LOCATION BATA               MT 
Established Series
Rev. GLS-CRS-RJS
09/2008

BATA SERIES


The Bata series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in volcanic ash over glacial till and colluvium. Bata soils are on moraines in glaciated valleys and on mountain slopes. Slopes are 2 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 35 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 39 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Andic Glossocryalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Bata gravelly ashy silt loam, forested. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Oi--0 to 2 inches; undecomposed and slightly decomposed forest litter.

Bw--2 to 11 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly ashy silt loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine through coarse roots; many fine pores; 15 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 11 inches thick)

2E/Bt--11 to 22 inches; E part (70 percent) is pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) gravelly loam, pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) moist interfingering into B part; B part (30 percent) is pink (7.5YR 7/4) gravelly loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; texture mixed is gravelly loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium roots; many fine pores; 30 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.7); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 18 inches thick)

2Bt1--22 to 38 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/4) very gravelly clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; common fine pores; few distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 40 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual wavy boundary.

2Bt2--38 to 60 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) very gravelly clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; common fine pores; continuous prominent clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 35 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Missoula County, Montana; approximately 1,450 feet east and 1,050 feet north of the SW corner of sec. 25, T. 18 N., R. 16 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil temperature - 37 to 44 degrees F. (mean temperature in June, July, and August is less than 59 degrees F.)
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.

Some pedons have a thin discontinuous E horizon above the Bw horizon. Some pedons have a 2E and 2Bt/E horizons.

Bw horizon - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6
Texture: ashy silt loam or ashy loam
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent--0 to 10 percent cobbles and stones; 15 to 30 percent gravel.
Acid oxalate extractable Al + 1/2 Fe: more than 1.0 percent
Moist bulk density: 1.0 g/cc or less
Reaction: pH 5.1 to 6.5

2E/Bt horizon - Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR, or 5YR
Value: E part 6, 7, or 8 dry, 5 or 6 moist; B part 5, 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: E part 2 or 3; B part 3 or 4
Texture: loam, silt loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam
Clay content, mixed: 12 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 25 to 60 percent--0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones; 20 to 50 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3

2Bt horizon - Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR, or 5YR
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3, 4 or 6
Texture, less than 2 mm: sandy clay loam, clay loam or silty clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones; 20 to 50 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3

COMPETING SERIES:

Jimlake (MT) - have a BC horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:

Landform- moraines in glaciated valleys and on mountain slopes.
Elevation - 3,800 to 7,500 feet.
Slope - 2 to 60 percent.
Parent material - volcanic ash over glacial till or colluvium.
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 25 to 45 inches, much of which falls as snow and spring rain.
Mean annual temperature - 35 to 42 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 30 to 70 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Bata soils are used for timber production, as wildlife habitat, and for watersheds. The native vegetation is subalpine fir, western larch, Douglas-fir, Engelmann spruce, and lodgepole pine with an understory of queencup beadlily, twinflower, blue huckleberry, rusty menziesia, common beargrass, and grouse whortleberry.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Bata soils are of moderate extent in western Montana. MLRA 43A, 43B, 44A, 44B and 46.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Missoula County, Montana, 1985.

REMARKS: Soil Interpretations Record: MT0161. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: an ochric epipedon from the surface to 11 inches (Oi and Bw horizons); a glossic horizon from 11 to 22 inches (2E/Bt horizon); an argillic horizon from 22 to 60 inches (2Bt1, 2Bt2 horizons); a particle-size control section from 22 to 42 inches (2Bt1, 2Bt2 horizons). Bata soils have a udic moisture regime and a cryic temperature regime.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data--SMT74-63-009.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.