LOCATION KELMBECK                MT

Established Series
REV. GFB-KTS-RJS
01/2012

KELMBECK SERIES

The Kelmbeck series consists of very shallow, well drained soils that formed in colluvium and residuum derived from limestone and dolomite. These soils occur on hills, mountain slopes and ridges. Slopes are 15 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 300 mm, and the mean annual air temperature is about 6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, frigid Aridic Lithic Ustorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Kelmbeck very gravelly loam, on a southeast facing, convex, 28 percent slope in rangeland at an elevation of 1837 meters (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

A--0 to 5 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 30 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; violently effervescent; finely disseminated calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 cm thick)

C--5 to 15 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 40 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles; violently effervescent; finely disseminated calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 18 cm thick)

R--15 to 152 cm; indurated limestone bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Beaverhead County, Montana; about 5 miles south of Clark Canyon Dam; located 1900 feet south and 1250 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 5, T. 7S. R. 12W. Red Rock topographic quadrangle. UTM 12T, 354768e, 4971482n, NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 5 to 8 degrees C.
Depth to a lithic contact - 10 to 25 cm
Particle-size control section - averages greater than 40 percent calcium carbonate by weight

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR; dry or moist
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--30 to 50 percent gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 35 to 60 percent, including coarse fragments less than 20 mm in size
Reaction: pH 8.1 to 8.4

C horizons
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR; dry or moist
Value: 6 to 8 dry; 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Rock Fragments: 35 to 80 percent--35 to 60 percent gravel, 0 to 25 percent cobbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 40 to 60 percent, including coarse fragments less than 20 mm in size
Reaction: pH 8.1 to 8.4

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - hills, mountain slopes and ridges
Elevation - 1775 to 2075 meters
Slope - 15 to 60 percent
Parent material - colluvium and residuum derived from limestone and dolomite
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers
Mean annual precipitation - 250 to 360 mm
Mean annual air temperature - 4 to 7 degrees C.
Frost-free period - 70 to 90 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Kelmbeck soils are used mainly for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Potential native vegetation is mainly curlleaf mountain mahogany, black sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, Indian ricegrass, and other miscellaneous forbs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kelmbeck soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana. MLRA - 43B.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Horse Prairie-South Valley Area - Part of Beaverhead County, Montana, 2011; proposed in Beaverhead County, Montana, 2008.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - from 0 to 5 cm (A horizon)
Lithic contact - at 15 cm (R horizon)
Particle-size control section - from 0 to 15 cm (A, C horizons)

Kelmbeck soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime bordering on aridic.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.