LOCATION PHILLCHER MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Andic Haplocryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Phillcher ashy silt loam, forested (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
0i--0 inches to 2; undecomposed and slightly decomposed forest litter.
Bw1--2 to 12 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) ashy silt loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; 10 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 14 inches thick)
2Bw2--12 to 26 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) very gravelly sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; 5 percent cobbles, 45 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 28 inches thick)
2C--26 to 62 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) extremely gravelly sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; 10 percent cobbles, 55 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Missoula County, Montana; 1,000 feet west of the E 1/4 corner of sec. 12, T. 17 N., R. 17 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 35 to 38 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 8 and 24 inches.
Some pedons have a thin E horizon above the Bw1 horizon.
Bw1 horizon - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4, 5, or 6 dry; 2, 3, or 4 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Clay content: 5 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 35 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 5.1 to 6.0
Moist bulk density: 1.0 g/cc or less
Al + 1/2 Fe percent: greater than 1.0
2Bw2 horizon - Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR, or 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: sandy loam or loamy sand
Clay content: 0 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent--0 to 20 percent cobbles, 35 to 60 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 5.1 to 6.0
2C horizon - Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR, or 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Texture: sandy loam or loamy sand
Clay content: 0 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 60 to 80 percent--5 to 20 percent cobbles; 55 to 60 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 5.1 to 6.0
COMPETING SERIES:
Ashworth (MT) - has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Buhrig (WA) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; has a xeric moisture regime.
Buttoncreek (WA) - has a xeric moisture regime.
Devore (WA) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; has a xeric moisture regime F.
Finney (WA) - has a lithic contact at 40 to 60 inches.
Gatewall (WA) - has a xeric moisture regime; has compact glacial till at 18 to 30 inches.
Holloway (MT) - have an albic horizon; has horizon containing lamellae.
Hun (ID) - has a xeric moisture regime.
Moses (WA) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Otwin (OR) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; has a xeric moisture regime.
Petty (MT) - has horizon containing lamellae.
Prouty (WA) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Remmel (WA) - has a xeric moisture regime.
Rubycreek (ID) - has 2Bt horizon.
Rumsey (MT) - has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Surgh (WA) - has a lithic contact of gneiss at 40 to 60 inches; has a mean annual soil temperature warmer than 38 degrees F.
Sweetbutte (WA) - has a lithic contact at 40 to 60 inches; has a xeric moisture regime.
Venson (WA) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Waldbillig (MT) - has an albic horizon; has horizon containing lamellae.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform- mountains, basins, and in valley trains.
Elevation - 5,600 to 9,100 feet.
Slope - 4 to 80 percent.
Parent material - volcanic ash over colluvium and glacial drift derived from argillite and quartzite.
Climate - long, cold winters, moist springs, cool summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 26 to 80 inches.
Mean annual temperature - 33 to 36 degrees F.
Frost-free period - less than 40 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Phillcher soils are used as wildlife habitat and watershed. The native vegetation is subalpine fir, whitebark pine, Engelmann spruce, and lodgepole pine with an understory of common beargrass, grouse whortleberry, rusty menziesia, and smooth woodrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Phillcher soils are of moderate extent in western Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Missoula County, Montana, 1985
REMARKS: Soil interpretation record: MT0847. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: an ochric epipedon from the soil surface to 7 inches (Bw horizon); a cambic horizon from 10 to 24 inches (2Bw horizon); an ash influenced layer from the soil surface to 10 inches that has a moist bulk density of 1.0 g/cc or less (Bw horizon); a particle-size control section from 10 to 40 inches (2Bw, 2C horizons). Phillcher soils have a cryic temperature regime and a udic moisture regime.
The 3/2008 description reflects a change in classification from Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Andic Eutrocryepts to Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Andic Haplocryepts due to revision of the cryepts great groups and subgroups. The competing series section was not updated and should be reviewed after all the cryepts have been re-classified.