of the northern Rocky Mountains.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Salina, Kansas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Reconnaissance Soil Survey of Central Montana, 1946.

REMARKS: Soil interpretation records: MT0089, MT0695, MT0762.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 8 inches (A1, A2 and Bt1 horizons); - calcic horizon the zone from 17 to 44 inches (Bk1 and Bk2 horizons); particle-size control section - the zone from 4 to 17 inches (Bt1, Bt2 and Btk horizons). Danvers soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.