LOCATION KIMPTON MT+UT
Established Series
Rev. DES/KTS/SJJ
02/2017
KIMPTON SERIES
The Kimpton series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium, slope alluvium over residuum derived from hard fine grained sandstone or fine grained igneous rock. These soils are on bedrock-floored plains, ridges, hills, and mountain slopes. Slopes are 15 to 70 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 17 inches, and mean annual air temperature is about 38 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Ustic Haplocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Kimpton very cobbly loam, very bouldery, forested (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--0 to 1 inch; partially decomposed needles, twigs, and leaves. (1/2 to 3 inches thick)
A--1 to 5 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very cobbly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine, and few medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; 25 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
E--5 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very cobbly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, and few medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bt--7 to 14 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common medium interstitial and tubular pores; common distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay films on faces of peds and bridging sand grains; 25 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
Bk--14 to 33 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; 25 percent gravel, 25 percent cobbles; common fine and medium masses and threads of calcium carbonate and common distinct calcium carbonate coatings on undersides of fragments; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (11 to 23 inches thick)
R--33 inches; hard fine grained sandstone bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; 300 feet south and 150 feet east of the NW corner of sec. 4, T. 5N., R. 2W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 38 to 42 degrees F.
Depth to top of argillic horizon - 6 to 10 inches
Depth to calcic horizon - 11 to 20 inches
Depth to lithic contact - 20 to 40 inches
Note: The surface layer, when mixed to 7 inches, does not meet the color requirements of a mollic epipedon. A thin transitional horizon between the E and Bt horizons is allowed, but it does not meet the requirements of a glossic horizon.
A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Texture: loam or silt loam
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 25 to 50 percent--10 to 30 percent gravel, 10 to 20 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
E horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Texture: loam or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 25 to 55 percent--15 to 35 percent gravel, 10 to 20 percent cobbles, 0 to 10 percent stones
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
Bt horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content: 23 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--25 to 40 percent gravel, 10 to 25 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3
Bk horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam or fine sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--25 to 40 percent gravel, 10 to 25 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 12 to 35 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.8
COMPETING SERIES:
Cadotte (MT) - have a lithologic discontinuity
Cloud peak (WY) - have less than 12 percent calcium carbonate equivalent in the Bk horizon
Cundiyo (NM) - have a lithologic discontinuity
Edloe (CO) - have an udic moisture regime
Fulvance (CO) - are very deep
Goosepeak (CO) - are very deep
Guffey (CO) - are moderately deep to a paralithic contact
Hyattville (WY) - have a Btk horizon.
Lake creek (WY) - does not have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Lakehelen (WY) - does not have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Laveta (CO) - does not have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Lulude (CO) - does not have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
Reinecker (CO) - are very deep
Tepecreek (MT) - does not have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - bedrock-floored plains, ridges, hills and mountain slopes
Elevation - 5,500 to 8,250 feet
Slope - 15 to 70 percent
Parent material - colluvium, slope alluvium over residuum derived from hard fine grained sandstone or fine grained igneous rock
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short, cool summers
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 24 inches
Mean annual air temperature - 36 to 40 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 50 to 70 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Kimpton soils are primarily used for timber production, wildlife habitat, and watershed. The potential native vegetation is mainly Douglas-fir, lodgepole pine, and subalpine fir with an understory of common juniper, white spiraea, kinnikinnick, Oregon-grape, russet buffaloberry, and pinegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kimpton soils are of moderate extent in southwestern Montana. MLRA - 43B. They also occur to a lessor extent in Northern Utah, MLRA-48A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Montana, 1998.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - from 0 to 7 inches (Oi, A, E horizons)
Argillic horizon - from 7 to 14 inches (Bt horizon)
Calcic horizon - from 14 to 33 inches (Bk horizon)
Lithic contact - at 33 inches (R horizon)
Particle-size control section - from 7 to 14 inches (Bt horizon)
Kimpton soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime bordering on udic.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil interpretation record - MT3010.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.