LOCATION LIPKE MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Vertic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Lipke clay loam, in forestland (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 2 inches; pinecones, needles, twigs, and humus; abrupt smooth boundary. (0.5 to 3 inches thick)
A1--2 to 3 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, very plastic; many very fine and fine roots; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
A2--3 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common medium and coarse and many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine pores; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
BA--6 to 14 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) heavy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common medium and coarse and many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 9 inches thick)
Bw1--14 to 22 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate very fine and fine angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; many very fine and fine pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
Bw2--22 to 27 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong fine angular blocky structure with few slickensides; extremely hard, firm, moderately sticky, very plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine and fine pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 15 inches thick)
BC--27 to 44 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm, moderately sticky, very plastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine and fine pores; neutral (pH 6.8); diffuse wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)
Ck--44 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) and gray (5Y 6/1) clay, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and gray (5Y 5/1) moist; massive; extremely hard, extremely firm, moderately sticky, very plastic; few very fine roots; few fine and common very fine pores; 5 percent flat angular gravel; common fine soft masses of lime; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Fergus County, Montana; 1,575 feet south and 1,640 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 13, T. 14 N., R. 18 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: 42 to 45 degrees F
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 7 to 16 inches
Note: Light brownish gray silt coats peds in the lower part of the A2 horizon.
A horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 or 4 dry; 2 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: Loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 40 percent
Content of rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent flat angular gravel
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 6.5
BA horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 or 4 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2
Texture: Clay loam or clay
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent
Content of rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent flat angular gravel
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 6.5
Bw horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: Silty clay or clay
Clay content: 45 to 60 percent
Content of rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent flat angular gravel
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
Ck horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4
Texture: Silty clay or clay
Clay content: 45 to 60 percent
Content of rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent flat angular gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Dapoin (CO) is driest in
May and June; is wettest in July and August.
Frazer (MT+WY) does not have a horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Moreau (ND+MT SD) is moderately deep to a paralithic contact.
Narraguinnep (CO+WY) has a pachic epipedon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform: Shale uplands
Elevation: 4,200 to 6,100 feet
Slope: 15 to 60 percent
Parent material: Residuum derived from mudstone or shale or in alluvium over mudstone or shale
Climate: Cool
Mean annual precipitation: 19 to 24 inches
Mean annual air temperature: 40 to 43 degrees F
Frost-free period: 80 to 110 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Alder (MT) is in grassland; has an argillic horizon.
Tigeron (MT) is loamy-skeletal; weathered from sandstone.
Tomty (MT) has somewhat poorly drained clayey soils.
Wayden (ND+MT SD WY) is shallow over shale.
Winifred (MT+CO) is moderately deep over shale.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to rapid runoff; very slow permeability
USE AND VEGETATION: Lipke soils are used mainly for forest products and, to a lesser extent, range. The potential native vegetation is mainly ponderosa pine with an understory of common snowberry, Oregongrape, white spiraea, Saskatoon serviceberry, heartleaf arnica, and blue wildrye.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Lipke soils are not extensive in central Montana; MLRA 46.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fergus County, Montana, 1979