LOCATION FRAZER MT+WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Vertic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Frazer silty clay loam, in rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 13 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; moderate coarse and medium granular structure grading to moderate fine subangular blocky; hard, friable, sticky, plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine pores; slightly effervescent; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary. (11 to 15 inches thick)
Bw--13 to 20 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
C1--20 to 38 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silty clay loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, sticky, plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)
C2--38 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) stratified silt loam and silty clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, sticky, plastic; few very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Big Horn County, Montana; 300 feet east and 425 feet north of the SW corner of sec. 32, T. 3 S., R. 35 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: 42 to 47 degrees F. Moisture control section: approximately between the depths of 4 and 12 inches Mollic epipedon thickness: 11 to 15 inches Control section: 35 to 45 percent clay Phases: flooded, moderately wet NOTE: Visible irregular decrease in organic matter from surface down through the Bw horizon.
A horizon - Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist Chroma: 2 or 3 Texture, less than 2 mm: silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay Clay content: 30 to 45 percent Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
Bw horizon - Hue: 5Y, 2.5Y Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist Chroma: 2, 3, or 4 Texture, less than 2 mm: silty clay loam, silty clay Clay content: 35 to 45 percent Reaction: pH 7.4 to 9.0
C1 horizon - Hue: 5Y, 2.5Y Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist Chroma: 2, 3, or 4 Texture, less than 2 mm: silty clay loam, silty clay Clay content: 35 to 45 percent Reaction: pH 7.4 to 9.0
C2 horizon - Hue: 2.5Y, 5Y Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist Chroma: 2, 3, or 4 Texture, less than 2 mm: stratified silt loam, silty clay loam Clay content: 25 to 40 percent Reaction: pH 7.4 to 9.0
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Frazer soils are on stream terraces. Elevations are 3,900 to 4,700 feet. Slopes are 0 to 4 percent. These soils formed in alluvium. The climate is characterized by cold winters, moist springs and falls, and warm, dry summers. Mean annual precipitation is 15 to 19 inches. Mean annual temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free period is 110 to 135 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Frazer soils are used mainly as irrigated and dry cropland and as rangeland. Potential native vegetation is mainly western wheatgrass, basin wildrye, green needlegrass, and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Frazer soils are of moderate extent in southeastern Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Big Horn County, Montana, 1970.
REMARKS: Soil Interpretation Records: MT0152, MT0369, MT0833. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a mollic epipedon from the soil surface to 13 inches (A horizon); a cambic horizon from 13 to 20 inches (Bw horizon); a particle-size control section from 10 to 40 inches (Bw and C1 horizons). Fluventic Haploborolls feature a mollic epipedon less than 16 inches thick; have an irregular decrease in organic carbon from the surface down; may or may not have a cambic horizon. Frazer soils have an ustic moisture regime and a frigid temperature regime.