LOCATION LESIER MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Vitrandic Eutrudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Lesier gravelly ashy silt loam, forested (colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--0 to 1 inch; undecomposed and slightly decomposed forest litter.
A--1 to 2 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) gravelly ashy silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium and few coarse roots; volcanic ash component; 20 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
Bw--2 to 11 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly ashy silt loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium and few coarse roots; 20 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 11 inches thick)
2E--11 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and medium and few coarse roots; 10 percent cobbles, 30 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
2Bk1--18 to 35 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 8/3) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; common medium and coarse roots; 20 percent cobbles, 40 percent gravel; disseminated lime; common distinct lime coatings on undersides of rock fragments; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 17 inches thick)
2Bk2--35 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely cobbly sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 8/3) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few medium and coarse roots; 30 percent cobbles, 45 percent gravel; disseminated lime; many distinct lime coatings on undersides of rock fragments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Sanders County, Montana; 1500 feet east and 400 feet north of the southwest corner of section 23, T.25N., R.27W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Temperature - 43 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 8 and 24 inches.
A horizon - Value: 3, 4 or 5 dry, 2, 3 or 4 moist
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Bulk Density: 1.0 to 1.4 g/cc
Vocanic glass: 5 to 20 percent
Acid oxalate extractable Al + 1/2 Fe: 0.4 to 1.0 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 25 percent; 0 to 5 percent cobbles, 15 to 20 percent gravel
Reaction: 5.6 to 6.5
Bw horizon - Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4 moist
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Bulk density: 1.0 to 1.4 g/cc
Volcanic glass: 5 to 20 percent
Acid oxalate extractable Al + 1/2 Fe: 0.4 to 1.0 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 25 percent; 0 to 5 percent cobbles, 15 to 20 percent gravel
Reaction: 5.6 to 6.5
2E horizon - Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent; 10 to 25 percent cobbles and stones, 25 to 40 percent gravel
Reaction: 6.1 to 7.8
2Bk1 horizon - Value: 6, 7 or 8 dry, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 50 to 75 percent; 15 to 30 percent cobbles and stones, 35 to 40 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 35 percent
Reaction: 7.6 to 8.5
2Bk2 horizon - Value: 6, 7 or 8 dry, 5, 6 or 7 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loamy sand or sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 60 to 80 percent; 20 to 35 percent cobbles and stones, 40 to 45 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 35 percent
Reaction: 7.9 to 8.5
COMPETING SERIES:
Pleasantvalley (MT) does not have a horizon with secondary carbonate accumulation.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform- stream terraces, outwash terraces or moraines.
Elevation - 3,100 to 4,200 feet.
Slope - 2 to 30 percent.
Parent material - mixed alluvium, outwash or till.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual effective precipitation - 24 to 30 inches much of which falls as snow and spring rains.
Mean annual temperature - 38 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 70 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained, moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Lesier soils are used mainly for woodland, understory grazing, and wildlife habitat. Potential native vegetation is mainly ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, Douglas fir, western larch, and grand fir. Understory vegetation is mainly pinegrass, common snowberry, oceanspray, and other forbs, shrubs, and grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Lesier soils are of small extent in the valleys of northwestern Montana. MLRA 43A and 44A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sanders County, Montana 1997.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ash influenced layer - 1 to 11 inches (A, Bw horizons);
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 7 inches mixed (Oi, A, Bw horizons);
Calcic horizon - 18 to 60 inches (2Bk horizons);
Particle-size control section - 10 to 40 inches (2E, 2Bk1, 2Bk2 horizons).
Lesier soils have a udic moisture regime and a frigid temperature regime.
Soil Interpretation Record: MT1615.