LOCATION WICKES MT
Established Series
Rev. DES-RJS-EMM
02/2014
WICKES SERIES
The Wickes series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium, slope alluvium over residuum derived from hard fine grained sedimentary or fine grained igneous rock. These soils are on eroded fan remnants, escarpments, ridges, hillslopes and mountain slopes. Slopes are 2 to 70 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 400 mm, and mean annual air temperature is about 4.5 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Wickes very gravelly loam, stony, in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 20 cm inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and few fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 30 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (12 to 25 cm thick)
Bt1--20 to 38 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and few fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; common distinct brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; 30 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--38 to 61 cm; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) very cobbly loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; few faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent gravel and 30 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of Bt1 & Bt2 horizons - 20 to 48 cm)
Bk--61 to 76 cm; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) extremely cobbly loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; 25 percent gravel and 40 percent cobbles; common fine masses of calcium carbonate, common distinct calcium carbonate coatings on fragments; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6). (15 to 45 cm thick)
R--76 cm; dark gray (10YR 4/1) hard fine grained igneous bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; 670 meters south and 455 meters west of the northeast corner of sec. 16, T. 9 N., R. 3 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Annual soil temperature - 3.5 to 6.5 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 20 to 25 cm
Depth to argillic horizon - 12 to 25 cm
Depth to calcic horizon - 35 to 70 cm
Depth to a lithic contact - 50 to 100 cm
A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3; dry or moist
Clay content: 13 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 45 percent--5 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles, 0 to 10 percent stones
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bt horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 4 or 5; dry or moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: clay loam or loam
Clay content: 22 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--20 to 30 percent gravel, 10 to 30 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.8
Bk horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 5 to 8 dry; 4 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 70 percent--15 to 35 percent gravel, 20 to 40 percent cobbles, 0 to 10 percent stones
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 25 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Averett (UT) - are very deep
Bendire (CO) - do not have secondary carbonate accumulation
Blaincreek (MT) - do not have secondary carbonate accumulation
Borpark (CO) - are very deep
Crackerville (MT) - do not have secondary carbonate accumulation
Crampton (MT) - do not have secondary carbonate accumulation
Curecanti (CO) - are very deep
Ess (AZ) - are very deep
Hilger (MT) - are very deep
Holter (MT) - are very deep
Quinncreek (MT) - have hues of 7.5YR or redder in the argillic horizon
Sawbuck (MT) - do not have secondary carbonate accumulation
Sawicki (MT) - are very deep
Shawmut (MT) - are very deep
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - eroded fan remnants, escarpments, ridges, hillslopes and mountain slopes
Elevation - 1,225 to 1,850 meters
Slope - 2 to 70 percent
Parent material - colluvium, slope alluvium over residuum derived from hard fine grained sedimentary or fine grained igneous rock
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers
Mean annual precipitation - 360 to 485 mm
Mean annual air temperature - 2.5 to 6.5 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 70 to 115 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Wickes soils are primarily used for rangeland. The potential native vegetation is mainly rough fescue, Idaho fescue, Western wheatgrass, prairie junegrass, big sagebrush, rubber rabbitbrush, and Rocky Mountain juniper. Areas in woodland have an overstory of Douglas fir and ponderosa pine with an understory of Idaho fescue, rough fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, and Rocky Mountain juniper.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Wickes soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana. MLRAs - 43B, 44A and 46.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Montana, 1998.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 20 cm (A horizon)
Argillic horizon - from 20 to 61 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
Calcic horizon - from 61 to 76 cm (Bk horizon)
Lithic contact - at 76 cm (R horizon)
Particle-size control section from 20 to 61 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
Wickes soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
Additional Information: Soil interpretation records - MT1588, MT3061.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.