LOCATION FATTIG MT+WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Aridic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Fattig sandy clay loam - grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted)
A1--0 to 2 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loamy fine sand, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt boundary.
A2--2 to 4 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak medium platy structure parting to moderate fine granular; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt boundary. (Combined A horizons 3 to 6 inches thick)
Bt1--4 to 12 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sandy clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many fine pores; faint patchy clay films on faces of peds; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual smooth boundary.
Bt2--12 to 16 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sandy clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common fine pores; faint and distinct continuous clay film on faces of peds; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual smooth boundary.
Bt3--16 to 23 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) sandy clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; few fine pores; faint patchy film on faces of peds; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (Combined Bt horizons 10 to 22 inches thick)
2Bk--23 to 33 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) light clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; few fine pores; strong effervescence; strongly alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
3R--33 to 60 inches; sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Yellowstone County, Montana; 1,500 feet northeast of old building on east line of sec. 11, T.7N., R.32E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Particle size control section - 27 to 35 percent clay
Depth to bedrock - 20 to 40 inches
Depth to calcic horizon - 13 to 28 inches
The A and Bt horizons have the color, but not the organic carbon content to be mollic.
A horizon
Hue- 10YR
Value - 3 or 4, 1 to 3 moist
Chroma - 1 or 2
Texture - sandy clay loam or loam
Clay content - 20 to 27 percent
Reaction - 6.6 to 7.8
Bt1 and Bt2 horizons
Hue- 10YR
Value - 3 or 4, 1 to 3 moist
Chroma - 1 or 2
Texture - sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content - 30 to 35 percent
Reaction - 7.4 to 7.8
Bt3 horizon
Hue- 10YR
Value - 3 or 4, 1 to 3 moist
Chroma - 1 or 2
Texture - sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content - 27 to 35 percent
Reaction - 7.4 to 8.4
2Bk horizon
Hue- 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 5 to 7, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma - 2 to 4
Texture - sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content - 27 to 35 percent
Reaction - 7.4 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES: These are the tentative Bondoe and Ferball series. These soils are very deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Fattig soils are on uplands. Elevation ranges from 2,300 to 3,600 feet. Slopes range from 2 to 8 percent. These soils formed in carbonaceous material over interbedded shale and sandstone. The climate is cool semiarid. Frost free period is 120 to 130 days. Mean annual precipitation of 10 to 14 inches.
PRINCIPAL ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bainville soils. Bainville soils do not have Bt horizons and have dry value of 4.5 or greater.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained; moderately slow permeability; slow to medium runoff.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mostly for native range on mixed mid and short grasses such as western wheatgrass, blue grama, needle-and-thread, and fringed sagewort and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Montana. Fattig series is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Treasure County, Montana, 1961.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 4 inches ( A1 and A2 horizons); argillic horizon - the zone from 4 to 23 inches (Bt1, Bt2 and Bt3 horizons); carbonate accumulation - the zone from 23 to 33 inches (2Bk horizon); lithic contact - at 33 inches (3R horizon); particle-size control section - the zone from 4 to 23 inches (Bt1, Bt2 and Bt3 horizons). Soil Interpretation Record - MT0477.