LOCATION GAYLORD MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic Vertic Glossocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Gaylord silt loam - abandoned cropland, sparse cover of grasses and annuals (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Ap--0 to 6 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium and fine plates that separate to moderate fine and very fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many uncoated silt and sand grains that give clod surfaces gray (10YR 6/1) color; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
B/A--6 to 15 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist, with 30 to 40 percent light gray (10YR 7/1) and white (10YR 8/1) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; the mixed soil is light brownish gray (10YR 6/2)silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak coarse plates that separate to strong very fine blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; many very fine roots; patchy clay film on some vertical faces of peds and thick coats of light gray and white silt and sand; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual irregular boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
Bt--15 to 24 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; strong medium and fine blocky structure; hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; few very fine roots and tubular pores; continuous clay film on faces of peds; many uncoated sand grains; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual boundary. (7 to 18 inches thick)
Bk--24 to 55 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silty clay, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; strong medium angular blocky structure grading to moderate coarse angular blocky in the lower part; very hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; few very fine roots and tubular pores; continuous clay film on faces of peds; few clear sand grains; few lime nodules and lime coating the few fine pebbles; strong effervescence; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); gradual boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)
Ck--55 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; few lime nodules; strong effervescence; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Granite County, Montana; 750 feet west and 600 feet south of NE corner of sec. 11, T.10N., R.14W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The Gaylord soils have mean annual soil temperature of 44 degrees to 46 degrees F. and average summer soil temperature ranging from 55 degrees to 58 degrees F. Thickness of the combined A and mixed B/A horizons ranges from 8 to 19 inches. Depth to calcareous soil is 20 to 30 inches and thickness of the solum is 30 to 60 inches. The amount of fine gravel in the A, B and C horizons does not exceed 5 percent to depths greater than 40 inches. Hue is 2.5Y or 10YR.
Note: The dark surface (ochric epipedon) is not 1/3 the depth to secondary carbonates.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry. The B/A and Bt horizons have value of 6 or 7 dry and 4 or 5 moist and chroma of 2 through 4.
The B/A horizon is marked by moderate to strong blocky structure with patchy clay films in the upper part and with many bleached silt grains thinly to thickly coating the peds.
The Bt horizon is heavy silty clay loam or clay with 35 to 55 percent clay and with less than 15 percent fine sand or coarser. It has an exchange capacity per 100 grams of clay of 70 to 90 milliequivalents. It is slightly acid to moderately alkaline.
Maximum amount of CaC03 ranges from 8 to 15 percent in the Bk or Ck horizons.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Bead series. Bead soils do not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Gaylord soils formed in deep, unconsolidated materials of mixed rock origin on gentle to moderately sloping fans. They occur at elevations of 4,000 to 5,000 feet. Average annual precipitation is 16 to 20 inches. Mean annual temperature is 40 degrees to 44 degrees F. and mean summer temperature is slightly higher than 60 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Donald soils and the Loberg and Spring Creek soils. Loberg soils have ochric epipedons and argillic horizons formed under forest cover. Spring Creek soils are shallow over hard rock on hilly landscapes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Dry cropland and native range. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue and fringed sagewort.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Valleys of western Montana. Gaylord soils are moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Granite County, Montana (Philipsburg-Drummond Area), 1972.