LOCATION JUDITH MT
Established Series
Rev. JAL-EMM
01/2013
JUDITH SERIES
The Judith series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in calcareous alluvium or colluvium derived mainly from limestone. These soils are on stream terraces, fan remnants, and alluvial fans. Slopes are 0 to 35 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 16 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 41 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, carbonatic, frigid Typic Calciustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Judith gravelly clay loams, cultivated (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Ap--0 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many fine and very fine roots, common medium roots, and few coarse roots; many fine and very fine pores; 10 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
Bw--6 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many fine and very fine roots, common medium roots and few coarse roots; many fine and very fine pores and few medium pores; 5 percent gravel; continuous distinct lime coating on undersides of gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
Bk1--9 to 17 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many fine and very fine roots, common medium roots, and few coarse roots; many fine and very fine pores and few medium pores; 5 percent gravel; common faint and distinct masses of lime; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 15 inches thick)
Bk2--17 to 24 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common medium, fine, and very fine roots and few coarse roots; many fine and very fine pores; 10 percent gravel; disseminated lime, many faint and distinct masses of lime; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 10 inches thick)
2Bk3--24 to 46 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium, fine, and very fine roots; many fine and very fine pores; 50 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; continuous distinct lime coatings on rock fragments; some weak calcium carbonate cementation between rock fragments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (20 to 46 inches thick)
2Bk4--46 to 83 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) extremely gravelly sandy clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium, fine, and very fine roots; many fine and very fine pores; 70 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles; few distinct lime coatings on rock fragments with some cementation by calcium carbonate between rock fragments; disseminated lime; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4). (0 to 40 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Fergus County, Montana; 1,400 feet east and 1,240 feet south of the NW corner of sec. 16, T. 14 N., R. 23 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 41 to 46 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 12 inches.
Depth to calcic horizon - 9 to 12 inches.
Depth to 2Bk3 horizon - mainly 23 to 32 inches, but ranges from 23 to 38 inches.
Ap or A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, or 3, dry or moist
Texture: loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent--0 to 10 percent cobbles, 5 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
Bw horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture: loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent--0 to 10 percent cobbles, 5 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
Bk1, Bk2 horizons
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y
Value: 7 or 8 dry, 5, 6, or 7 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4, dry or moist
Texture: loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent (10 to 20 percent noncarbonate clay)
Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent--0 to 10 percent cobbles, 5 to 25 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate content: 40 to 60 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
2Bk3, 2Bk4 horizons
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y
Value: 6, 7, or 8 dry; 5, 6, or 7 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4, dry or moist
Texture: loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent (10 to 20 percent noncarbonate clay)
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent--5 to 20 percent cobbles, 25 to 70 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate content: 40 to 60 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 9.0
COMPETING SERIES:
Judell (MT) - does not have loamy-skeletal materials above a depth of 40 inches; does not average more than 15 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
Trulon (MT) - 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact of limestone.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - stream terraces, fan remnants, and alluvial fans.
Elevation - 3,250 to 4,700 feet.
Slope - 0 to 25 percent.
Parent material - alluvium or colluvium derived mainly from limestone, but also from other rocks that contain large amounts of calcium carbonate.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 14 to 19 inches.
Mean annual temperature - 39 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 80 to 125 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability to the 2Bk3 horizons and moderately rapid permeability below.
USE AND VEGETATION: Judith soils are used mainly for dryland crops, pasture, and rangeland; some areas are used for irrigated crops. Potential native vegetation is mainly green needlegrass, western wheatgrass, needleandthread, blue grama, prairie junegrass, forbs, and shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Judith soils are extensive mainly in central Montana. MLRAs 43B, 44B, 46, 53A, and 58A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Reconnaissance Soil Survey of Central Montana, 1946.
REMARKS: Soil interpretation records: MT0104, MT0145, MT1075, MT0718, MT0219.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from the soil surface to 9 inches (Ap, Bw horizons)
Calcic horizon - from 9 to 83 inches (Bk1, Bk2, 2Bk3, 2Bk4 horizons)
Particle-size control section - from 10 to 40 inches (Bk1, Bk2, and part of the 2Bk3 horizon).
Judith soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
The 1/2013 description reflects a correction to gravel content in the 2Bk3 horizon. The OSD typical pedon listed 65 percent gravel while the original description from Fergus County reflected 50 percent gravel. The Judith series should be investigated in the future to determine whether it is typically fine-loamy or loamy-skeletal.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.