LOCATION MCCABE             MT 
Established Series
Rev. HAL-JAL
6/97

MCCABE SERIES


The Mccabe series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium. These soils are on flood plains. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 15 inches, and mean annual air temperature is about 41 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, nonacid, frigid Aeric Fluvaquents

TYPICAL PEDON: Mccabe loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, in pasture (colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted).

A--0 to 2 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate medium granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)

C1--2 to 4 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)

C2--4 to 9 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate medium granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

C3--9 to 16 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy loam consisting of strata of loam, fine sandy loam and sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; many medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8), brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) dry redox concentrations; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)

C4--16 to 36 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam consisting of strata of loam and fine sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; many medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8), brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) dry redox concentrations; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; few fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 27 inches thick)

2C5--36 to 60 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very gravelly loamy sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry, single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 20 percent cobbles, 35 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Granite County, Montana; 100 feet east and 2,350 feet south of the NW corner of sec. 22, T. 11 N., R. 15 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS;

Soil temperature - 41 to 46 degrees F.

Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.

Depth to seasonal high water table - 12 to 24 inches.

A horizon - Value: 2, 3, 4, or 5 moist; 4, 5 or 6 dry

Chroma: 1 or 2

Clay content: 10 to 25 percent

Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 10 percent

Reaction: pH 5.1 to 8.4

C1, C2 horizons - Value: 3, 4, 5, or 6 moist; 5, 6, or 7 dry

Chroma: 1 or 2

Texture: loam, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam

Clay content: 10 to 18 percent, with less than 50 percent fine sand and coarser

Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent pebbles

Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 15 percent

Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4

C3, C4 horizons - Value: 3 or 4 moist; 5 or 6 dry

Chroma: 1, 2, or 3

Redox concentrations: Hue--10YR or 2.5YR; Value--5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist; Chroma--4, 5, 6, or 8

Texture: loam, very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, and sandy loam

Clay content: 5 to 18 percent, with less than 50 percent fine sand and coarser

Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent pebbles

Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 15 percent

Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4

2C5 horizon - Value: 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry

Chroma: 1 or 2

Texture: loamy sand, loamy coarse sand or sand

Clay content: 0 to 10 percent

Rock fragments: 40 to 70 percent--15 to 25 percent cobbles, 25 to 45 percent pebbles

Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 15 percent

Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:

Landform - flood plains.

Elevation - 3,600 to 5,800 feet.

Slope- 0 to 2 percent.

Parent material - alluvium.

Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; warm summers.

Mean annual precipitation - 10 to 19 inches.

Mean annual air temperature - 39 to 45 degrees F.

Frost-free period - 70 to 115 days.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; moderately rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Mccabe soils are primarily used for pasture. The potential native vegetation is mainly sedges, rushes, willows, alder, water birch, cottonwood, tall reedgrass, and tufted hairgrass.

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

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gallatin County, Montana, 1997; Series proposed: Granite County, Montana, 1994.

REMARKS: Soil interpretation record: MT1404. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a lithologic discontinuity at 36 inches (2C5 horizon); a particle-size control section from 10 to 40 inches (C3, C4, 2C5 horizons). Mccabe soils have a frigid temperature regime and an aquic moisture regime.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.