LOCATION ELFLINT MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy, glassy, frigid Vitrandic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Elflint ashy loam, in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 8 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) ashy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and medium roots; few medium and common fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 10 inches thick)
Bk1--8 to 17 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) ashy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common fine and few medium roots; common fine tubular pores; disseminated lime; few fine masses of lime; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
Bk2--17 to 30 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) ashy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; disseminated lime; few fine masses of lime; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 15 inches thick)
Cr1--30 to 48 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) semiconsolidated tuff that crushes to loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist.
Cr2--48 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) semiconsolidated tuff that crushes to silt loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist.
TYPE LOCATION: Granite County, Montana; 400 feet east and 50 feet north of the SW corner of section 27, T. 6 N., R. 14 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Temperature - 41 to 46 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 10 inches
Depth to Bk horizon - 8 to 10 inches
Depth to Cr horizon - 20 to 40 inches
A horizon - Value: 3, 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Clay content: 10 to 27 percent
Volcanic glass: 30 to 40 percent
AOE Al + 1/2 Fe: 0.10 to 0.25 percent
Bulk density: 1.1 to 1.3 g/cc
Reaction: 7.4 to 7.8
Bk1 horizon - Value: 6, 7 or 8 dry: 6 or 7 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Clay content: 9 to 15 percent
Volcanic glass: 30 to 40 percent
AOE Al + 1/2 Fe: 0.10 to 0.25 percent
Bulk density: 1.2 to 1.4 g/cc
Calcium Carbonate Equivalent: 15 to 25 percent
Reaction: 7.9 to 8.4
Bk2 horizon - Value: 6, 7 or 8 dry: 6 or 7 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Clay content: 9 to 15 percent
Volcanic glass: 30 to 40 percent
AOE Al + 1/2 Fe: 0.10 to 0.25 percent
Bulk density: 1.3 to1.5 g/cc
Calcium Carbonate Equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: 7.9 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Totavi (NM) - does not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a paralithic contact.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - alluvial fans and stream terraces.
Elevation - 3,600 to 6,300 feet.
Slope - 15 to 35 percent.
Parent material - alluvium or colluvium derived from semiconsolidated tuff.
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 14 to 19 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 39 to 44 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 70 to 90 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Elflint soils are primarily used for rangeland. The potential native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue and rough fescue.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Elflint soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Granite County, Montana, 1997.
REMARKS: Soil interpretation record MT1518. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a mollic epipedon from the surface to 8 inches (A horizon); a calcic horizon from 8 to 17 inches (Bk1 horizon); a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation from 17 to 30 inches (Bk2 horizon); a paralithic contact at 30 inches (Cr1 horizon); a particle size control section from 10 to 30 inches (Bk1 and Bk2 horizons). Elflint soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL S89MT-039-1295.