LOCATION NIPPT MT
Established Series
Rev. GFB-JJU-RJS
05/2011
NIPPT SERIES
The Nippt series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in alluvium. These soils are on dissected alluvial fans, fan remnants and stream terraces. Slopes are 0 to 25 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 11 inches, and mean annual air temperature is about 43 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Aridic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Nippt gravelly loam, grassland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
E--0 to 3 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate very thin platy structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine vesicular pores; 15 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Bt--3 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine tubular and interstitial pores; many faint dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bk1--9 to 15 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) extremely gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; continuous distinct calcium carbonate casts on underside of rock fragments; 60 percent gravel and finely disseminated calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
2Bk2--15 to 60 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) extremely gravelly sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; continuous faint calcium carbonate casts on undersides of rock fragments; 65 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Lewis and Clark County, Montana; 2,300 feet north and 1,600 feet east of the SW corner of sec. 25, T. 12N, R. 5W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 40 to 47 degrees F.
Depth to top of argillic horizon - 2 to 4 inches
Depth to calcic horizon - 5 to 10 inches
Depth to lithologic discontinuity - 10 to 20 inches
Note: Some pedons may have an A horizon.
A horizon (where present)
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR; dry or moist
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 45 percent--5 to 25 percent gravel, 0 to 25 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
E horizon (A horizon where present)
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR; dry or moist
Value: 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 60 percent--5 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 30 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
Bt horizon
Hue: 10YR to 7.5YR; dry or moist
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4; dry or moist
Texture: clay loam, sandy clay loam or loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 20 to 60 percent--15 to 50 percent gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
Bk1 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR; dry or moist
Value: 6 to 8 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam or loam
Clay content: 5 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 70 percent--35 to 60 percent gravel, 0 to 25 percent cobbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 18 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4
Note: Where clay exceeds 18 percent, the calcium carbonate equivalent is greater than 15 percent.
2Bk2 horizon
Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR or 2.5Y; dry or moist
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Clay content: 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent--35 to 70 percent gravel, 0 to 30 percent cobbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.4 to 9.0
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - dissected alluvial fans, fan remnants and stream terraces
Elevation - 3,600 to 6,500 feet
Slope - 0 to 25 percent
Parent material - alluvium
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers
Mean annual air temperature - 38 to 45 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation - 10 to 14 inches
Frost-free period - 70 to 120 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability in the upper part of the soil and rapid permeability in the 2Bk2 horizon.
USE AND VEGETATION: Nippt soils are used mainly for irrigated cropland and rangeland. Potential native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, needleandthread, western wheatgrass, perennial grasses, and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Nippt soils are of small extent in west-central and southwestern Montana. MLRA - 44B.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lewis and Clark County Area, Montana, 1991; proposed in Lewis and Clark County, Montana, 1979.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - from 0 to 3 inches (E horizon)
Argillic horizon - from 3 to 9 inches (Bt horizon)
Calcic horizon - from 9 to 60 inches (Bk1, Bk2 horizons)
Particle-size control section - from 3 to 40 inches (Bt, Bk1, part of 2Bk2 horizons)
Nippt soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime that borders on aridic.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil interpretation records - MT1119, MT0380.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.