LOCATION FIFER MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, shallow Ustic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Fifer loam - grassland. (Colors are of dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 2 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate very fine crumb structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many roots; neutral, clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
A2--2 to 6 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium and coarse blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many roots; slightly effervesent; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bk1--6 to 11 inches; gray (5Y 6/1) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak very fine blocky; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; many roots; coats of olive gray (2.5Y 5/2) moist and crushed; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bk2--11 to 20 inches; greenish gray (5GY 6/1) silty clay loam weathered shale, greenish gray (5GY 5/1) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure that separates to strong fine angular blocks; extremely hard, firm, sticky, plastic; common roots between prisms; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist coats on faces of prisms; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline.
Cr--20 inches; light greenish gray (5GY 7/1) interbedded sandstone and shale, olive (5Y 5/3) moist.
TYPE LOCATION: Glacier County, Montana; 1,800 feet north and 400 feet east of SW corner sec. 31, T.36N., R.12W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 39 to 46 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature - 52 to 59 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Depth to Cr horizon - 10 to 20 inches.
A horizons - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3, 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: loam, silt loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles; 0 to 30 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
Bk horizons - Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y or 5GY
Value: 5, 6 or 7 dry; 4, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, or 3
Texture: loam, clay loam, silty clay loam, or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles; 0 to 30 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Barvon, Bucklon, Bynum, Devoe, Fusulina, Promontory, Sawpit, Tealson, and Teton series. Barvon and Bynum soils have a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches and Barvon soils have summer soil temperature warmer than 59 degrees F. Bucklon, Fusulina, and Sawpit soils are noncalcareous throughout. Devoe soils have hue of 5YR through 10YR and have 15 to 35 percent limestone gravel and cobbles. Promontory and Teton soils have hard bedrock at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Tealson soils have less than 18 percent clay in the control section and are noncalcareous to depths of 6 to 16 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - hills and mountains.
Elevation - 4,500 to 7,600 feet.
Slope - 4 to 60 percent.
Parent material - alluvium or residuum from interbedded shale and sandstone.
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 19 to 25 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 37 to 44 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 50 to 70 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for grazing and for wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is mainly rough fescue and Idaho fescue. Shrubby cinquefoil and danthonia are common.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Grassland region east of the Rocky Mountains in Montana. It is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Glacier County (Blackfeet Reservation-Cut Bank Area), Montana, 1969.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the pedon are: a mollic epipedon from the soil surface to 7 inches (mixed) (A horizons); horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation from 6 to 20 inches (Bk horizons); a particle-size control section from 10 to 20 inches (part of Bk1 and Bk2 horizons). Fifer soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.