LOCATION ELLENA MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Ustic Haplocryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Ellena very cobbly sandy loam, very bouldery, in forest (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--0 to 2 inches; partially decomposed needles, twigs, and leaves.
A--2 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very cobbly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine, common fine, and few medium roots; many very fine and fine pores; 30 percent cobbles, 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
E--7 to 22 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) very cobbly coarse sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and few fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine pores; 5 percent stones, 25 percent cobbles, 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
E/Bw--22 to 35 inches; E part (85 percent) is light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) very cobbly coarse sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; Bw part (15 percent) is light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) very cobbly sandy clay loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine, few fine and medium roots; many very fine and few fine tubular and interstitial pores; 5 percent stones, 35 percent cobbles, 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
Cr--35 to 38 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) decomposed granite bedrock (grus) that crushes to very gravelly coarse sand; neutral (pH 6.8). (3 to 10 inches thick)
R--38 inches; hard granite bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; 350 feet north and 1,700 feet west of the SE corner of sec. 18, T. 9 N., R. 3 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 38 to 42 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 8 and 24 inches.
Depth to Cr horizon - 20 to 38 inches.
Depth to R horizon - 23 to 40 inches.
Surface stones or boulders - 0 to 3 percent.
Some pedons have a Bw horizon.
A horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4, 5, or 6 dry; 3, 4, or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 10 to 60 percent--0 to 10 percent stones, 10 to 30 percent cobbles, 10 to 30 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
E horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6, 7, or 8 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, or 3
Texture: coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 20 to 60 percent--0 to 10 percent stones, 15 to 35 percent cobbles, 5 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
E/Bw horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: E part 6, 7, or 8, Bw part 4, 5, or 6 dry: E part 4, 5, or 6, Bw part 3, 4, or 5 moist
Chroma: E part 1, 2, 3, or 4; Bw part 2, 3, or 4
Texture (mixed): coarse sandy loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--0 to 5 percent stones, 25 to 35 percent cobbles, 10 to 30 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES:
Alpinepeak (ID) - is sandy-skeletal above 40 inches; is moderately well drained; does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Danavore (CO) - has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Elve (MT) - has more than 60 percent coarse fragments in the cambic horizon; does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Hiore (MT) - does not have a lithic contact above 60 inches.
Pergrin (CO) - does not have cobbles in the particle-size control section.
Poso (ID) - has carbonates in the particle-size control section; does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Rosespring (NV) - does not have a lithic contact above 40 inches.
Rubick (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Scout (UT) - is very deep.
Shadow (MT) - has 15 to 40 percent mica in the particle-size control section; does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Taglake (WY) - formed in glacial till; does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; is well drained.
Telay (AK) - has a subarctic climate.
Vandamore (CO) - has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Yankeefork (ID) - does not have lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; is sandy-skeletal at 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - mountains; hills.
Elevation - 5,500 to 8,000 feet.
Slope - 15 to 60 percent.
Parent material - slope alluvium and colluvium derived from hard coarse grained granitic rocks deposited over granitic bedrock.
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short, cool summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 inches to 25 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 36 to 40 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 30 to 70 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained, moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Ellena soils are primarily used for woodland, wildlife, and watershed. The potential native vegetation is mainly lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir, subalpine fir, pinegrass, heartleaf arnica, white spiraea, clematis, Kinnikinnick, raceme pussytoes, woodland strawberry, twin flower, and grouse whortleberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Ellena 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: MT3006. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: an ochric epipedon from 0 to 7 inches (Oi, A horizons); a cambic horizon from 22 to 35 inches (E/Bw horizon); a layer of decomposed granite (grus) from 35 to 38 inches (Cr horizon); hard granite bedrock at 38 inches (R horizon). Ellena soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
The 3/2008 description reflects a change in classification from Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Ustic Eutrocryepts to Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Ustic Haplocryepts due to revision of the cryepts great groups and subgroups. The competing series section was not updated and should be reviewed after all the cryepts have been re-classified.