LOCATION TIECHUTE MT
Established Series
Rev. EMR/JMS/RJS
07/2013
TIECHUTE SERIES
The Tiechute series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils formed in mixed alluvium. These soils are on stream terraces and inset fans. Slopes are 0 to 4 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 330 mm, and mean annual temperature is about 6 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Aridic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Tiechute gravelly sandy loam, in rangeland on a 1 percent slope at 1,032 meters elevation (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise indicated.)
A--0 to 18 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; very friable, soft, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots and common medium roots; many fine irregular pores; 20 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual smooth boundary. (18 to 36 cm thick)
AC--18 to 30 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; very friable, soft, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and medium roots; common fine irregular pores; 30 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 15 cm thick)
C1--30 to 61 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very gravelly loamy sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; common fine interstitial pores; 35 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary.
C2--61 to 152 cm; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) extremely cobbly coarse sand, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; common fine interstitial pores; 40 percent gravel, 25 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Bing topographic quadrangle, Ravalli County, Montana; 10 meters north and 500 meters west of the SE corner of section 28, T. 8 N., R. 20 W. UTM Zone 11: 722844e, 5144162n, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 5 to 8 degrees C
Mollic epipedon thickness - 18 to 36 cm
Some pedons have an AB horizon in place of the AC horizon.
A horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3 dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam or loam
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 10 to 55 percent--10 to 45 percent gravel; 0 to 20 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
AC horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam or loamy sand
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 60 percent--15 to 50 percent gravel; 0 to 30 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
C horizon(s)
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: loamy sand, sand, loamy coarse sand or coarse sand
Clay content: 0 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 85 percent--25 to 65 percent gravel; 0 to 45 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
COMPETING SERIES:
Dominson (CO, UT) - have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation in the subsoil
Drygulch (MT) - are dominated by 2 to 10 mm sized rock fragments in the particle-size control section
Millpoint (MT) - have a Bw horizon
Vendome (MT) - have a cambic horizon; have horizons of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - stream terraces and inset fans
Elevation - 975 to 1,310 meters
Slope - 0 to 4 percent
Parent material - alluvium
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers
Mean annual precipitation - 305 to 380 mm, much of which falls as snow and as spring rain
Mean annual air temperature - 4 to 7 degrees C
Frost-free period - 90 to 120 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; moderate permeability to a depth of 30 cm, rapid and very rapid below.
USE AND VEGETATION: Tiechute soils are mainly used for irrigated pasture and hayland, or for dry-land pasture.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Tiechute soils are of small extent in valleys of western Montana. MLRA 44A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bitterroot Valley Area, Montana, 2013; proposed in Ravalli County, Montana, 2006.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 18 cm (A horizon)
Particle-size control section - from 25 to 100 cm (part of the
AC, C1, and part of the C2 horizons)
Tiechute soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime bordering on aridic.
Significant areas of Tiechute were previously mapped as Dominic series in the Bitterroot Valley Area.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.