LOCATION RELEEP MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Ustic Glossocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Releep cobbly sandy loam, very bouldery, in forest (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--2 inches to 0; partially decomposed needles, twigs, and leaves.
A--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) cobbly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and common fine roots; many very fine and fine pores; 15 percent cobbles, 15 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
E--4 to 11 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) cobbly sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine, common fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine pores; 15 percent cobbles, 15 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 15 inches thick)
Bt/E--11 to 16 inches; Bt part (70 percent) is light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) cobbly sandy clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; E part (30 percent) is light gray (2.5Y 7/2) cobbly coarse sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine and few medium roots; many very fine and few fine tubular and interstitial pores; many faint clay films bridging sand grains in Bt part; 15 percent cobbles, 5 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bt--16 to 29 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) cobbly sandy clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and few fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; many faint clay films bridging sand grains; 15 percent cobbles, 5 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 15 inches thick)
BC--29 to 38 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) gravelly sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular and interstitial pores; 20 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 15 inches thick)
Cr--38 to 46 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) decomposed granite bedrock (grus) that crushes to very gravelly loamy coarse sand; neutral (pH 6.8). (5 to 30 inches thick)
R--46+ inches; hard granite bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; 2,100 feet south and 2,600 feet west of the NE corner of sec. 18, T. 9 N., R. 3 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 38 to 42 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Depth to Cr horizon - 20 to 40 inches.
Depth to R horizon - 40 to 60 inches.
Surface stones and boulders - 0 to 3 percent
An E/Bt horizon is allowed.
A horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 10 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 10 to 35 percent--0 to 5 percent stones, 5 to 15 percent cobbles, 5 to 15 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
E horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, or 3
Texture: coarse sandy loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 10 to 35 percent--0 to 5 percent stones, 5 to 15 percent cobbles, 5 to 15 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bt/E horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: Bt part 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist; E part 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: Bt part 2, 3, or 4; E part 1, 2, or 3
Texture (mixed): coarse sandy loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 10 to 35 percent--5 to 20 percent cobbles, 5 to 15 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bt horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 10 to 35 percent--5 to 20 percent cobbles, 5 to 15 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
BC horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: coarse sandy loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 10 to 35 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles, 10 to 25 percent pebbles (mostly less than 7mm in diameter)
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES:
Franconi (MT) - has lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Uinta (WY) - does not have a lithic contact above 60 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - ridges and sideslopes of mountains.
Elevation - 5,500 to 7,500 feet.
Slope- 8 to 35 percent.
Parent material - residuum, slope alluvium and colluvium derived from coarse grained granitic bedrock.
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short cool summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 inches to 24 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 36 to 40 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 30 to 70 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Releep soils are primarily used for woodland, wildlife habitat, and watershed. The potential native vegetation is mainly lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir, pinegrass, russet buffaloberry, white spiraea, Kinnikinnick, heartleaf arnica, grouse whortleberry, clematis, raceme pussytoes, and woodland strawberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Releep soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Montana, 1998.
REMARKS: Soil interpretation record: MT3005. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: an ochric epipedon from the mineral surface to 11 inches (A, E horizons); an argillic horizon from 11 to 29 inches (Bt/E, Bt horizons); a particle-size control section from 11 to 29 inches (Bt/E, Bt horizons); a layer of decomposed granite (grus) from 38 to 46 inches (Cr horizon); hard granite bedrock at 46 inches (R horizon). Releep soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.