LOCATION BURNETTE MT+CO WY
Established Series
Rev. JAL-KTS-RJS
03/2012
BURNETTE SERIES
The Burnette series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alpine till, alluvium, colluvium and slide deposits derived from shale and sandstone. These soils are on alluvial fans, stream terraces, moraines, till plains, mountain slopes and landslides. Slopes are 0 to 45 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 20 inches, and mean annual air temperature is about 40 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic Pachic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Burnette loam, native grass (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A1--0 to 5 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate very fine crumb structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; heavy mat of roots in surface inch, many very fine roots below; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 7 inches thick)
A2--5 to 15 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear irregular boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
Bt1--15 to 26 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; dark gray (10YR 4/1) staining on faces of peds; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to strong fine and very fine subangular blocks; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine roots mainly on faces of peds; few very fine roots and fine tubular pores in peds; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual irregular boundary.
Bt2--26 to 32 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) clay, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; dark gray staining on faces of prisms; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocks; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots through blocks and many very fine roots on prism faces; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of Bt horizons - 11 to 25 inches)
Bk--32 to 50 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) clay, dark gray (5Y 4/1) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots and fine tubular pores; some small areas of light gray (5Y 7/1); common fine threads of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
BCk--50 to 66 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) clay, dark gray (5Y 4/1) moist; massive; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; many disoriented gray shale chips; common fine masses of calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Glacier County, Montana; 1,500 feet north of the SW corner of sec. 2, T. 31 N., R. 12 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 38 to 46 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 16 to 35 inches
Depth to top of argillic horizon - 7 to 19 inches
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate accumulation - 20 to 40 inches
A horizons
Value: 2 to 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2; dry or moist
Texture: loam, clay loam or silty clay loam
Clay content: 15 to 40 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent--0 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.4
Bt horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: clay loam, silty clay or clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent--0 to 10 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
Bk horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y; dry or moist
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: silty clay loam, clay loam or silty clay
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent--0 to 10 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.8 to 8.4
BCk horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y; dry or moist
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: clay, silty clay, clay loam or silty clay loam
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent--0 to 10 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 2 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.8 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Bischoff (ID) - have an AB horizon
Cochetopa (CO) - does not have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Currycreek (MT) - does not have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Faim (UT) - does not have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Fulcher (CO) - have more than 15 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section
Grouseville (ID) - have the base of the argillic horizon at a depth greater than 36 inches
Guero (CO) - does not have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Leemorris (OR) - have a xeric moisture regime
Lintim (CO) - does not have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Mancos (CO) - have a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches
Mayflower (CO) - have a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches
Paulson (WY) - have a BA horizon
Perinos (UT) - does not have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Richens (UT) - have a lithic contact at depths of 40 to 60 inches
Runlett (CO) - have a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches
Skutum (UT) - have a paralithic contact at depths of 40 to 60 inches
Winridge (ID) - have a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - alluvial fans, stream terraces, moraines, till plains, mountain slopes and landslides
Elevation - 4,500 to 8,100 feet in Montana; 7,200 to 9,200 feet in Colorado
Slope - 0 to 45 percent
Parent material - alpine till, alluvium, colluvium and slide deposits derived from shale and sandstone
Climate - long cold winters; moist springs; warm summers
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 25 inches in Montana; 15 to 30 inches in Colorado
Mean annual air temperature - 37 to 44 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 30 to 70 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Burnette soils are used mainly for range, but a small acreage is used for production of small grains. Potential native vegetation is mainly rough fescue, Idaho fescue, western wheatgrass, Parry oatgrass, bearded wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, Carex species, arrowleaf balsamroot, Antennaria species, and fringed sagewort.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Burnette soils are of moderate extent adjacent to the Rocky Mountains, east of the Continental Divide in Montana. Also in Colorado and Wyoming. MLRAs - 43B, 44B, 46 and 48A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Glacier County (Blackfeet Reservation-Cut Bank Area), Montana, 1969.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 32 inches (A1, A2, Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Argillic horizon - from 15 to 32 inches (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Horizon of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation - from 32 to 50 inches (Bk, BCk horizons)
Particle-size control section - from 15 to 32 inches (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Burnette soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime that borders on udic in Montana.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Interpretations Records - MT0293, MT0839, MT0901, and MT0850.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.