LOCATION MINESINGER MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Minesinger very stony loam, grassland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A1--0 to 6 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very stony loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and common medium roots; few fine tubular pores; 10 percent stones, 10 percent cobbles, 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)
A2--6 to 14 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very cobbly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots and few coarse and medium roots; few fine tubular pores; 15 percent cobbles, 30 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
E/B--14 to 24 inches; E part (75 percent) white (10YR 8/1) very cobbly loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; B part (25 percent) pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine and medium roots; common fine tubular pores and many fine interstitial pores; 15 percent cobbles, 25 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--24 to 32 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly clay, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; strong coarse and medium angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine and very fine roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; 10 percent cobbles, 30 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--32 to 39 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; strong coarse and medium angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine and very fine roots; many medium and fine tubular pores; 10 percent cobbles, 30 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bt horizons is 7 to 22 inches)
Bk1--39 to 45 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) very cobbly clay loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few medium and very fine roots; many fine tubular pores; 15 percent cobbles, 30 percent gravel; few medium masses and threads of lime; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bk2--45 to 60 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) very cobbly clay loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; massive; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; many fine tubular pores; 15 percent cobbles, 30 percent gravel; few medium masses of lime; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Lake County, Montana; 1,750 feet west and 1,350 feet south of the NW corner of sec. 11, T. 22 N., R. 23 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 43 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 8 to 14 inches.
Depth to Bk horizon - 24 to 50 inches.
A1 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 50 percent--0 to 15 percent stones on or in surface layer, 5 to 15 percent cobbles, 10 to 20 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3
A2 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 25 to 60 percent--0 to 15 percent stones, 5 to 15 percent cobbles, 20 to 30 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3
E/B horizon
Value: E part 7 or 8, B part 6 or 7 dry; E part 5 or 6, B part 5 or 6 moist
Texture: loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 50 percent--0 to 5 percent stones, 10 to 15 percent cobbles, 25 to 30 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3
Bt1 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: clay or clay loam
Clay content: 27 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 55 percent--0 to 10 percent stones, 10 to 15 percent cobbles, 25 to 30 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3
Bt2 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 3, 4, or 5
Texture: clay or clay loam
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 55 percent--0 to 10 percent stones, 10 to 15 percent cobbles, 25 to 30 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
Bk1 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Texture: clay loam or clay
Clay content: 27 to 40 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 55 percent--0 to 10 percent stones 10 to 15 percent cobbles 25 to 30 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 8 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 8.4
Bk2 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Texture: clay loam or clay
Clay content: 27 to 40 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 55 percent--0 to 10 percent stones, 10 to 15 percent cobbles, 25 to 30 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 8 percent
Reaction: pH 7.7 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Wenzel (UT) - do not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform- dissected alluvial fans, stream terraces, and hills.
Elevation - 2,700 to 4,500 feet.
Slope - 2 to 50 percent.
Parent material - alluvium and colluvium.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs and falls; warm, dry summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 14 to 18 inches.
Mean annual temperature - 41 to 46 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 75 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Minesinger soils are used mainly for rangeland and dryland hay and pasture. Potential native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, rough fescue, and Idaho fescue.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Minesinger soils are of small extent in intermountain valleys and foothills in western Montana. MLRA 43A, 44A and 46.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lake County, Montana, 1991; proposed in Lake County, Montana, 1982.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 14 inches (Ap and A2 horizons);
Mixed horizon - 14 to 24 inches (E/B horizon);
Argillic horizon - 24 to 39 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons);
Horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation - 39 to 60 inches (Bk1 and Bk2 horizons).
The Minesinger soils have a frigid temperature regime and a xeric moisture regime.
Soil Interpretations Record: MT0756.