LOCATION MAIDEN MT
Established Series
Rev. DES-JAL-EMM
04/2014
MAIDEN SERIES
The Maiden series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium, slope alluvium and residuum derived from limestone. These soils are on are on sedimentary plains, escarpments, ridges, hills, and mountains. Slopes are 2 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 16 inches and mean annual temperature is about 40 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, frigid Typic Calciustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Maiden very gravelly loam, in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 4 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and very fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 5 percent cobbles, 35 percent gravel; disseminated lime; few faint coatings of lime on undersides of fragments; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt wavy boundary.
Ak--4 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; 15 percent cobbles, 40 percent gravel; disseminated lime; common fine masses of light gray (10YR 7/2) lime; few faint lime coatings on surface of fragments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of A horizons is 4 to 8 inches.)
Bk1--7 to 18 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) very cobbly loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many fine and very fine roots; common fine and many very fine interstitial and tubular pores; 25 percent cobbles, 30 percent gravel; disseminated lime; many medium masses and threads of very pale brown (10YR 8/2) lime; common distinct lime casts on surface of fragments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary.
Bk2--18 to 26 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very cobbly loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few to common very fine interstitial and tubular pores; 20 percent cobbles, 40 percent gravel; disseminated lime; many medium masses and threads of very pale brown (10YR 8/2) lime; many prominent lime casts on surface of fragments; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of Bk horizons is 15 to 25 inches.)
R--26 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) hard limestone.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; 900 feet south and 650 feet east of the NW corner of sec. 1, T. 1 N., R. 2 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 38 to 44 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 8 inches (mixed).
Depth to the Bk horizon - 5 to 8 inches.
Depth to bedrock - 20 to 40 inches.
Surface stones and boulders - 0 to 3 percent
Oi horizon present in some pedons
A horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Clay content: 14 to 27 percent
Texture - loam or silt loam
Rock fragments: 10 to 45 percent--0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones; 10 to 40 percent gravel
Rock fragments, surface cover: 0 to 3 percent stones or boulders
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
Bk horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5, 6, 7, or 8 dry; 5, 6, or 7 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Clay content: 10 to 25 percent
Texture - loam or silt loam
Rock fragments: 35 to 70 percent--5 to 25 percent cobbles and stones; 30 to 50 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 40 to 60 percent including rock fragments less than 20mm
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 9.0
COMPETING SERIES:
Andrews (NM) - Has hues of 7.5YR or 5YR in the A horizon. Has a 2R horizon.
Clyl (UT) - does not have a lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
Windham (MT) - does not have a lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - sedimentary plains, hills, escarpments, ridges and mountains.
Elevation - 4,400 to 6,000 feet.
Slope - 2 to 75 percent.
Parent material - colluvium, slope alluvium and residuum derived from limestone.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 19 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 38 to 42 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 70 to 105 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Maiden soils are used primarily for rangeland, woodland, and wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, Western wheatgrass, prairie junegrass, rubber rabbitbrush, Rocky Mountain juniper, and black sagebrush. Areas in woodland have an overstory of ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, or limber pine and an understory of bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, rough fescue, and Rocky Mountain juniper.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Maiden soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana. MLRAs 43B, 44B and 46.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fergus County, Montana 1941.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from the soil surface to 7 inches (A, Ak horizons)
Calcic horizon - from 7 to 26 inches (Bk1, Bk2 horizons)
Particle-size control section - from 10 to 26 inches (Bk1, Bk2 horizons)
Lithic contact - hard limestone bedrock at 26 inches (R horizon).
Soil interpretations record: MT0542.
Maiden soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.