LOCATION NISHON MT+SDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Typic Albaqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Nishon clay loam, cultivated (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Ap--0 to 7 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) light clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; weak thin platy structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many fine tubular pores; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
Btg1--7 to 9 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay, very dark gray (10R 3/1) moist; moderate fine columnar structure that parts to moderate medium and fine blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; many distinct coatings of albic material on most faces of peds; many faint clay films on faces of peds; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary.
Btg2--9 to 22 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) clay, dark gray (5Y 4/1) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine roots, with most roots between prisms; few tubular pores; many faint clay films on faces of peds; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (Combined Btg horizons 10 to 40 inches thick)
Bkg1--22 to 42 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) clay, dark gray (5Y 4/1) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium blocky; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; few fine nests lime; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary.
Bkg2--42 to 54 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) clay, olive (5Y 4/3) moist; weak prismatic structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common fine masses of lime; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of Bkg horizons is 15 to 35 inches thick)
Bkyg--54 to 60 inches; olive (5Y 5/3) light clay, olive (5Y 4/3) moist; massive; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common fine masses of lime; common fine seams of gypsum; disseminated lime; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Glacier County, Montana; 2,200 feet north and 100 feet east of the SW corner of sec. 32. T. 35 N., R. 5 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Depth to Bk horizon - 15 to 40 inches.
Depth to water table - 0 to 24 inches.
Till is at depths of 40 to 60 inches in some areas.
Some uncultivated areas have a thin A horizon with value of 3 moist.
Some pedons have a thin E horizon.
Some pedons have a C horizon.
Ap horizon - Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Redoximorphic features: none to common, distinct to prominent (10YR 5/3, 4/3 4/4) concentrations
Texture: loam, silt loam, or clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 8.4
Bt horizons - Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 4, 5, or 6 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 0, 1, or 2
Redoximorphic features: none to common, distinct to prominent (10YR 5/3, 4/3, 4/4 or 2.5Y 5/2, 5/3) concentrations
Texture: clay or silty clay
Clay content: 40 to 60 percent
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 9.0
Bk horizons - Hue: 2.5Y or 5Y
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 0, 1, 2, or 3
Redoximorphic features: none to common, distinct to prominent (10YR 4/4, 6/4 moist) concentrations
Texture: clay loam, clay, or silty clay
Clay content: 35 to 55 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: 7.4 to 9.0
Bky horizon - Hue: 2.5Y or 5Y
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Redoximorphic features: none to common, distinct to prominent (10YR 4/4, 6/4 moist) concentrations
Texture: clay loam, clay, or silty clay
Clay content: 35 to 55 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 12 percent
Gypsum: 1 to 3 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 9.0
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - closed depressions.
Elevation - 2,400 to 4,500 feet.
Slope- 0 to 2 percent.
Parent material - most of the alluvium was derived from the surrounding till.
Mean annual precipitation - 10 to 19 inches; most of which falls during spring and early summer.
Mean annual air temperature - 40 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 90 to 130 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; slow or very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Nishon soils are used for wildlife habitat, stock water, cropland, native hayland, and rangeland. Potential native vegetation is western wheatgrass, foxtail barley, slender wheatgrass, green needlegrass, sedges, and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Nishon soils are of moderate extent on the glaciated uplands in northern Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Glacier County (Blackfeet Reservation-Cut Bank area), Montana, 1969.
REMARKS: Soil interpretations records: MT0026 and MT1132.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: albic horizon - from the soil surface to 7 inches (Ap horizon); argillic horizon - from 7 to 22 inches that is also the particle-size control section (Btg1, Btg2 horizons); horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation - (Bkg1, Bkg2, Bkyg horizons). Nishon soils have a frigid temperature regime and an aquic moisture regime.