LOCATION COPENHAVER              MT

Established Series
Rev. BDD-KTS-RJS
07/2012

COPENHAVER SERIES

The Copenhaver series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in colluvium and residuum derived from mixed rock sources. These soils are on hills, mountains and ridges. Slopes are 4 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 17 inches, and the mean annual air temperature is about 36 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Lithic Argicryolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Copenhaver gravelly loam, in grassland (colors are for dry unless otherwise noted).

A--0 to 5 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots, many very fine pores; 25 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)

Bt--5 to 14 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) very gravelly clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine roots, many very fine and fine pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and on coarse fragments; 40 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6) clear smooth boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)

R--14 inches; andesite bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Powell County, Montana; 250 feet south and 350 feet east of the NW corner of sec. 15, T. 8 N., R. 8 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 36 to 41 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 16 inches
Depth to top of argillic horizon - 4 to 7 inches
Depth to a lithic contact - 10 to 20 inches

A horizon
Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR or 5YR; dry or moist
Value: 3 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Texture: loam, sandy loam or sandy clay loam
Clay content: 10 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 70 percent--10 to 40 percent gravel or channers, 0 to 20 percent cobbles or flagstones, 0 to 10 percent stones
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.3


Bt horizon
Hue: 10R, 2.5YR, 5YR or 7.5YR; dry or moist
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6; dry or moist
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent--20 to 60 percent gravel, 5 to 25 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.8

COMPETING SERIES:
Bushpark (CO) - have an udic moisture regime
Donkehill (ID) - have a xeric moisture regime
Hogmalat (ID) - have a xeric moisture regime
Layview (NV) - have a xeric moisture regime
Maygal (NV) - have a xeric moisture regime
Mosroc (WY) - have an ustic moisture regime that borders on aridic
Mountpatterson (CA) - have a xeric moisture regime
Nielsen (ID) - have a xeric moisture regime
Nieman (MT) - does not have hues redder than 10YR in the argillic horizon
Notstew (NV) - have a xeric moisture regime
Slidemountain (MT) - have an udic moisture regime
Thiefridge (CA) - have a xeric moisture regime

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - hills, mountains and ridges
Elevation - 5,200 to 8,600 feet
Slope - 4 to 60 percent
Parent material - colluvium and residuum derived from mixed rock sources
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; cool summers
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 25 inches, most of which falls during spring and early in summer
Mean annual air temperature - 34 to 39 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 30 to 70 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Copenhaver soils are used mainly for rangeland. Potential native vegetation is mainly rough fescue, Idaho fescue, lupine, bluebunch wheatgrass, prairie junegrass, western yarrow, and hoods phlox.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Copenhaver series is not extensive in western Montana. MLRA - 43B.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Powell County, Montana, 1995.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 14 inches (A, Bt horizons)
Argillic horizon - from 5 to 14 inches (Bt horizon)
Particle-size control section - from 0 to 14 inches (A, Bt horizon)
Lithic contact - at 14 inches (R horizon).

Copenhaver soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil interpretation records - MT1214, MT1413.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.