LOCATION PINTLAR MT
Established Series
Rev. WDB-JAL
01/2023
PINTLAR SERIES
The Pintlar series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium from mixed rock sources. These soils are on stream terraces, swales and alluvial fans. Slopes are 4 to 35 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 24 inches and mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Ustic Palecryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Pintlar loam, native grass (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A1--0 to 7 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; strong very fine and fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, common medium and coarse roots; many very fine and fine pores; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary.
A2--7 to 15 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and few fine and medium pores; neutral pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary.
E--15 to 31 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine, few medium pores; 15 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary.
E/Bt--31 to 36 inches; E part (70 percent) light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist tongues; Bt part (30 percent) brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and fine pores; 15 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary.
Bt--36 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine pores; few faint discontinuous dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist, clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 25 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Sweet Grass County, Montana; 100 feet east and 1,900 feet north of the southwest corner of section 13, T.3 S., R.13 E.; lat. 45 degrees 34 minutes 23 seconds N. and long. 110 degrees 04 minutes 24 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 43 to 46 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature - 55 to 59 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 10 to 15 inches.
Depth to argillic horizon - 24 to 40 inches.
A horizons - Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR or 5YR
Value: 3, 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Clay content: 15 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent--0 to 5 percent cobbles; 0 to 15 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
E horizon - Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5, 6 or 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 1, 2 or 3
Texture: loam or silt loam
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Content of rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent (0 to 5 percent stones or cobbles, 0 to 15 percent pebbles)
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
E/Bt horizon - Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: E part 5, 6 or 7, Bt part 4, 5 or 6 dry; E part 4 or 5, Bt part 3, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4
Texture: loam, silt loam or clay loam
Clay content: 15 to 35 percent
Content of rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent (0 to 5 percent cobbles, 0 to 15 percent pebbles)
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
Bt horizon - Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5, 6 or 7 dry; 3, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, 3 or 4
Texture: loam or clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent; 20 to 35 percent fine and coarser sands
Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent--0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones; 5 to 20 percent pebbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES:
Alpon (ID) - does not have an E horizon or a transitional E/Bt horizon.
Nopla (ID) - has mean annual soil temperature of 37 to 42 degrees F.
Pavo (NM) - has horizons consisting of lamellae.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - stream terraces, swales and alluvial fans.
Elevation - 5,000 to 7,500 feet.
Slope - 4 to 35 percent.
Parent material - gravelly alluvium from mixed rock sources. Climate - long, cold winter, cool springs and short summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 30 inches.
Mean annual temperature - 37 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 50 to 70 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Pintlar soils are used mainly for grazing and for hay. Potential native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, needleandthread, rough fescue, sedge, shrubby cinquefoil, and fringed sagewort.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Pintlar soils are moderately extensive in intermountain valleys of western and south central Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Granite County (Philipsburg-Drummond Area), Montana, 1972. Type location moved to Sweet Grass County Area, Montana, 2000.
REMARKS: Soil Interpretations Record: MT0570. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a mollic epipedon from the soil surface to 15 inches (A horizons); an argillic horizon from 36 to 60 inches (Bt horizon); a particle-size control section from 36 to 56 inches (part of Bt horizon). Pintlar soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
Soil Survey Laboratory characterization S61MONT-20-1 and 20-2.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.