LOCATION MEAGHER MT
Established Series
Rev. JB-WDB-RJS
11/2012
MEAGHER SERIES
The Meagher series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium or colluvium. These soils are on stream terraces, alluvial fans, fan remnants, eroded fan remnants and escarpments. Slopes are 0 to 35 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 400 mm and mean annual air temperature is about 5.0 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Meagher loam, 2 percent slope in nonirrigated cropland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Ap--0 to 15 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure parting to weak very fine granular; soft, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (12 to 20 cm thick)
Bt--15 to 38 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong medium prismatic structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular and interstitial pores; continuous distinct brown (10YR 5/3) clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 32 cm thick)
Bk1--38 to 74 cm; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium and coarse subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 5 percent gravel; finely disseminated calcium carbonate, many distinct and faint coatings of calcium carbonate on faces of peds, and common fine masses of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual smooth boundary. (20 to 50 cm thick)
2Bk2--74 to 152 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 40 percent gravel; finely disseminated calcium carbonate and continuous faint calcium carbonate coatings on gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Meagher County, Montana; 580 meters north and 15 meters west of the SE corner of sec. 35, T.8N, R.6E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 4.5 to 7.5 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 18 to 25 cm
Depth to calcic horizon - 28 to 50 cm
Depth to loamy-skeletal material - 50 to 90 cm
Note: Some pedons may have a 2C horizon below the calcic horizon.
A horizon
Value: 3 to 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 20 percent gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
Bt horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4; dry or moist
Texture: loam or clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
Bk1 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 7 or 8 dry; 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 40 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent--5 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
2Bk2 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 7 or 8 dry; 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: loam, sandy loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 10 to 25 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 40 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 70 percent--35 to 60 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
2C horizon (where present
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 7 or 8 dry; 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam or loamy sand
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 70 percent--35 to 60 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 7.6 to 8.0
COMPETING SERIES:
Absarook (MT) - moderately deep to a lithic contact
Archmesa (CO) - moderately deep to a lithic contact
Beartooth (MT) - has loamy-skeletal material directly underlying the argillic horizon
Beeno (WY) - moderately deep to a paralithic contact
Bielenberg (MT) - does not have a calcic horizon
Bitterroot (MT) - moderately deep to a paralithic contact
Bookcliff (UT) - deep to a lithic contact
Burtoner (MT) - moderately deep to a lithic contact
Clancy (MT) - moderately deep to a paralithic contact
Clasoil (MT) - does not have a calcic horizon
Dooley (MT) - does not have a calcic horizon
Doughty (MT) - does not have a lithologic discontinuity in the Bk horizon
Empedrado (CO) - does not have a loamy-skeletal discontinuity
Fairfield (MT) - does not have a loamy-skeletal discontinuity
Farnuf (MT) - does not have a calcic horizon
Farside (MT) - does not have a calcic horizon
Felor (SD) - does not have a calcic horizon
Greenway (SD) - does not have a calcic horizon
Gurney (SD) - moderately deep to a lithic contact
Hangdo (UT) - does not have a calcic horizon
Hoppers (MT) - moderately deep to a lithic contact
Howbert (CO) - does not have a loamy-skeletal discontinuity
Hyalite (MT) - does not have a calcic horizon
Jeffcity (MT) - moderately deep to a paralithic contact
Kokoruda (MT) - does not have a calcic horizon
Livona (ND) - does not have a calcic horizon
Martinsdale (MT) - does not have a loamy-skeletal discontinuity
Maudlin (CO) - moderately deep to a lithic contact
Moen (CO) - moderately deep to a lithic contact
Moento (CO) - moderately deep to a lithic contact
Pianohill (MT) - moderately deep to a lithic contact
Placerton (MT) - moderately deep to a paralithic contact
Reeder (ND) - moderately deep to a paralithic contact
Reedwest (MT) - moderately deep to a paralithic contact
Snakejohn (UT) - deep to a lithic contact
Sponseller (AZ) - does not have a calcic horizon
Trag (CO) - does not have a calcic horizon
Tragmon (CO) - does not have a calcic horizon
Trazuni (NM) - does not have a calcic horizon
Ulrant (WY) - deep to a lithic contact
Watne (MT) - does not have a loamy-skeletal discontinuity
Watrous (ND) - moderately deep to a lithic contact
Wemple (MT) - deep to a lithic contact
Williams (ND) - does not have a calcic horizon
Yegen (MT) - does not have a loamy-skeletal discontinuity
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - stream terraces, alluvial fans, fan remnants, eroded fan remnants and escarpments
Elevation - 1,150 to 1,825 meters
Parent material - alluvium or colluvium
Slope - 0 to 35 percent
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; short summers
Mean annual precipitation - 355 to 500 mm, most of which falls during spring and early summer
Mean annual air temperature - 3.0 to 6.0 degrees C.
Frost-free period - 70 to 120 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Meagher soils are used for rangeland and irrigated and nonirrigated cropland. The potential native vegetation is mainly rough fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, green needlegrass, western wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, prairie junegrass, forbs and shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Meagher soils are of small extent mainly in west-central Montana. MLRAs - 43B, 44A, 44B, 46.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gallatin County, Montana 1997; proposed Meagher County, Montana, 1991.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: Mollic epipedon - 0 to 18 cm, mixed (Ap, part of Bt horizons)
Argillic horizon - 15 to 38 cm (Bt horizon)
Calcic horizon - 38 to 152 cm (Bk1, 2Bk2 horizons)
Loamy-skeletal discontinuity - 74 to 152 cm (2Bk2 horizon)
Particle-size control section - 15 to 38 cm (Bt horizon).
Meagher soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
Additional Information: Soil interpretation records - MT1390, MT1391.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.