LOCATION MARTINSDALE MT+CO
Established Series
Rev. DES/BDD/SJJ
02/2017
MARTINSDALE SERIES
The Martinsdale series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium or colluvium. These soils are on alluvial fans, stream terraces, escarpments and hills. Slopes are 0 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 16 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 41 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Martinsdale gravelly loam, cultivated (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Ap--0 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; strong fine granular structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; 15 percent fine gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--6 to 10 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong fine and medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium blocky; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--10 to 14 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; strong fine and medium prismatic structure parting to weak fine granular; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine and very fine roots with some concentration between prisms; many distinct dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds; neutral (pH 7.3); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bt horizons is 5 to 18 inches.)
Btk--14 to 17 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common roots; few faint clay films on faces of peds; slightly effervescent; few fine masses of lime; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt broken boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
Bk1--17 to 36 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) sandy clay loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) moist; weak medium platy structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common roots in upper part, few in lower part; lime disseminated throughout as coarse common masses and as bands; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 22 inches thick)
Bk2--36 to 56 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; lime segregated in few fine threads and coarse masses; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 30 inches thick)
BC--56 to 66 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) gravelly sandy loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4). (0 to 15 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Wheatland County, Montana; 225 feet south of the NE corner of sec. 2, T. 6 N., R. 14 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 38 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches; moist in some or all parts April 1 to July 15, and September 1 to November 15. Dry July 15 to August 30.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 16 inches and includes all or part of the Bt1 horizon.
Depth to Bk horizon - 11 to 30 inches.
Soil phases - gravelly, cobbly substratum, cool, stony
Ap horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture: loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent--0 to 15 percent cobbles; 0 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
Bt1 horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4 dry or moist
Texture: sandy clay loam, loam, clay loam
Clay content: 24 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles; 0 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
Bt2 horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4, 5, or 6 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture: loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles; 0 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
Btk horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4, 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture: loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam, or sandy loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 9.0
Bk1, Bk2, BCk (when present) horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6, 7, or 8 dry; 4, 5, 6, or 7 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4 dry or moist
Texture: loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam, or sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 35 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 15 percent cobbles; 0 to 20 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 9.0
BC or C horizon
Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR
Value: 5, 6, 7, or 8 dry; 4, 5, 6, or 7 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4 dry or moist
Texture: loam, sandy loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 15 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 60 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles; 0 to 55 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 20 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 9.0
COMPETING SERIES:
Absarook (MT) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Beartooth (MT) - has more than 35 percent rock fragments in the Bk horizon and below.
Beeno (WY) - has a paralithic contact between depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Bielenberg (MT) - does not have carbonates.
Bookcliff (UT) - underlain by lithic bedrock at a depth of 40 to 60 inches and has a frost-free period of 60 to 90 days.
Burtoner (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 38 inches.
Clancy (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Clasoil (MT) - does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Dooley (MT) - has a discontinuity of till at depths of 20 to 40 inches; till has a bulk density of 1.55 to 1.75 grams/cubic centimeter.
Empedrado (CO) - lack a calcic horizon.
Fairfield (MT) - has the base of the argillic horizon mainly shallower than 10 inches.
Farnuf (MT) - lack a calcic horizon.
Felor (SD) - has a discontinuity of silty clay at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Greenway (SD) - has a high bulk density till substratum.
Gurney (SD) - has a high bulk density till substratum.
Hangdo (UT) - lack carbonates above a depth of 40 inches.
Hoppers (MT) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Howbert (CO) - is moist in some or all parts July 15 to August 30.
Hyalite (MT) - lack carbonates above a depth of 40 inches.
Jeffcity (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Kokoruda (MT) - does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Livona (ND) - has a high bulk density till substratum.
Maudlin (CO) - has a high bulk density till substratum.
Meagher (MT) - has a discontinuity of loamy-skeletal material above a depth of 60 inches.
Moen (CO) - has a high bulk density till substratum.
Pianohill (MT) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Placerton (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Reeder (ND) - has a paralithic contact between depths of 20 to 40 inches.
Reedwest (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Snakejohn (UT) - has a lithic contact at 40 to 60 inches.
Sponseller (AZ) - has hues redder than 10YR throughout the soil.
Tragmon (CO) - noncalcareous throughout the profile.
Trazuni (NM) - does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Ulrant (WY) - has mixed AB or BA horizons; more than 40 percent calcium carbonate in the Bk horizon.
Vida (MT) - formed in till; till has a bulk density of 1.55 to 1.75 grams/cubic centimeter.
Watne (MT) - has silt loam or silty clay loam argillic horizons.
Watrous (ND) - has a high bulk density till substratum.
Williams (ND) - has a high bulk density till substratum.
Yegen (MT) - does not have a calcic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - alluvial fans; stream terraces; escarpments; foot slopes of hills and mountains; uplands mantled with old alluvium.
Elevation - 3,000 to 6,600 feet. (In Colorado the elevation is 6,800 to 8,200 feet)
Slope - 0 to 60 percent.
Parent material - alluvium; colluvium.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; and warm, dry summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 14 to 19 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 36 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 70 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for production of irrigated and nonirrigated small grain and alfalfa crops. Potential native vegetation is mainly needleandthread, western wheatgrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, prairie junegrass, blue grama, forbs, and some shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Widely distributed over state of Montana and in Colorado. Series is extensive. MLRAs 58A, 43B, 44B, and 46.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Upper Musselshell Valley Area, Montana, 1941.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the soil surface to 7 inches, mixed (Ap, Bt1 horizon)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 6 to 14 inches (Bt1, Bt2 horizons) which is also the particle-size control section
Calcic horizon - the zone from 14 to 56 inches (Bk1, Bk2, Bk3 horizons)
Martinsdale soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime. (The dry period in the summer months is almost long enough to be xeric, but as described still fits the concept of ustic.)
Soil interpretation records: MT0234, MT0299, MT1042, MT1129, MT1286.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory samples S57MT-107-5, 574MT-5-2.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.