LOCATION HAXBY MT
Established Series
Rev. DES-KTS-RJS
04/2011
HAXBY SERIES
The Haxby series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium, colluvium, and residuum derived from hard fine grained sandstone or igneous rock. These soils are on ridges, cuestas, hills and strath terraces. Slopes are 4 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 12 inches, and mean annual air temperature is about 42 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Haplocalcidic Haplustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Haxby loam, in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A1--0 to 3 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary.
A2--3 to 5 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of A1, A2 horizons - 4 to 9 inches).
Bk1--5 to 14 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine interstitial and tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; finely disseminated calcium carbonate and common fine masses and threads of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); gradual wavy boundary.
Bk2--14 to 21 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) sandy loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) moist; weak and medium coarse prismatic structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; few to common very fine interstitial and tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; finely disseminated calcium carbonate and common fine masses and threads of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (combined thickness of Bk1, Bk2 horizons - 13 to 30 inches).
Bk3--21 to 32 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few to common very fine and fine pores; 20 percent gravel; common distinct calcium carbonate coatings on fragments and common masses and threads of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
R--32 inches; hard fine grained igneous bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; 1,750 feet north and 1,900 feet west of the SE corner of sec. 12, T. 2 N., R. 2 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 40 to 46 degrees F.
Depth to a calcic horizon - 4 to 9 inches
Depth to a lithic contact - 20 to 40 inches
Note: Some pedons may have a thin Cr horizon above the R horizon.
The surface layer, when mixed to a depth of 7 inches, does not meet the requirements of a mollic epipedon.
A horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Clay content: 10 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
Bk1, Bk2 horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 6 to 8 dry; 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 25 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
Bk3 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam or loam
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 30 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Busby (MT) - is very deep
Twilight (SD) - does not have a lithic contact
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - fan remnants, ridges, cuestas, hills, strath terraces and structural benches
Elevation - 3,800 to 6,500 feet
Slope - 4 to 60 percent
Parent material - alluvium, colluvium, and residuum derived from hard fine grained sandstone or igneous rock
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 10 to 14 inches
Mean annual air temperature - 38 to 44 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 70 to 115 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Haxby soils are primarily used for rangeland. The potential native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, blue grama, needleandthread, prairie junegrass, rubber rabbitbrush, big sagebrush, fringed sagewort, broom snakeweed, and cactus.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Haxby soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana. MLRA - 43B, 44B.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Montana, 1998.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 5 inches, mixed (A1, A2 horizons)
Calcic horizon - from 5 to 32 inches (Bk1, Bk2, Bk3 horizons)
Lithic contact - at 32 inches (R horizon)
Particle-size control section - from 10 to 32 inches (part of Bk1, Bk2, Bk3 horizons)
Haxby soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime bordering on aridic.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil interpretation record - MT1566.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.