LOCATION NESDA MT+WY
Established Series
Rev. EH-JB-JCK
04/2021
NESDA SERIES
The Nesda series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in gravelly alluvium. These soils are on floodplains, flood-plain steps, and stream terraces. Slopes are 0 to 6 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 406 mm, and the mean annual temperature is about 6 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Fluventic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Nesda loam, in cropland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A1--0 to 15 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many very fine pores; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 25 cm thick)
A2--15 to 36 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many fine and very fine roots; many fine and very fine pores; 10 percent gravel; few fine threadlike and irregular, soft calcium carbonate masses; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (13 to 25 cm thick)
2C1--36 to 41 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly loamy sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain; loose; common fine and very fine roots; 35 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 41 cm thick)
2C2--41 to 117 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) extremely gravelly sand; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; single grain; loose; 70 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (51 to 102 cm thick)
2C3--117 to 152 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) extremely gravelly sand with thin layers of clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; single grain; loose; 80 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Fergus County, Montana; 341 meters east and 247 meters north of southwest corner of section 4, T. 15 N., R. 18 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 5 to 8 degrees C
Mollic epipedon thickness - 25 to 40 cm
Depth to lithologic discontinuity - 25 to 50 cm
A1, A2 horizons
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 3, 4, or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, or 3
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 65 percent--0 to 55 percent gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
2C1, 2C2 horizons
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 4, 5, 6, or 7 dry; 3, 4, or 5 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, 3, or 4
Texture: sand or loamy sand
Clay content: 0 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent--35 to 65 percent gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
2C3 horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 4, 5, 6, or 7 dry; 2, 3, or 4 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: sand or loamy sand that has thin strata of clay loam
Clay content: 0 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent--35 to 65 percent gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 10 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
Some pedons have a buried A horizon above a depth of 100 cm.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landforms - flood plains, flood-plain steps, and stream terraces
Elevation - 762 to 1,890 meters
Slope - 0 to 6 percent
Parent material - alluvium
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers
Mean annual precipitation - 330 to 559 mm, most of which falls during spring and early summer
Mean annual air temperature - 3.9 to 7.2 degrees C
Frost-free period - 70 to 130 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate over rapid and very rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Nesda soils are used mainly for range. Some areas are used for irrigated pasture and hay. The potential native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, needleandthread, prairie sandreed, forbs, and shrubs. There are low density stands of cottonwood trees in some places.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Nesda soils are of moderate extent throughout Montana and in north-central Wyoming. MLRAs - 43B, 44B, 46, 52, 58A, 58B.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Stillwater County, Montana, 1975.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 36 cm (A1 and A2 horizons)
Lithologic discontinuity - at 36 cm (2C1 horizon)
Particle-size control section - from 25 to 100 cm (part of the A2, 2C1, and 2C2 horizons)
Nesda soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
Note: Horizon designation, structure, and concentrations for the A2 horizon, need to be investigated at the type location and across the extent of the series.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil interpretations records - MT0183, MT0590, MT0685.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.