LOCATION RELYEA MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, mixed, superactive Eutric Glossocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Relyea gravelly loam, forested (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--2 inches to 0; slightly decomposed forest litter.
E--0 to 3 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) gravelly loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, common medium, and coarse roots; many very fine and fine discontinuous irregular pores, and few very fine discontinuous tubular pores; 5 percent cobbles, 25 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
Bt/E--3 to 6 inches; Bt part (80 percent) is reddish brown (5YR 4/4) very gravelly clay loam, dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2) moist; E part (20 percent) is light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) very gravelly loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist tongues; texture mixed is very gravelly clay loam, moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine, fine, common medium, and coarse roots; many very fine and fine discontinuous irregular pores, and many very fine discontinuous tubular pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent cobbles, 35 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bt--6 to 15 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) very gravelly clay loam, dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; many medium, common very fine, fine, and coarse roots; many very fine and fine discontinuous irregular pores, and many very fine discontinuous tubular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent cobbles, 30 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (9 to 32 inches thick)
Btk--15 to 28 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and few coarse roots; many very fine and fine discontinuous irregular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 15 percent cobbles, 35 percent pebbles; disseminated lime; continuous faint and distinct lime casts on under sides of coarse fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
Bk1--28 to 36 inches; pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) very gravelly loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak medium granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; few very fine discontinuous irregular pores; 20 percent cobbles, 40 percent pebbles; disseminated lime; continuous faint and distinct lime casts covering coarse fragments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary.
Bk2--36 to 60 inches; pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) extremely cobbly loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine discontinuous irregular pores; 30 percent cobbles, 40 percent pebbles; disseminated lime; continuous faint and distinct lime casts covering coarse fragments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Powell County, Montana; 2,700 feet east and 1,900 feet south of the NW corner of sec. 2, T. 10 N., R. 9 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 37 to 40 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Depth to Bk horizon - 13 to 40 inches.
Base saturation - greater than 50 percent throughout.
A thin A horizon and an E/Bt horizon are allowed.
E horizon - Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR, 5YR
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 3, 4, or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, or silt loam
Clay content: 20 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent--0 to 10 percent stones and cobbles; 15 to 25 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bt/E horizon - Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: Bt part 4 or 5, E part 5, 6 or 7 dry; Bt part 3 or 4, E part 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: Bt part 2, 3, 4, or 6; E part 2 or 3
Texture: clay loam and silty clay loam (mixed)
Clay content: 27 to 35 percent (mixed)
Rock fragments: 15 to 50 percent--5 to 15 percent stones and cobbles; 10 to 35 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bt horizon - Hue: 2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4, 5 or 6 dry; 3, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, 4, or 6
Texture: clay loam, clay, or silty clay loam
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--5 to 20 percent stones and cobbles; 30 to 40 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.8
Btk horizon - Hue: 2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4, 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, 4, or 6
Texture: clay loam, clay, or silty clay loam
Clay content: 27 to 45 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--10 to 20 percent stones and cobbles; 25 to 40 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
Bk1 horizon - Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, 4, or 6
Texture: loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 40 to 75 percent--15 to 30 percent stones and cobbles; 25 to 45 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 35 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
Bk2 horizon - Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, 4, or 6
Texture: loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 60 to 80 percent--20 to 35 percent stones and cobbles; 35 to 45 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 35 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - mountains; hills.
Elevation - 4,600 to 7,800 feet.
Slope- 8 to 60 percent.
Parent material - colluvium and alluvium derived from limestone and calcareous argillite.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 20 to 30 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 35 to 38 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 30 to 70 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Relyea soils are used for timber production, watershed, and wildlife. The native vegetation is mainly Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, subalpine fir, pinegrass, heartleaf arnica, meadowrue, snowberry, spiraea, twinflower, elk sedge, blue huckleberry, and grouse whortleberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Relyea soils are of moderate extent in western and southwestern Montana.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Powell County, Montana, 1994.
REMARKS: Soil interpretation record: MT1243. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: an ochric epipedon from the soil surface to 3 inches (E horizon); a glossic horizon from 3 to 6 inches (Bt/E horizon); an argillic horizon from 3 to 28 inches (Bt/E, Bt, Btk horizons); an accumulation of lime from 15 to 60 inches (Btk, Bk1, Bk2 horizons); a particle-size control section from 3 to 23 inches (Bt/E, Bt, Btk horizons). Relyea soils have a cryic temperature regime and a udic moisture regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory Data S88MT-77-921