LOCATION TOTELAKE MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Typic Haplustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Totelake gravelly loam, forested (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--0 to 1 inch; undecomposed and slightly decomposed forest litter. (1 to 2 inches thick)
A--1 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; many fine and medium pores; 10 percent cobbles, 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
Bw--8 to 23 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very gravelly sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; 1 percent stones, 15 percent cobbles, 35 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)
2C--23 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly loamy sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; 2 percent stones, 20 percent cobbles, 50 percent gravel, neutral (pH 7.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Missoula County, Montana; 2,100 feet south and 1,100 feet east of the NW corner of sec. 20, T. 15 N., R. 14 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 41 to 47 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 12 and 35 inches.
Some pedons have volcanic ash in the top 2 to 4 inches of the surface layer; it does not meet the thickness or bulk density requirements for the andic intergrades. Faint lime cast on undersides of rock fragments and some disseminated lime occurs in lower horizons in areas of calcareous till or limestone rock.
A horizon
Value: 4, 5, or 6 dry; 2, 3, or 4 moist
Chroma: 1, 2, or 3
Clay content: 8 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent--0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones; 15 to 20 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3
Bw horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4
Clay content: 5 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones; 30 to 45 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
2C horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 4, 5, or 6 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loamy sand or sand
Clay content: 0 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 60 to 80 percent--15 to 25 percent cobbles and stones; 40 to 55 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.8
COMPETING SERIES:
Chereete (MT) - are slightly acid.
Losthorse (MT) - are very strongly acid to slightly acid.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform- stream terraces, outwash terraces and alluvial fans.
Elevation - 2,500 to 4,800 feet.
Slope - 2 to 35 percent.
Parent material - alluvium and outwash.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 25 inches, much of which falls as snow and as spring rain.
Mean annual temperature - 39 to 46 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 70 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained; moderately rapid permeability to a depth of 22 inches and rapid below.
USE AND VEGETATION: Totelake soils are used for timber production and understory grazing. The native vegetation is ponderosa pine and Douglas fir with an understory of pinegrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, elk sedge, and common snowberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Totelake soils are of moderate extent in western Montana. MLRA 44A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Missoula County, Montana, 1985
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ohric epipedon - 0 to 8 inches (Oi and A horizon);
Cambic horizon - 8 to 23 inches (Bw horizon); and
Particle-size control section - 10 to 40 inches (Bw and 2C horizons).
Totelake soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil interpretation records MT0410 and MT0411.