LOCATION NULEY MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Calcidic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Nuley clay loam, cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak to moderate fine granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots throughout; many fine tubular pores and few fine void interstitial pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)
Bt--7 to 11 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many fine roots; common fine tubular pores; common to many distinct clay films on faces of peds; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 12 inches thick)
Bk1--11 to 15 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) sandy clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common to many fine roots; few fine tubular pores and few to common fine interstitial pores; 5 percent pebbles; disseminated lime; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
Bk2--15 to 24 inches; white (10YR 8/1) sandy loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common to many fine roots; common fine tubular pores; 5 percent pebbles; disseminated lime; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
2C--24 to 50 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) gravelly coarse sand, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; very few very fine roots; common fine and medium interstitial pores; 25 percent pebbles; moderately effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual irregular boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)
R--50 inches; granitic gneiss bedrock. TYPE LOCATION: Madison County, Montana; 2,000 feet west and 25 feet north of the SE corner of sec. 16, T. 1 S., R. 1 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: 41 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section: between 4 and 12 inches
Depth to Bk horizon: 10 to 15 inches
Depth to bedrock: 40 to 60 inches
A horizon - Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y
Value: 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: clay loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
Bt horizon - Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: clay loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
Bk1 horizon - Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 6, 7, or 8 dry; 5, 6, or 7 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, 3, or 4
Texture: loam, clay loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 30 percent
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
Bk2 horizon - Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y
Value: 6, 7, or 8 dry; 5, 6, or 7 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, 3, or 4
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 20 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 30 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
2C horizon - Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y
Value: 4, 5 or 6 dry; 3, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: coarse sand or loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 25 to 35 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Cortyzac (CO) - are very deep.
Emlin (CO) - are very deep.
Morval (NM) - are very deep.
Notter (UT) - are very deep.
Varney (MT) - are very deep.
Villa Grove (CO) - are very deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - hills and bedrock floored plains
Elevation - 4,200 to 6,000 feet.
Slope - 0 to 60 percent.
Parent material - material derived from igneous or metamorphic rock.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm dry summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 10 to 14 inches.
Mean annual temperature - 38 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 90 to 120 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability in the upper 20 to 40 inches and rapid or moderately rapid below.
USE AND VEGETATION: Nuley soils are used mainly for rangeland. Some areas are used for dryland small grain. The potential native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, needleandthread, western wheatgrass, green needlegrass, and prairie junegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Montana. Nuley soils are moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Madison County, Montana, 1983.
REMARKS: Soil Interpretation Record: MT0329. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a mollic epipedon from the surface to 7 inches (Ap horizon); and argillic horizon from 7 to 11 inches (Bt horizon); a calcic horizon from 11 to 24 inches (Bk horizons); a lithologic discontinuity at 24 inches (2C horizon); a lithic contact at 50 inches (R horizon). Nuley soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime bordering on aridic.