LOCATION GARDENCREEK MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, nonacid, frigid Aquic Xerofluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Gardencreek silty clay loam, cultivated (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Ap--0 to 8 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; slightly hard, firm, sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and medium roots, few coarse roots; few very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
C1--8 to 21 inches; gray (5Y 6/1) silty clay loam, dark gray (5Y 4/1) moist; massive; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many fine and medium roots, few coarse roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 24 inches thick)
C2--21 to 24 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; massive; slightly hard friable slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots and few coarse roots; many fine, few medium tubular pores; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 10 inches thick)
C3--24 to 43 inches; light gray (5Y 7/1) silty clay, olive gray (5Y 5/2) moist; massive; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine, few medium tubular pores; mildly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 30 inches thick)
C4--43 to 60 inches; light gray (5Y 7/1) silty clay, olive gray (5Y 5/2) moist; common fine distinct olive (5Y 5/4) redox concentrations; few very fine and fine tubular pores; massive; hard, firm, very sticky and plastic; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Sanders County, Montana; 1,050 feet north and 900 feet east of the SW corner of sec. 10, T. 21 N., R. 23 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 43 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Depth to seasonal high water table - 42 to 60 inches.
Ap horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Clay content: 27 to 35 percent
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
C1 horizon - Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Clay content: 30 to 40 percent
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
C2 horizon - Hue: 2.5Y or 5Y
Value: 5, 6 or 7 dry; 3, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Clay content: 30 to 40
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
C3 horizon - Value: 6, 7, or 8 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 0 or 1
Texture: silty clay or silty clay loam
Clay content: 35 to 60 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
C4 horizon - Value: 6, 7, or 8 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: silty clay or silty clay loam
Redox Concentrations: 5Y 5/4, 5Y 5/6, or 5Y 4/4
Clay content: 35 to 60 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - flood plains in intermountain valleys.
Elevation - 2,500 to 2,800 feet.
Slope- 0 to 2 percent.
Parent material - clayey alluvium.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm dry summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 10 to 14 inches.
Mean annual temperature - 41 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 100 to 120 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Gardencreek soils are used as rangeland, pastureland, cropland and wildlife habitat. The principle crop is irrigated alfalfa. The potential native vegetation is mainly mid and short grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Gardencreek soils are of small extent in the mountain valleys of western Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lake County, Montana, 1991. Proposed in Sanders County, Montana, 1987.
REMARKS: Soil Interpretation records: MT1111. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: an ochric epipedon from the soil surface to 8 inches (Ap horizon); a particle-size control section from 10 to 40 inches (C1, C2, and C3 horizons). Gardencreek soils have a frigid temperature regime and a xeric moisture regime bordering on aridic.
LABORATORY DATA: S88MT-089-001