LOCATION WOLFTAIL MT
Tentative Series
Rev. PHO-JMS-RJS
05/2017
WOLFTAIL SERIES
The Wolftail series consists of shallow, very poorly drained soils that formed in volcanic ash mixed with alluvium over residuum from metasedimentary rock. These soils occur on drainageways on cirque platforms. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 1,475 mm, and mean annual air temperature is about 2.0 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy, glassy, nonacid Lithic Cryaquands
TYPICAL PEDON: Wolftail ashy silt loam, in meadows and open coniferous forest. This profile was described on a 12 percent slope at 2,185 meters elevation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 6 cm; black (10YR 2/1) ashy silt loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak very fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear smooth boundary.
Bw1--6 to 16 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/3) ashy silt loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/3) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear smooth boundary.
Bw2--16 to 24 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4) ashy silt loam, pink (7.5YR 7/4) dry; 20 percent medium distinct yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist, masses of oxidized iron on faces of peds; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.6); abrupt smooth boundary.
2Cg--24 to 34 cm; dark gray (5YR 4/1) extremely channery loam, gray (5YR 6/1) dry; 20 percent medium distinct yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist, masses of oxidized iron on faces of peds; massive; moderately sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout; 75 percent angular channers; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt smooth boundary.
2R--34 cm; hard metasedimentary rock.
TYPE LOCATION: Glacier County, Montana; located about 356 meters north and 93 meters east from the southwest corner of sec. 21, T. 34N., R. 16W; Logan Pass topographic quadrangle; Latitude - 48 degrees, 41 minutes, 8 seconds north; Longitude - 113 degrees, 43 minutes, 1 second west.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature -- 1.0 to 5.0 degrees C.
Depth to aquic condition -- 0 to 20 cm
Volcanic ash thickness -- 24 to 50 cm
Volcanic ash moist bulk density -- 0.65 to 0.90 g/cc
Volcanic glass content in the 0.02 to 2 mm fraction -- greater than 5 percent
Volcanic ash Al plus 1/2 Fe content (by ammonium oxalate) -- 2.0 percent or more
Depth to a lithic contact -- 25 to 45 cm
Oi
Thickness: 0 to 5 cm
A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR dry or moist
Value: 3 to 5 dry; 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 1 to 2 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2mm fraction): ashy silt loam or ashy loam
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel or channers
Reaction: pH 5.2 to 6.2
Thickness: 3 to 15 cm
Bw1, Bw2 horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR dry or moist
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2mm fraction): ashy silt loam or ashy loam
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel or channers
Reaction: pH 5.4 to 6.5
Thickness (Bw1, Bw2 combined): 15 to 35 cm
2Cg horizon
Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR or 5YR dry or moist
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 1 to 2 dry or moist
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent--45 to 75 percent gravel or channers; 0 to 5 percent cobbles or flagstones
Reaction: pH 5.4 to 6.5
Thickness: 5 to 12 cm
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform -- drainageways on cirque platforms
Elevation -- 1,800 to 2,400 meters
Slope -- 0 to 15 percent
Parent material -- volcanic ash mixed with alluvium over residuum from metasedimentary rock
Climate -- long, cold winters; moist springs; short warm summers
Mean annual precipitation -- 1,200 to 2,000 mm
Mean annual air temperature -- 0.0 to 4.0 degrees C.
Frost-free period -- 25 to 50 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained and moderate permeability (5 to 15 um/sec).
USE AND VEGETATION: Wolftail soils are used mainly for recreation and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is dominated by artic willow, bog laurel, Drummond's rush, mountain heath, smallwing sedge, shortstalk sedge and Rocky Mountain groundsel.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Wolftail soils are of small extent in northwestern Montana. MLRA 43A and 43B.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES PROPOSED: Glacier National Park area in Glacier County, Montana, 2015.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and feature recognized in this pedon are:
Andic soil properties -- 0 to 24 cm (A, Bw1, Bw2 horizons)
Aquic conditions -- 0 to 34 cm (A, Bw1, Bw2, 2Cg horizons)
Lithic contact -- 34 cm (2R horizon)
Particle-size control section -- 0 to 34 cm (A, Bw1, Bw2, 2Cg horizons)
Wolftail soils have a cryic temperature regime and an aquic moisture regime.
Taxonomic version: Twelfth Edition, 2014
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.