LOCATION SHERRYL MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Glossic Natrustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Sherryl silt loam - native sod. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine crumb structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine roots and fine interstitial pores; noncalcareous; clear boundary.
A/B--3 to 6 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure that separates to weak fine granular structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine roots and fine interstitial pores; many uncoated sand and silt coatings on peds; noncalcareous; clear boundary.
Bt--6 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine roots; few uncoated sand and silt coatings on faces of peds; noncalcareous; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear boundary.
Ck--9 to 15 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 8/4) silt loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine roots; very strongly calcareous; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); gradual boundary.
C--15 to 60 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) silt loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine roots; very strongly calcareous; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); gradual boundary.
TYPE LOCATION: Granite County, Montana; 500 feet north and 800 feet east of W1/4 corner sec. 16, T.10N., R.12W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The solum is 6 to 10 inches thick. Rock fragments comprising up to 20 percent of the volume occur at various depths in the profile. The hue is 10YR or 2.5Y. Mean annual soil temperature is 45 to 47 degrees F. and average summer soil temperature is about 60 degrees F.
The A1 horizon has dry value of 4 or 5 and the surface seven inches mixed and rubbed has value less than 5.5 dry and 3.5 moist.
The B2t horizon is silty clay loam with 27 to 35 percent clay and less than 15 percent fine and coarser sands. It is strongly to very strongly alkaline with estimated 10 to 15 percent exchangeable sodium.
The Cca and C2 horizons are strongly to very strongly alkaline and have an estimated 15 to 20 percent exchangeable sodium within a depth of 30 inches. The Cca horizon has estimated CaC03 equivalent of 20 to 30 percent and the C2 horizon has 15 to 20 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Alkabo series. Alkabo soils have solums more than 10 inches thick.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Sherryl soils are on gentle slopes and fans at elevations ranging from 4,500 to 5,000 feet. Mean annual precipitation is 12 to 14 inches. Mean annual temperature is less than 45 degrees F. and mean summer temperature is near 60 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bitterroot and Coben soils. Bitterroot soils have bedrock at depths of less than 40 inches and Coben soils have gray-capped columnar silty clay B2t horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Sherryl soils are used for range. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, Sandberg bluegrass, fringed sagewort and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountain valleys of southwestern Montana. The series is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Granite County (Philipsburg-Drummond Area), Montana, 1972.