LOCATION HEREIMCREEK             MT

Tentative Series
REV. DJP/JB/EMM
12/2012

HEREIMCREEK SERIES

The Hereimcreek series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic rock. These soils are on drainageways, stream terraces, floodplains and valley floors in intermontane basins. Slopes are 0 to 8 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 400 mm, and mean annual temperature is about 5 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Aquic Argiustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Hereimcreek loam, 2 percent slope in irrigated cropland at an elevation of 1680 meters (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

A--0 to 14 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, few medium roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 16 cm thick)

Bt--14 to 22 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots ; many very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; 25 percent distinct clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 22 cm thick)

Btk1--22 to 50 cm; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots ; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 30 percent distinct clay films on faces of peds; strongly effervescent; 40 percent fine carbonate concentrations on bottom of rock fragments; 12 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; 10 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (16 to 24 cm thick)

Btk2--50 to 68 cm; gray (10YR 6/1) silty clay, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very firm, very sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots ; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 30 percent distinct clay films on faces of peds; strongly effervescent, 15 percent fine carbonate masses in matrix, 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; 5 percent fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) redox concentrations and 10 percent fine distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 34 cm thick)

Bgk1--68 to 125 cm; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; strong coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, very firm; very sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots in upper section; common very fine and fine irregular pores; violently effervescent; 30 percent carbonate masses in matrix and 10 percent carbonate threads; 10 percent fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) redox concentrations and 15 percent fine distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6). (40 to 70 cm thick)

Bgk2--125 to 152 cm; gray (10YR 5/1) silty clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; strong coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, very firm; very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine irregular pores; violently effervescent; 40 percent carbonate masses in matrix; 15 percent fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) redox concentrations, 5 percent fine distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay depletions and 10 percent fine distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4). (combined thickness of the Bgk horizons is 60 to 120 cm thick)

TYPE LOCATION: Meagher County, Montana; about 9.6 miles southwest of Martinsdale; located about 521 feet south and 2,278 feet west of the NE corner of sec. 22, T. 7 N., R. 10 E; Lebo topographic quad; lat. 46 degrees 21 minutes 29 seconds N. and long. 110 degrees 27 minutes 23 seconds W., NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: The soil moisture control section is moist December to August from natural precipitation events and from irrigation practices; driest September to November; ustic moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 4 to 7 degrees C.
Depth to anthric and endosaturation: 30 to 60 cm from April to August. Seepage from irrigation canals and streams is the source of the water.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 20 to 30 cm.
Depth to Btk horizons: 20 to 40 cm.
Depth to Bk horizons: 50 to 70 cm.
Depth to redoxomorphic features: 30 to 60 cm.

A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Clay content: 16 to 28 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 15 percent--0 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles and stones
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.6

Bt horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 to 3, dry or moist
Texture: loam, silt loam, or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 34 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent--0 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.8 to 7.8

Btk1 horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3, dry or moist
Texture: loam, silt loam or clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4

Btk2 horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3, dry or moist
Texture: silty clay, silty clay loam, clay loam
Clay content: 30 to 45 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 7.8 to 8.6
Some pedons may not have Btk horizons.

Bk horizon (where present):
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3, dry or moist
Texture: silty clay loam, clay loam, silty clay
Clay content: 30 to 45 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 8.0 to 8.4

Bgk horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 1 to 2 dry or moist
Texture: silty clay, clay, clay loam, silty clay loam
Clay content: 30 to 45 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 8.0 to 8.4

COMPETING SERIES:
Peta (ND) - Does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: alluvium derived from sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rock
Landform: drainageways, stream terraces, floodplains, and valley floors
Slope: 0 to 8 percent
Elevation: 1,450 to 1,950 meters
Climate: long, cold winters; moist springs; short summers
Mean annual temperature: 3 to 7 degrees C.
Mean annual precipitation: 350 to 480 millimeters
Precipitation Pattern: Precipitation falls most during spring and early summer
Frost-free period: 70 to 90 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Voldseth, Groveland, Martinsdale, and Meagher soils. The Voldseth and Groveland soils do not have gleyed horizons and occur on stream terraces and alluvial fans. Martinsdale and Meagher soils do not have redox features.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained, low runoff, moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Hereimcreek soils are used for rangeland and irrigated cropland. The potential native vegetation is mainly rough fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, Missouri goldenrod, needleandthread, buffalo snow berry, yarrow, prairie junegrass, forbs, and shrubs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Hereimcreek soils are of small extent in west-central Montana. MLRA 44B, 46

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES PROPOSED: Meagher County, Montana 2007. The name is from Hereimcreek creek on the Lebo Topographic Quadrangle.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the soil surface to 22 cm (A and Bt horizons)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 14 to 68 cm (Bt and Btk horizons)
Calcic horizon - the zone from 42 to 125 cm (Btk2 and Bgk1 horizon)
Particle-size control section - the zone from 14 to 64 cm (Bt and part of Btk horizons)

Hereimcreek soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.

Redoxomorphic features attributed to irrigation practices and natural stream influence.

Taxonomic Version: Tenth Edition, 2006.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.