LOCATION NOVARY             MT+CO
Established Series
Rev. WDB-JAL
04/2000

NOVARY SERIES


The Novary series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium. These soils are on floodplains, drainageways, swales, and stream terraces. Slopes are 0 to 6 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 17 inches and mean annual temperature is about 40 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous Cumulic Cryaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Novary silt loam, native cover (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

A1--0 to 6 inches; dark gray (N 4/0) silt loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine crumb structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine to very fine and few medium roots; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.

A2--6 to 26 inches; gray (N 5/0) silt loam, few thin 1/4- to 1-inch bands of sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) and very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate thin platy structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of A horizons is 24 to 36 inches)

Cg1--26 to 32 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) stratified silt loam and silty clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; few fine faint pale olive (5Y 6/3) redox concentrations, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate medium platy structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; few fine masses of lime; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Cg2--32 to 42 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) stratified silt loam and silty clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; many fine distinct pale olive (5Y 6/4) redox concentrations, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; moderate medium platy structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

Cg3--42 to 60 inches; gray (5Y 6/1) gravelly clay loam, olive gray (5Y 5/2) moist; many coarse distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) redox concentrations, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) moist; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; 25 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Glacier County, Montana; 2,200 feet south and 30 feet east of the NW corner of sec. 36, T. 33 N., R. 10 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Mean annual soil temperature - 38 to 45 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature -
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 20 to 40 inches.
Depth to seasonal high water table - 6 to 24 inches.
Some pedons have an O horizon.
Some pedons have a 2Cg horizon of gravelly or very gravelly sandy loam, loamy sand or sand below 40 inches.

A horizons - Hue: N, 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: loam, silt loam or clay loam
Clay content: 8 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 10 percent stones or cobbles; 0 to 25 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4

Cg horizons - Hue: N, 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y
Value: 5, 6, 7 or 8 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, 3 or 4
Texture: loam, silt loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 15 percent stones or cobbles; 0 to 25 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:

Landform - flood plains, drainageways, stream terraces and swales.
Elevation - 4,200 to 7,500 feet.
Slope - 0 to 6 percent.
Parent material - alluvium.
Climate - long, cold winters; cool springs and summers. Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 25 inches.
Mean annual temperature - 37 to 41 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 50 to 70 days.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Novary soils are used mainly for native pasture of sedge, baltic rush, muhly, timothy and iris; some areas are cut for hay.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Novary soils are inextensive distributed along the major drainageways in the intermountain valleys of the northern Rocky Mountains and in south central Colorado.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Glacier County (Blackfeet Reservation-Cut Bank Area), Montana, 1969.

REMARKS: Soil Interpretations Record: MT0297. Novary soils have a cryic temperature regime and an aquic moisture regime.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.