LOCATION ENBAR MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Cumulic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Enbar loam, grassland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A1--0 to 3 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine and very fine granular structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; many medium, fine, and very fine roots and few coarse roots; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary.
A2--3 to 16 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many fine and very fine roots and common medium roots; many fine and very fine pores; disseminated lime; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual wavy boundary.
A3--16 to 22 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; few fine faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) redox concentrations; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots and few medium roots; many fine and very fine pores; disseminated lime; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (Combined A horizons are 16 to 28 inches thick)
C--22 to 30 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; common fine faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) redox concentrations; weak fine and very fine blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common fine and very fine roots and few medium roots; many fine and very fine pores and few medium pores; few fine irregular masses of lime; disseminated lime; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); diffuse wavy boundary. (7 to 15 inches thick)
Cg1--30 to 43 inches; gray (5Y 6/1) loam with thin stratifications of fine sandy loam and clay loam, dark gray (5Y 4/1) moist; many fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) redox concentrations; weak fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots; many fine and very fine pores; 5 percent pebbles; disseminated lime; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt irregular boundary. (10 to 22 inches thick)
Cg2--43 to 51 inches; gray (5Y 6/1) loam, dark gray (5Y 4/1) moist; many fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many fine and very fine pores; 10 percent pebbles; disseminated lime; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 20 inches thick)
2C--51 to 61 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) extremely gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; common fine distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) redox concentrations; massive; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 75 percent pebbles; disseminated lime; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4). (0 to 10 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Fergus County, Montana; 756 feet east and 10 feet north of the SW corner of sec. 21, T. 15 N., R. 17 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 41 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches; not dry in all parts for 45 consecutive days.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 16 to 28 inches.
Depth to discontinuity - 40 to 60 inches.
Depth to seasonal water table - 24 to 42 inches.
A1 and A2 horizons - Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR
Value: 3, 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, 4, or 6
Texture: Loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Effervescence: none to strongly
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
A3 horizon - Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Redox concentrations: none to few 10YR 5/4 or 10YR 4/4
Texture: loam or clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 10 percent
Effervescence: slightly to strongly
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
C horizon - Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 4, 5, or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Redox concentrations: few to common, 10YR 5/4, 10YR 4/4 or 10YR 4/6
Texture: loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent
Effervescence: strongly or violently
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
Cg horizons - Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 4, 5, or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 0, 1, or 2
Redox concentrations: few to common, 10YR 3/4, 10YR 5/6, 10YR 6/6
Texture: loam or silty clay loam consisting of layers of sandy loam, silty clay loam, and clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent
Effervescence: strongly or violently
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
2C horizon - Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, or 3
Redox concentrations: few to common, 10YR 6/6 or 10YR 5/6
Texture: sandy loam or loamy sand
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles; 35 to 70 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent
Effervescence: strongly or violently
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Cordeston (WY) - is well drained; does not have redox concentrations; has hue of 7.5YR and redder below 20 inches.
Dalmation (CO) - does not have a lithologic discontinuity between 40 and 60 inches.
Jodero (CO) - does not have redox features above a depth of 40 inches; is well drained; is not calcareous throughout.
McGaffey (NM) - is well drained; has hues of 7.5YR and redder in the lower part of the control section.
Nutrioso (AZ) - is well drained; has a discontinuity in the particle-size control section.
Pinridge (CO) - is well drained; has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a gleyed horizon.
Straw (MT) - is well drained; does not have redox concentrations or a gleyed horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - flood plains; drainageways; stream terraces.
Elevation - 3,500 to 6,000 feet.
Slope - 0 to 15 percent.
Parent material - alluvium derived from mixed rock sources.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 14 to 22 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 37 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 70 to 125 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Enbar soils are used mainly for pasture, hay, and rangeland and to a lesser degree for cropland. Potential native vegetation is mainly slender wheatgrass, western wheatgrass, reed canarygrass, prairie cordgrass, American mannagrass, tall sedges, forbs, and shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Enbar soils are moderately extensive in central Montana and adjacent areas.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fergus County, Montana, 1979.
REMARKS: Soil interpretation record: MT0357, MT0821. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a mollic epipedon from the soil surface to 22 inches (A1, A2, A3 horizons); gleying from 30 to 51 inches (Cg1, Cg2 horizons); a discontinuity from 51 to 61 inches (2C horizon); a particle-size control section from 10 to 40 inches (A2, A3, C, Cg1 horizons). Enbar soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.