LOCATION KATKITOS                MT

Tentative Series
Rev. PHO-JMS-RJS
05/2017

KATKITOS SERIES

The Katkitos series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in volcanic ash over residuum derived from metasedimentary rock. These soils are on cirque platforms. Slopes are 4 to 35 percent. Average annual precipitation is about 1,475 mm, and average annual air temperature is about 2.0 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial, amorphic Lithic Haplocryands

TYPICAL PEDON: Katkitos medial loam, in a mosaic of meadows and open forest. This profile was described on a 12 percent slope at 2,185 meters elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 12 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) medial loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak very fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear smooth boundary.

Bw--12 to 28 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly medial loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 15 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.6); abrupt smooth boundary.

2R--28 cm; hard metasedimentary rock.

TYPE LOCATION: Glacier County, Montana; located about 692 meters south and 748 meters east from the northwest corner of sec. 5, T. 34N., R. 16W; Logan Pass topographic quadrangle; Latitude - 48 degrees, 44 minutes, 03 seconds north; Longitude - 113 degrees, 43 minutes, 47 seconds west.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 0.5 to 4.5 degrees C.
Volcanic ash thickness - 25 to 50 cm
Volcanic ash moist bulk density - 0.65 to 0.90 g/cc
Volcanic glass content in the 0.02 to 2 mm fraction: 5 to 30 percent
Volcanic ash Al plus 1/2 Fe content (by ammonium oxalate) - 2.0 percent or more
Depth to a lithic contact - 25 to 50 cm

Note: Some pedons may have an Oi horizon.

A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR dry or moist
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4 dry or moist
Texture, less than 2mm fraction: medial silt loam or medial loam
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent--0 to 15 percent gravel; 0 to 5 percent cobbles; 0 to 5 percent stones; 0 to 2 percent boulders
Reaction: pH 5.2 to 6.5
Thickness: 5 to 20 cm

Bw horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR dry or moist
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4 dry or moist
Texture, less than 2mm fraction: medial silt loam or medial loam
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent--15 to 35 percent gravel; 0 to 10 percent cobbles; 0 to 10 percent stones
Reaction: pH 5.4 to 6.5
Thickness: 15 to 30 cm

COMPETING SERIES:
CIIMAQ (AK) - have pH values less than 5.2
TREEN (WA) - does not have a cambic horizon

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - cirque platforms
Elevation - 1,800 to 2,400 meters
Slope - 0 to 15 percent
Parent material - volcanic ash over residuum derived from metasedimentary rock
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; short warm summers
Mean annual precipitation - 1,200 to 2,000 mm
Mean annual air temperature - 0.0 to 4.0 degrees C.
Frost-free period - 30 to 50 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; 5 to 15 um/sec.

USE AND VEGETATION: Katkitos soils are used mainly for recreation and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is dominated by alpine aster, sitka valerian, Hitchcock's wood rush, subalpine fir, glacier lilies, broadleaf arnica, Drummond's rush, alpine bluegrass and shortstalk sedge.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Katkitos soils are of small extent in northwestern Montana. MLRA 43A and 43B.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Glacier National Park area in Glacier County, Montana, 2015. The series name is derived from a local landmark.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and feature recognized in this pedon are:
Andic soil properties - from 0 to 28 cm (A, Bw horizons)
Cambic horizon - from 12 to 28 cm (Bw horizon)
Lithic contact - at 28 cm (2R horizon)
Particle-size control section - from 0 to 28 cm (A, Bw horizons)

Kitkitos soils have a cryic temperature regime and an udic moisture regime.

Taxonomic version: Twelfth Edition, 2014

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.