LOCATION MEDICINELODGE MT
Established Series
REV. JJU-RJS
01/2012
MEDICINELODGE SERIES
The Medicinelodge series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in clayey alluvium derived from mixed sources. These soils occur on flood-plain steps, stream terraces, drainageways, depressions and landslides. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 400 mm, and the mean annual air temperature is about 4 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic Typic Cryaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Medicinelodge silt loam, in rangeland on a 2 percent slope at an elevation of 2072 meters (colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--0 to 10 cm; slightly decomposed fibers and roots that texture to peat. (0 to 12 cm thick)
A-- 10 to 32 cm; black (10YR 2/1) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium and fine granular structure; moderately hard, very friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; many fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 25 cm thick)
Bw--32 to 46 cm; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; rigid, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; many fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 30 cm thick)
Bg--46 to 67 cm; dark greenish gray (5GY 4/1) clay, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; many medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) redox concentrations; strong coarse subangular blocky structure; rigid, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (20 to 35 cm thick)
Cg1--67 to 89 cm; dark greenish gray (10Y 4/1) clay loam, gray (10YR 6/1) dry; many medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) redox concentrations; massive; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (15 to 25 cm thick)
Cg2--89 to 152 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very gravelly sandy clay loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; many medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) redox concentrations; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 40 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Beaverhead County, Montana; located about 1900 feet north and 500 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 9, T. 11S, R. 8W; Beech Creek topographic quadrangle; UTM 12T, 374291e, 4971989n, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 1 to 4 degrees C.
Thickness of mollic epipedon - 18 to 49 cm
Depth to a seasonally high water table - 30 to 60 cm
Linear extensibility percent - averages less than 6.0 between 0 to 100 cm
Note: The Bw horizon can be part of the mollic epipedon. However, in this pedon it does not meet the rupture resistance requirement for a mollic epipedon.
A horizon
Value: 2 or 3 moist; 3 to 5 dry
Chroma: 1 or 2; moist or dry
Clay content: 20 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bw horizon
Value: 2 or 3 moist; 3 to 5 dry
Chroma: 1 or 2; moist or dry
Texture: clay loam or silty clay loam
Clay content: 27 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bg horizon
Hue: 10Y or 5GY moist; 10YR or 2.5Y dry
Value: 4 or 5 moist; 5 or 6 dry
Chroma: 1 or 2; moist or dry
Texture: clay loam, clay, silty clay loam or silty clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Cg1 horizon
Hue: 10Y or 5GY moist; 10YR or 2.5Y dry
Value: 4 or 5 moist; 5 or 6 dry
Chroma: 1 or 2; moist or dry
Texture: clay loam or silty clay loam
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Cg2 horizon
Value: 5 or 6 moist; 5 to 7 dry
Chroma: 1 or 2 moist; 2 or 3 dry
Texture: sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content: 27 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 45 percent--15 to 45 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES:
Cabarton (ID) - do not have a Bw or Bg horizon
Saladon (NM) - do not have a Bw or Bg horizon
Sawtelpeak (ID) - have a buried A horizon
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - flood-plain steps, stream terraces, drainageways, depressions and landslides
Elevation - 1980 to 2625 meters
Slope - 0 to 15 percent
Parent material - clayey alluvium derived from mixed sources
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; short warm summers
Mean annual precipitation - 380 to 900 mm
Mean annual air temperature - 1 to 4 degrees C.
Frost-free period - 30 to 70 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Medicinelodge soils are used mainly for irrigated pasture and rangeland. The vegetation is mainly meadow foxtail, timothy, tufted hairgrass, bluegrasses, and other miscellaneous sedges, rushes and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Medicinelodge soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana. MLRAs - 43B, 44B.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Horse Prairie-South Valley Area - Part of Beaverhead County, Montana, 2011; proposed in Beaverhead County, Montana, 2009.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 10 to 46 cm (A horizon)
Redoximorphic features - from 46 to 152 cm (Bg, Cg1, Cg2 horizons)
Particle-size control section - from 35 to 110 cm (part of Bw, Bg, Cg1, part of the Cg2 horizons)
Medicinelodge soils have a cryic temperature regime and an aquic moisture regime.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.