LOCATION QUIGG MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive Abruptic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Quigg loam, in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common fine interstitial pores; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)
E/Bt--7 to 17 inches; E part (85 percent): light gray (10YR 7/2) sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; Bt part (15 percent): light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common fine interstitial pores; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
Bt--17 to 29 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; strong very coarse columnar structure; extremely hard, very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common tongues of light gray (2.5Y 7/2),light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist albic material on upper vertical faces of peds; continuous prominant yellowish brown (10YR 5/4), dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist clay films on faces of peds; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 13 inches thick)
BC--29 to 38 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse platy structure; extremely hard, very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)
C1--38 to 45 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) silty clay, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; strong coarse platy structure; extremely hard, very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine pores; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy boundary.
C2--45 to 60 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) silty clay, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; strong coarse platy structure; extremely hard, very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine interstitial pores; slightly acid (ph 6.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Deer Lodge County, Montana; 1,500 feet west and 1,150 feet south of the NE corner of sec. 31, T. 1 N., R. 14 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 35 to 40 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature: 55 to 59 degrees F.
Moisture control section: between 4 and 12 inches.
Depth to argillic horizon: 8 to 19 inches.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 7 to 9 inches.
A horizon - Value: 3 or 4 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Clay content: 20 to 27 percent
Content of rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent (0 to 10 percent cobbles; 0 to 5 percent pebbles)
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
E/Bt horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: E part: 6 or 7 dry; 5 or 6 moist; Bt part: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: Bt part: 3 or 4
Clay content: 15 to 25 percent
Content of rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent (0 to 10 percent cobbles; 0 to 5 percent pebbles)
Reaction: 6.1 to 7.3
Bt horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, 3 or 4
Texture: sandy clay, silty clay or clay
Clay content: 35 to 60 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent (0 to 10 percent cobbles; 0 to 5 percent pebbles)
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
BC horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5, 6 or 7 dry; 4, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Texture: silty clay or clay
Clay content: 40 to 60 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent (0 to 10 percent cobbles; 0 to 5 percent pebbles)
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
C horizons - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5, 6 or 7 dry; 4, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Textures: silty clay, clay or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 30 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent (0 to 10 percent cobbles; 0 to 5 percent pebbles)
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES:
Eyerbow (MT) - has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - high stream terraces and alluvial fans.
Elevation - 5,700 to 6,900 feet.
Slope- 2 to 35 percent.
Parent material - alluvium.
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 22 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 34 to 39 degrees.
Frost free season - 30 to 70 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Quigg soils are used mainly for rangeland grazing and as wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is mainly three tip low sagebrush with Idaho fescue, baldhead sandwort, prairie junegrass and wild buckwheat.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Quigg soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Deerlodge County, Montana, 1999.
REMARKS: Soil interpretation record: MT1736. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a mollic epipedon from the soil surface to 7 inches (A horizon); a glossic horizon from 7 to 17 inches (E/Bt horizon); an argillic horizon from 17 to 29 inches (Bt horizon); a particle size control section from 17 to 29 inches (Bt horizon). Quigg soils have a cryic soil temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.