LOCATION RELEEP MT
Established Series
Rev. PEM-JAL-KLS
05/2023
RELEEP SERIES
The Releep series consists of well drained soils that are moderately deep to grus, and deep to hard granite bedrock. These soils formed in residuum, slope alluvium and colluvium derived from coarse grained granitic bedrock. These soils are on ridges and sideslopes of mountains and hills. Slopes are 8 to 35 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 560 mm, and mean annual air temperature is about 3 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Ustic Glossocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Releep cobbly sandy loam, very bouldery, in forest (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--0 to 5 cm; partially decomposed needles, twigs, and leaves.
A--5 to 15 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) cobbly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and common fine roots; many very fine and fine pores; 15 percent cobbles, 15 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 13 cm thick)
E--15 to 33 cm; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) cobbly sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine, common fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine pores; 15 percent cobbles, 15 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 38 cm thick)
Bt/E--33 to 46 cm; Bt part (70 percent) is light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) cobbly sandy clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; E part (30 percent) is light gray (2.5Y 7/2) cobbly coarse sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine and few medium roots; many very fine and few fine tubular and interstitial pores; many faint clay films bridging sand grains in Bt part; 15 percent cobbles, 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (13 to 25 cm thick)
Bt--46 to 79 cm; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) cobbly sandy clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and few fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; many faint clay films bridging sand grains; 15 percent cobbles, 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (18 to 38 cm thick)
BC--79 to 102 cm; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) gravelly sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular and interstitial pores; 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (18 to 38 cm thick)
Cr--102 to 122 cm; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) decomposed granite bedrock (grus) that crushes to very gravelly loamy coarse sand; neutral (pH 6.8). (13 to 76 cm thick)
R--122+ cm; hard granite bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; about 640 meters south and 795 meters west of the NE corner of sec. 18, T. 9 N., R. 3 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature--3 to 6 degrees C
Moisture control section--10 to 30 cm
Depth to Cr horizon--50 to 100 cm
Depth to R horizon--100 to 150 cm
Surface stones and boulders--0 to 3 percent
An E/Bt horizon is allowed.
A horizon
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y
Value--4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma--2, 3, or 4
Texture--coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, or sandy clay loam
Clay content--10 to 25 percent
Rock fragment content--10 to 35 percent; 0 to 5 percent stones, 5 to 15 percent cobbles, 5 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction--pH 6.1 to 7.3
E horizon
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y
Value--6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma--1, 2, or 3
Texture--coarse sandy loam or sandy loam
Clay content--10 to 20 percent
Rock fragment content--10 to 35 percent; 0 to 5 percent stones, 5 to 15 percent cobbles, 5 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction--pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bt/E horizon
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y
Value--Bt part 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist; E part 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma--Bt part 2, 3, or 4; E part 1, 2, or 3
Texture (mixed)--coarse sandy loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content--18 to 25 percent
Rock fragment content--10 to 35 percent; 5 to 20 percent cobbles, 5 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction--pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bt horizon
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y
Value--5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma--2, 3, or 4
Texture--sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Clay content--20 to 30 percent
Rock fragment content--10 to 35 percent; 5 to 20 percent cobbles, 5 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction--pH 6.1 to 7.3
BC horizon
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y
Value--5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma--2, 3, or 4
Texture--coarse sandy loam or sandy loam
Clay content--10 to 20 percent
Rock fragment content--10 to 35 percent; 0 to 5 percent cobbles, 10 to 25 percent gravel (mostly less than 7mm in diameter)
Reaction--pH 6.1 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES:
Franconi (MT) - are moderately deep to lithic contact
Uinta (WY) - do not have a lithic contact above 150 cm
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform--ridges and sideslopes of mountains
Elevation--1675 to 2275 meters
Slope--8 to 35 percent
Parent material--residuum, slope alluvium and colluvium derived from coarse-grained granitic bedrock
Climate--long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short cool summers
Mean annual precipitation--380 to 610 mm
Mean annual air temperature--2 to 4 degrees C
Frost-free period--30 to 70 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Releep soils are primarily used for woodland, wildlife habitat, and watershed. The potential native vegetation is mainly lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir, pinegrass, russet buffaloberry, white spiraea, Kinnikinnick, heartleaf arnica, grouse whortleberry, clematis, raceme pussytoes, and woodland strawberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Releep soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana; MLRA 43B.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Montana, 1998.
REMARKS: Soil interpretation record: MT3005.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--5 to 33 cm (A, E horizons)
Argillic horizon--33 to 79 cm (Bt/E, Bt horizons)
Layer of decomposed granite (grus)--102 to 122 cm (Cr horizon)
Hard granite bedrock--122 cm (R horizon)
Particle-size control section--33 to 79 cm (Bt/E, Bt horizons)
Releep soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic soil moisture regime.
Converted to metric and O horizons were updated to start at zero. Competing series section was not updated. 05/2023
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.