LOCATION POVERTY                 MT

Established Series
Rev. EMR/JMS/JCK
06/2012

POVERTY SERIES


The Poverty series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium or outwash derived from granite and gneiss. These soils are in drainageways and on outwash fans. Slopes are 0 to 4 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 368 mm, and mean annual temperature is about 6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Aeric Endoaquents

TYPICAL PEDON: Poverty cobbly sandy loam, in pasture on a 3 percent slope at 1,109 meters elevation (colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted).

Oe--0 to 3 cm; moderately decomposed organic matter. (0 to 10 cm thick)

A--3 to 13 cm; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) cobbly sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and few medium roots; many fine tubular pores; 5 percent medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) redox concentrations; 5 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 15 cm thick)

Bw--13 to 25 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) cobbly sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; common fine interstitial pores; 30 percent medium prominent brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) redox concentrations; 5 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 15 cm thick)

C1--25 to 36 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very cobbly sandy loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; many fine irregular and interstitial pores; 40 percent medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) redox concentrations; 15 percent gravel, 25 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 20 cm thick)

C2--36 to 48 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very cobbly loamy sand, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; many fine irregular and interstitial pores; 15 percent medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) redox concentrations; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear smooth boundary.

C3--48 to 152 cm; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) very cobbly loamy coarse sand, light gray (2.5Y 7/2) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; many fine irregular and interstitial pores; 10 percent medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) redox concentrations; 25 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8).

TYPE LOCATION: Hamilton North topographic quadrangle, Ravalli County, Montana; 120 meters north and 780 meters west of the SE corner of section 11, T. 7 N., R. 21 W. UTM Zone 11: 716370e, 5139207n, NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 5 to 8 degrees C
Depth to seasonal high water table - 30 to 60 cm for extended periods during late spring or early summer
Depth to sandy-skeletal material - 7 to 53 cm

A horizon
Value: 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam or loam
Clay content: 10 to 16 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles, 0 to 15 percent stones
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3

Bw horizon (where present)
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 moist; 6 or 7 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam or loamy sand
Clay content: 6 to 14 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent--0 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles, 0 to 15 percent stones
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 6.6

C1 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 moist; 6 or 7 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, or loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 2 to 12 percent
Rock fragments: 30 to 60 percent--15 to 35 percent gravel, 10 to 40 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 6.5

C2 and C3 horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6 moist; 6 or 7 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture: loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, or coarse sand
Clay content: 0 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent--15 to 75 percent gravel, 10 to 40 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 6.5

COMPETING SERIES:
Sandur (OR) - have horizons of strong gleying; have hues redder than 10YR

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - drainageways and outwash fans
Elevation - 980 to 1,410 meters
Slope - 0 to 4 percent
Parent material - alluvium and outwash
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers
Mean annual precipitation - 330 to 432 millimeters
Mean annual air temperature - 4 to 7 degrees C
Frost-free period - 80 to 105 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; moderately rapid permeability to 36 cm, rapid and very rapid below.

USE AND VEGETATION: Poverty soils are used mainly for wildlife habitat, rangeland, and pasture. Some areas dry out sufficiently to permit the harvesting of hay in late summer. Native vegetation is mainly tall reedgrass, mannagrass, tufted hairgrass, willow, and mountain rush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Poverty soils are of small extent in mountain valleys of western Montana. MLRA 44A.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ravalli County (Bitterroot Valley Area), Montana, 1952.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - from the soil surface to 13 cm (Oe and A horizons)
Redox concentrations - from 3 to 152 cm (A, Bw, C1, C2, and C3 horizons)
Aeric subgroup feature: moist color of 10YR 5/2 from - 28 to 75 cm (part of the C1, C2, and part of the C3 horizons)
Particle-size control section - from 28 to 103 cm (part of the C1, C2, and part of the C3 horizons)

Poverty soils have a frigid temperature regime, an aquic moisture regime, and an aeric moisture subclass.

This description reflects an update in classification from Sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Typic Endoaquepts to Sandy skeletal, mixed, frigid Aeric Endoaquents. The type location has been moved and redescribed to current description standards.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.