LOCATION WALBERT MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, frigid, shallow Aridic Ustipsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Walbert coarse sandy loam, in pasture (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Ap--0 to 4 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) coarse sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many medium and fine roots; disseminated lime; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
C--4 to 16 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loamy coarse sand, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; very weak coarse prismatic structure; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and very fine roots; disseminated lime; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
Cr--16 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) semiconsolidated coarse grained sandstone that crushes to loamy coarse sand and coarse sand; slightly to strongly effervescent in cracks and along bedding planes.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; 1,100 feet east and 1,425 feet north of the SW corner of sec. 21, T. 2 N., R. 1 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 12 inches and the paralithic contact, dry in all parts of the moisture control section 40 percent or more of the cumulative days that the soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F. at 20 inches.
Depth to Cr horizon - 10 to 20 inches.
Some pedons have a weak Bw horizon.
A horizon - Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR
Value: 4, 5, or 6 dry; 3, 4, or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: coarse sandy loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 4 to 22 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent pebbles (mainly less than 3/8 inches in diameter)
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
C horizon - Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: loamy coarse sand or coarse sand
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent pebbles
Clay content: 4 to 10 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 10 percent
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
Cr horizon - Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Some pedons have thin lenses of hard coarse grained sandstone within the semiconsolidated beds.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - ridges, interfluves and sideslopes of hills.
Elevation - 4,000 to 5,500 feet.
Slope- 2 to 35 percent.
Parent material - residuum from semiconsolidated coarse grained sandstone.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm, dry summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 10 to 14 inches.
Mean annual temperature - 40 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 90 to 115 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: The Walbert soils are used for rangeland and pasture. Potential native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, needleandthread, Indian ricegrass, threadleaf sedge, pussytoes, ringed sagewort, and Hoods phlox.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Walbert soils are of minor extent in southwestern Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Montana, 1998.
REMARKS: Soil interpretation record: MT1265. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: an ochric epipedon from the surface to 7 inches (Ap and C horizons); a paralithic contact at 16 inches (Cr horizon). Walbert soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime that borders on aridic.