LOCATION KURRIE             MT 
Established Series
Rev. PEM-JAL-RJS
01/2009

KURRIE SERIES


The Kurrie series consists of well drained soils that are deep to grus and hard granite bedrock. These soils formed in colluvium and slope alluvium from hard coarse grained granitic rock deposited over granite bedrock. These soils are on alluvial fans, ridges and mountains. Slopes are 15 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 22 inches, and mean annual air temperature is about 38 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Ustic Glossocryalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Kurrie very cobbly sandy loam, very bouldery, in forest (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

Oi--0 to 2 inches; partially decomposed needles, twigs and leaves.

A--2 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and few fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine pores; 20 percent cobbles and 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)

E--6 to 11 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) very cobbly sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine, and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine and fine pores; 5 percent stones, 20 percent cobbles, and 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)

E/Bt--11 to 25 inches; E part (80 percent) is light gray (2.5Y 7/2) very cobbly sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; B part (20 percent) is light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) very cobbly sandy clay loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and few fine, medium, and coarse roots; many very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; many faint clay films bridging sand grains in B part; 5 percent stones, 30 percent cobbles, and 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)

Bt--25 to 43 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) very cobbly sandy clay loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine, medium, and coarse roots; many very fine and few fine tubular pores; many faint clay films bridging sand grains; 30 percent cobbles and 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)

BC--43 to 48 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; many very fine and few fine tubular and interstitial pores; 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)

Cr--48 to 55 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) decomposed granite bedrock (grus) that crushes to gravelly coarse sand; neutral (pH 6.8). (5 to 18 inches thick)

R--55 inches; hard granite bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; 2100 feet south and 1500 feet west of the NE corner of sec. 18, T. 9 N., R. 3 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil Temperature - 38 to 42 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Depth to the Cr horizon - 40 to 58 inches.
Depth to R horizon - 43 to 60 inches.
Surface stones and boulders - 0 to 3 percent.
A Bt/E horizon is allowed.

The A horizon, when present, does not meet the thickness or color requirements of a mollic epipedon.

A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4, 5 or 6 dry; 3, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Texture: coarse sandy loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 10 to 60 percent--0 to 10 percent stones, 0 to 25 percent cobbles, 10 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3

E horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6, 7 or 8 dry, 4, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 1, 2 or 3
Texture: coarse sandy loam, sandy loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 10 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 20 to 60 percent--0 to 10 percent stones, 10 to 30 percent cobbles, 10 to 20 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3

E/Bt horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: E part: 6, 7 or 8 dry; 4, 5 or 6 moist
Bt part: 4, 5 or 6 dry; 3, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: E part: 1, 2, 3 or 4; Bt part: 2, 3 or 4
Texture (mixed): coarse sandy loam, sandy loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 10 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 20 to 60 percent--0 to 10 percent stones, 10 to 30 percent cobbles, 10 to 20 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3

Bt horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4, 5 or 6 dry, 3, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Texture: sandy loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--0 to 5 percent stones, 25 to 35 percent cobbles, 10 to 20 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3

BC horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Texture: coarse sandy loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 20 to 50 percent--0 to 10 percent cobbles, 20 to 40 percent gravel (mostly less than 10mm in diameter)
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3

COMPETING SERIES:

Gambler (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact above the lithic contact; formed in residuum and colluvium from basalt, andesite and trachyte.
Granile (CO) - does not have a lithic contact above 60 inches.
Kebler (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact above the lithic contact.
Larand (CO) - does not have a lithic contact above 60 inches.
Leadville (CO) - does not have a lithic contact above 60 inches.
Macfarlane (CO) - does not have a lithic contact above 60 inches.
Tuckerville (CO) - does not have a lithic contact above 60 inches.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:

Landform- alluvial fans, ridges and sideslopes of mountains.
Elevation - 5,500 to 7,000 feet.
Slope - 15 to 60 percent.
Parent material - slope alluvium and colluvium from hard coarse grained granitic rock deposited over granite bedrock.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; short, cool summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 24 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 36 to 40 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 30 to 70 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Kurrie soils are primarily used for woodland, wildlife habitat and watershed. The potential native vegetation is mainly lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir, pinegrass, russet buffaloberry, white spiraea, kinnikinnick, heartleaf arnica, grouse whortleberry, clematis, alumroot, raceme pussytoes, and woodland strawberry.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kurrie soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana.

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 - from 0 to 11 inches (Oi, A and E horizons);
Glossic horizon - from 11 to 25 inches (E/Bt horizon);
Argillic horizon - from 25 to 43 inches (Bt horizon);
Paralithic granite (grus) - from 48 to 55 inches (Cr horizon);
Lithic granite bedrock - 53 inches (R horizon); and a
Particle size control section - from 25 to 43 inches (Bt horizon).

Kurrie soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil interpretation records MT3078 and MT3079.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.