LOCATION SHANLEY MT+CO
Established Series
Rev. HAL-JAL-EMM
01/2014
SHANLEY SERIES
The Shanley series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in alluvium or colluvium. These soils are on stream terraces, structural benches, hills, and mountains. Slopes are 4 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 17 inches and mean annual temperature is about 44 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Shanley gravelly loam, in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic, many very fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 5 percent cobbles, 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--6 to 15 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) very gravelly clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent cobbles, 30 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bt2--15 to 28 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent cobbles, 35 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 13 inches thick.)
Bt3--28 to 60 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent cobbles; 35 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Granite County, Montana; 2,600 feet south and 2,300 feet west of the NE corner of sec. 22, T. 7 N., R. 15 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 41 to 46 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 10 to 15 inches.
A horizon
Value - 3, 4, or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 1 or 2, dry or moist
Clay content - 18 to 27 percent
Rock fragments - 15 to 35 percent--0 to 5 percent stones, 2 to 10 percent cobbles, 10 to 20 percent gravel
Reaction - pH 6.4 to 7.3
Bt horizons
Hue - 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR
Value - 4, 5, or 6 dry, 3, 4, or 5 moist
Chroma - 2, 3, 4, or 6, dry or moist
Texture - clay loam or clay
Clay content - 35 to 60 percent clay
Rock fragments - 35 to 60 percent--0 to 20 percent stones, 10 to 25 percent cobbles, 15 to 35 percent gravel
Reaction - pH 6.4 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Borky (MT) - has a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Cebolleta (NM) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Rionutria (NM) - has a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Roy (MT) - has a horiozn of secondary carbonate accumulation; base of the argillic is at 40 inches or less.
Storyhill (MT) - has horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Verano (NM) - has a lithic contact at 60 to 80 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - stream terraces, structural benches, hills or mountains.
Elevation - 3,600 to 6,300 feet.
Slope - 4 to 60 percent.
Parent material - alluvium or colluvium.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm, dry summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 19 inches.
Mean annual temperature - 39 to 44 degrees F.
Frost free period - 70 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Shanley soils are used for rangeland. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, rough fescue, Richardsons needlegrass, big sagebrush, and lupine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Shanley soils are of moderate extent in southwestern Montana and Colorado. MLRA 43B, 44B, 46, and 48A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Granite County, Montana, 1997.
REMARKS: Soil interpretation record: MT1407.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the soil surface to 15 inches (A, Bt1 horizons)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 6 to 60 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3 horizons)
Particle-size control section - the zone from 6 to 26 inches (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Shanley soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.