LOCATION ENTENTE MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Lamellic Haplustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Entente silt loam, open stand of ponderosa pine. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; forest litter and partly decomposed conifer leaves and twigs.
A--1 to 4 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak thin platy structure; soft, very friable; common very fine, fine and many medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
E--4 to 9 inches; pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) silt loam, brown (7.5YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable; common very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine, fine and few medium tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear irregular boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
E and Bt--9 to 13 inches; E part 85 percent, pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) silt loam, brown (7.5YR 4/2) moist; Bt part 15 percent, lamellae 1/8 to 1 inch thick that are light brown (7.5YR 6/4) silt loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, very friable, slightly sticky; common very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine, fine and few medium pores; neutral (pH 7.0); clear broken boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
BC--13 to 29 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/3) silt loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, common very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine, common fine and medium tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual smooth boundary.
C1--29 to 46 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) silt loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable; few fine and medium roots; common very fine, fine and few medium tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary.
C2--46 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) silt loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable; few fine and medium roots; common very fine, fine and few medium tubular pores; weakly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Mineral County, Montana; 60 feet east and 30 feet north of the SW corner of Sec. 19, T. 17 N., R. 26 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section - approximately between the depths of 4 and 12 inches.
A horizon - Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2, or 3
Texture: silt loam or very fine sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
E horizon - Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4, or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: silt loam or very fine sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
E and Bt horizon - Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y
Value: E part 5, 6, or 7, Bt part 4, 5, or 6 dry; E part 4 or 5, Bt part 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Texture: silt loam or very fine sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3
BC and C horizons - Hue: 7.5 YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: silt loam or very fine sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 7.8
COMPETING SERIES: These are the similar Ambrant, Wildgen and Winkler series in other families. Ambrant soils are coarse-loamy. Wildgen and Winkler soils are loamy-skeletal.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Entente soils are on lake terraces and stream terraces. Elevations are 3,500 to 4,500 feet. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. These soils formed in silt loam deposits. The climate is characterized by long, cold winters; moist springs; and early summers. Mean annual precipitation is 16 to 20 inches. Mean annual temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free period is 90 to 120 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate to moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Entente soils are used mainly for forest products; small areas have been cleared for hayland or pasture. Potential native vegetation is mainly ponderosa pine, western larch, and Douglas-fir dominating the overstory with Oregon-grape, rose, spiraea, serviceberry, snowberry, ninebark, kinnikinnick, balsamroot, strawberry, western yarrow, pussytoes, and tall grass in the understory.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Entente soils are inextensive in valleys in the Rocky Mountains in western Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mineral County (St. Regis-Ninemile Area), Montana, 1970.
REMARKS: Soil Interpretations Record: MT0533.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
An ochric epipedon - a thin mollic colored surface layer 3 inches thick (A horizon);
An albic horizon from 4 to 9 inches (E horizon);
A horizon with lamellae from 9 to 13 inches (E and Bt horizon);
A cambic horizon from 9 to 29 inches (E and Bt, and BC horizons);
Particle-size control section from 11 to 41 inches (part of E and Bt horizon, BC and C horizons).