LOCATION KINTLA MT
Tentative Series
Rev. PHO-JMS-RJS
05/2017
KINTLA SERIES
The Kintla series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in volcanic ash over till derived from metasedimentary rock. These soils occur on lateral moraines and cirque floors. Slopes are 8 to 35 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 1,200 mm, and mean annual air temperature is about 3.0 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial-skeletal over loamy-skeletal, amorphic over isotic Typic Haplocryands
TYPICAL PEDON: Kintla gravelly medial loam, in coniferous forest. This profile was described on an 8 percent slope at 1,100 meters elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 6 cm; slightly decomposed forest litter.
A--6 to 26 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/2) gravelly medial loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine irregular pores; 25 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear smooth boundary.
Bw1--26 to 54 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly medial sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine irregular pores; 30 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary.
Bw2--54 to 67 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly medial loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak fine subangular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and few medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 40 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles and 2 percent stones; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual smooth boundary.
2C--67 to 152 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) extremely gravelly sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; 55 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles and 10 percent stones; slightly acid (pH 6.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Glacier County, Montana; 400 meters south and 64 meters west of the NE corner of Sec. 9, T. 33 N, R. 16 W; Logan Pass topographic quadrangle; Latitude - 48 degrees, 38 minutes, 9 seconds north; Longitude - 113 degrees, 41 minutes, 49 seconds west.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature -- 2.0 to 5.0 degrees C.
Depth to cambic horizon -- 12 to 33 cm
Volcanic ash*
*Thickness -- 36 to 85 cm
*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
*Al plus 1/2 Fe content (by ammonium oxalate) -- 2.0 percent or more
O horizon
Thickness: 3 to 8 cm
A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR dry or moist
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 2 to 5 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4 dry or moist
Texture, less than 2mm fraction: medial loam or medial sandy loam
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 55 percent--15 to 50 percent gravel; 0 to 5 percent cobbles; 0 to 5 percent stones; 0 to 2 percent boulders
Reaction: pH 5.2 to 6.2
Thickness: 8 to 25 cm thick
Bw1, Bw2 horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5 YR dry or moist
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 1 or 4 dry or moist
Texture, less than 2mm fraction: medial loam or medial sandy loam
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 55 percent--30 to 50 percent gravel; 0 to 15 percent cobbles; 0 to 5 percent stones; 0 to 2 percent boulders
Organic-carbon content: 0.5 to 1.5 percent
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 6.5
Thickness: 36 to 85 cm (combined thickness of Bw1, Bw2 horizons)
2C horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5 YR dry or moist
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6 dry or moist
Texture, less than 2mm fraction: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 40 to 85 percent--35 to 65 percent gravel; 5 to 25 percent cobbles; 0 to 10 percent stones; 0 to 2 percent boulders
Reaction: pH 6.0 to 7.0
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform -- lateral moraines and cirque floors
Elevation -- 1,100 to 2,150 meters
Slope -- 8 to 35 percent
Parent material -- volcanic ash over till derived from metasedimentary rock
Climate -- long, cold winters; moist springs; short warm summers
Mean annual precipitation -- 900 to 1,800 mm
Mean annual air temperature -- 1.0 to 4.0 degrees C.
Frost-free period -- 30 to 70 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained and 5 to 15 um/sec.
USE AND VEGETATION: Kintla soils are used mainly for recreation, woodland and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is mainly subalpine fir and Engelmann's spruce in the overstory and thimbleberry, twinflower, Sitka alder, swordfern, twistedstalk, and round-leafed violet in the understory.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kintla 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, 2016. The series name is derived from a local landmark.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon -- from 0 to 26 cm (Oi, A horizons)
Andic soil properties -- from 6 to 67 cm (A, Bw1, Bw2 horizons)
Cambic horizon -- from 26 to 67 cm (Bw1, Bw2 horizons)
Particle-size control section -- from 6 to 106 cm (A, Bw1, Bw2, part of 2C horizons).
Kintla soils have a cryic temperature regime and an udic moisture regime.
Taxonomic version: Twelfth Edition, 2014
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.