LOCATION RELYEA MT
Established Series
Rev. ADI-BDD-KLS
08/2022
RELYEA SERIES
The Relyea series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium and alluvium derived from limestone and calcareous argillite. These soils are on mountains and hills. Slopes are 8 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 640 mm and mean annual air temperature is about 3 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, mixed, superactive Eutric Glossocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Relyea gravelly loam, forested (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--0 to 5 cm; slightly decomposed forest litter.
E--5 to 13 cm; light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) gravelly loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, common medium, and coarse roots; many very fine and fine discontinuous irregular pores, and few very fine discontinuous tubular pores; 5 percent cobbles, 25 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 25 cm thick)
Bt/E--13 to 21 cm; Bt part (80 percent) is reddish brown (5YR 4/4) very gravelly clay loam, dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2) moist; E part (20 percent) is light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) very gravelly loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist tongues; texture mixed is very gravelly clay loam, moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine, fine, common medium, and coarse roots; many very fine and fine discontinuous irregular pores, and many very fine discontinuous tubular pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent cobbles, 35 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 15 cm thick)
Bt--21 to 44 cm; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) very gravelly clay loam, dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; many medium, common very fine, fine, and coarse roots; many very fine and fine discontinuous irregular pores, and many very fine discontinuous tubular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent cobbles, 30 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (20 to 80 cm thick)
Btk--44 to 77 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and few coarse roots; many very fine and fine discontinuous irregular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 15 percent cobbles, 35 percent pebbles; disseminated lime; continuous faint and distinct lime casts on under sides of coarse fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 38 cm thick)
Bk1--77 to 97 cm; pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) very gravelly loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak medium granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; few very fine discontinuous irregular pores; 20 percent cobbles, 40 percent pebbles; disseminated lime; continuous faint and distinct lime casts covering coarse fragments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 25 cm thick)
Bk2--97 to 158 cm; pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) extremely cobbly loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine discontinuous irregular pores; 30 percent cobbles, 40 percent pebbles; disseminated lime; continuous faint and distinct lime casts covering coarse fragments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Powell County, Montana; about 820 meters east and 580 meters south of the NW corner of sec. 2, T. 10 N., R. 9 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature--3 to 4 degrees C
Moisture control section--10 to 30 cm
Depth to Bk horizon--35 to 100 cm
Base saturation--greater than 50 percent throughout
A thin A horizon and an E/Bt horizon are allowed.
E horizon
Hue--10YR, 7.5YR, 5YR
Value--6 or 7 dry; 3, 4, or 5 moist
Chroma--2 or 3
Texture--loam, sandy clay loam, or silt loam
Clay content--20 to 27 percent
Rock fragment content--15 to 35 percent total; 0 to 10 percent stones and cobbles; 15 to 25 percent pebbles
Reaction--pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bt/E horizon
Hue--5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value--Bt part 4 or 5, E part 5, 6 or 7 dry; Bt part 3 or 4, E part 4 or 5 moist
Chroma--Bt part 2, 3, 4, or 6; E part 2 or 3
Texture--clay loam and silty clay loam (mixed)
Clay content--27 to 35 percent (mixed)
Rock fragment content--15 to 50 percent total; 5 to 15 percent stones and cobbles; 10 to 35 percent pebbles
Reaction--pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bt horizon
Hue--2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value--4, 5 or 6 dry; 3, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma--2, 3, 4, or 6
Texture--clay loam, clay, or silty clay loam
Clay content--35 to 50 percent
Rock fragment content--35 to 60 percent total; 5 to 20 percent stones and cobbles; 30 to 40 percent pebbles
Reaction--pH 6.1 to 7.8
Btk horizon
Hue--2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value--4, 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma--2, 3, 4, or 6
Texture--clay loam, clay, or silty clay loam
Clay content--27 to 45 percent
Rock fragment content--35 to 60 percent total; 10 to 20 percent stones and cobbles; 25 to 40 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent--5 to 15 percent
Reaction--pH 7.4 to 8.4
Bk1 horizon
Hue--7.5YR, 10YR
Value--6 or 7 dry; 5 or 6 moist
Chroma--2, 3, 4, or 6
Texture--loam or clay loam
Clay content--18 to 30 percent
Rock fragment content--40 to 75 percent total; 15 to 30 percent stones and cobbles; 25 to 45 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent--15 to 35 percent
Reaction--pH 7.9 to 8.4
Bk2 horizon
Hue--7.5YR, 10YR
Value--6 or 7 dry; 5 or 6 moist
Chroma--2, 3, 4, or 6
Texture--loam or clay loam
Clay content--18 to 30 percent
Rock fragment content--60 to 80 percent total; 20 to 35 percent stones and cobbles; 35 to 45 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent--15 to 35 percent
Reaction--pH 7.9 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform--mountains and hills
Elevation--1400 to 2375 meters
Slope--8 to 60 percent
Parent material--colluvium and alluvium derived from limestone and calcareous argillite
Climate--long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers
Mean annual precipitation--510 to 760 mm
Mean annual air temperature--2 to 3 degrees C
Frost-free period--30 to 70 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately slow permeability
USE AND VEGETATION: Relyea soils are used for timber production, watershed, and wildlife. The native vegetation is mainly Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, subalpine fir, pinegrass, heartleaf arnica, meadowrue, snowberry, spiraea, twinflower, elk sedge, blue huckleberry, and grouse whortleberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Relyea soils are of moderate extent in western and southwestern Montana; MLRA 43B
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Powell County, Montana, 1994
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--5 to 13 cm (E horizon)
Glossic horizon--13 to 21 cm (Bt/E horizon)
Argillic horizon--13 to 77 cm (Bt/E, Bt, Btk horizons)
Secondary calcium carbonate accumulation--44 to 158 cm (Btk, Bk1, Bk2 horizons)
Particle-size control section--13 to 63 cm (Bt/E and Bt horizons, and part of the Btk horizon)
Relyea soils have a cryic temperature regime and a udic soil moisture regime.
Converted to metric, updated formatting, and O horizons were updated to start at zero. 8/2022
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory Data S88MT-77-921; Soil interpretation record: MT1243
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.