LOCATION HARLAKE MT+SD WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, calcareous, frigid Aridic Ustifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Harlake silty clay loam, in cropland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Ap--0 to 8 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; moderate medium and fine granular structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many fine and few medium roots; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
C1--8 to 24 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam consisting of thin layers of silt loam and silty clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many fine and few medium roots; many fine to coarse pores; few fine threads of salts; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); diffuse wavy boundary. (4 to 30 inches thick)
C2--24 to 46 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam consisting of thin layers of silt loam and silty clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; moderate medium and fine granular structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common fine and few medium roots; common fine pores; few fine threads of salts; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (20 to 35 inches thick)
C3--46 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam consisting of thin layers of fine sandy loam and silty clay loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Blaine County, Montana; 2,490 feet west and 300 feet north of SE corner of sec. 21, T. 32 N., R. 23 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F. Range average annual soil temperature to 40 degrees in MLRA 44.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches; dry in all parts between four-tenths and five-tenths of the cumulative days per year when the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 41 degrees F or higher.
Control section - 35 to 60 percent clay and less than 15 percent sand that is coarser than very fine sand.
Soil phases - flooded.
Ap horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4, 5, or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, silt loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, silty clay, or clay
Clay content: 20 to 55 percent
EC: 0 to 2 mmhos/cm
SAR: 0 to 8
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 10 percent
Effervescence: slightly or strongly
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
Some pedons have a thin dark colored surface about 4 inches thick that has values of 4 or 5 dry, 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3.
C1 horizon - Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 4, 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: clay, silty clay, clay loam or silty clay loam consisting of stratified layers of clay, silt loam, silty clay loam, and silty clay
Clay content: 35 to 60 percent
EC: 0 to 4 mmhos/cm
SAR: 0 to 13
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 2 to 10 percent
Effervescence: slightly or violently
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 9.0
C2 horizon - Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 4, 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: clay, silty clay, clay loam or silty clay loam consisting of stratified layers of clay, silt loam, silty clay loam, and silty clay
Clay content: 35 to 60 percent
EC: 0 to 8 mmhos/cm
SAR: 0 to 13
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 2 to 10 percent
Effervescence: strongly or violently
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 9.0
C3 horizon - Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 4, 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: silt loam, loam, clay loam, or fine sandy loam consisting of stratified layers of silty clay loam, silt loam, and fine sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 35 percent
EC: 4 to 8 mmhos/cm
SAR: 0 to 13
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 2 to 10 percent
Effervescence: strongly or violently
Reaction : pH 7.9 to 9.0
COMPETING SERIES:
Lostriver (MT) - has SAR greater than 13 and EC greater than 8 mmhos/cm below the Ap horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - flood plains, stream terraces.
Elevation - 1,900 to 4,000 feet. In Colorado elevations are 6,000 to 6,800 feet; range elevation to 6000 feet in MLRA 44.
Slope- 0 to 4 percent.
Parent material - stratified clayey, calcareous alluvium.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 10 to 14 inches, most of which falls in the spring and early part of summer.
Mean annual air temperature - 40 to 45 degrees F. Range mean annual air temperature to 38 degrees in MLRA 44.
Frost-free period - 100 to 135 days. In Colorado the frost-free period is 75 to 95 days; range frost-free period to 90 days in MLRA 44.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Lostriver soils and the Havre and Marvan soils. Havre and Lostriver soils occur on similar landscapes as the Harlake soils. Harve soils are fine-loamy and Lostriver soils have SAR greater than 13 and EC greater than 8 mmmho/cm below the A horizon. Marvan soils have a natric horizon and more clay. They occur in alluvium above the Harlake soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow or very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Harlake soils are used for irrigated and nonirrigated cropland. Some areas are used for range. The potential native vegetation is mainly green needlegrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, western wheatgrass, forbs, and shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Harlake soils are extensive in the plains area of Montana and Colorado and possibly the adjacent states.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Hill County, Montana, 1994. Harlake is a coined name.
REMARKS: Soil interpretation records: MT0101, MT0186, MT0187, MT0232, MT1008.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - from the soil surface to 7 inches (Ap horizon); soil horizons that are calcareous - from the soil surface to 60 inches (Ap, C1, C2, C3 horizons); stratification of soil material (C1, C2, C3 horizons); particle-size control section - from 10 to 40 inches (C1, C2 horizons). Harlake soils have a frigid temperature regime and an aridic moisture regime bordering on ustic.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory sample S74MT-105-1, S51MT-85-2.