LOCATION LISK MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Calciustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Lisk sandy loam, in grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 5 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sandy loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots and many very fine roots; common fine and very fine pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
Bw--5 to 15 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) sandy loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots and many very fine roots; common fine and many very fine pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (9 to 15 inches thick)
Bk1--15 to 30 inches; pale olive (5Y 6/3) sandy loam, olive (5Y 4/4) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots and many very fine roots; common fine and very fine pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (11 to 20 inches thick)
Bk2--30 to 41 inches; pale olive (5Y 6/3) sandy loam, olive (5Y 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots and common very fine roots; common fine and very fine pores; effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 15 inches)
2C--41 to 60 inches; light gray (5Y 7/2) loamy sand, light olive gray (5Y 6/2) moist; single grain, loose; few very fine roots; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: McCone County, Montana; 1575 feet east and 50 feet south of the NW corner of sec. 13, T. 20 N., R. 46 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section - approximately between the depths of 8 and 24 inches
Depth to Bk horizon - 14 to 20 inches
Depth to 2C horizon - 30 to 45 inches
A horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
Note: The A horizon does not meet the thickness requirements for a mollic epipedon when mixed to seven inches.
Bw horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5, 6 or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: sandy loam or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
Bk1 horizon - Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 5, 6, or 7 day; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: sandy loam or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
Bk2 horizon - Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Texture: sandy loam or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Calcium Carbonate Equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 9.0
Note: Some pedons include strata of loamy fine sand or loamy sand.
2C horizon - Hue: 10YR to 5Y
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: loamy sand or loamy fine sand
Clay content: 0 to 10 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Ambrant (MT) - have horizon containing lamellae; do not have horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Dast (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Kellygulch (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 38 inches.
Ramps (UT) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - swales, alluvial fans, hills, and sedimentary plains.
Elevation - 1,900 to 4,000 feet.
Slope- 2 to 40 percent.
Parent material - eolian material and sandy alluvium derived from weakly consolidated calcareous sandstone.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 12 to 16 inches, most of which falls in the spring and summer.
Mean annual temperature - 40 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 90 to 135 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Lisk soils are used mainly for range and nonirrigated crops. The potential native vegetation is prairie sandreed, little bluestem, thickspike wheatgrass, needleandthread, sedges and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Lisk soils are of small extent in the plains area of eastern Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: McCone County, Montana, 1981.
REMARKS: Soil Interpretations Record: MT0416. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
an ochric epipedon from the soil surface to 7 inches (A, Bw horizons); a cambic horizon from 5 to 15 inches (Bw horizon); accumulation of lime from 15 to 41 inches (Bk1, Bk2 horizons); a particle-size control section from 10 to 40 inches (Bw, Bk1, Bk2 horizons). Lisk soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.