LOCATION HANDKE MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, frigid Oxyaquic Ustifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Handke fine sandy loam, in native grass (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 4 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and few fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 10 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 12 inches thick)
C1--4 to 9 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loamy sand, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and few fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 10 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary.
C2--9 to 38 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loamy sand, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 5 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of C1 and C2 horizons is 28 to 55 inches)
2C--38 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) very fine sandy loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; common fine distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) redox concentrations; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4). (0 to 40 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; 1,900 feet south and 700 feet west of the NE corner of sec. 1, T. 9 N., R. 3 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 42 to 46 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 12 and 36 inches.
Depth to seasonal high water table - 24 to 42 inches for periods of one to several weeks during spring runoff or as a result of irrigation practices.
Depth to 2C horizon - 20 to 40 inches.
A horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: sandy loam or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
C1, C2 horizons - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: primarily sand and loamy sand, with thin strata of fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loam, and occasionally evidence of buried surface layers
Clay content: 2 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 10 percent
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
2C horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - flood plains, flood plain steps and drainageways.
Elevation - 3,800 to 5,000 feet.
Slope- 0 to 2 percent.
Parent material - coarse grained recent alluvium.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 10 to 14 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 40 to 44 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 90 to 115 days.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; moderately rapid permeability
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used primarily for pasture, rangeland, and wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, basin wildrye, prairie sandreed, Sandberg bluegrass, snowberry, and woods rose. Groves of cottonwood trees and willows occur in some areas.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Handke series is of moderate extent in the intermountain valleys of central and southwestern Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Montana, 1998.
REMARKS: Soil interpretations records: MT1578. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: an ochric epipedon from the soil surface to 7 inches, mixed (A, C1 horizons); a particle-size control section from 10 to 40 inches (C2, 2C horizons). Handke soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime bordering on aquic.