LOCATION HOPPERS MT
Established Series
Rev. GAR-JAL-EMM
01/2013
HOPPERS SERIES
The Hoppers series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in interbedded sandstone, siltstone, and shale residuum. These soils are found on hills. Slopes are 2 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 19 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 39 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Hoppers stony sandy clay loam, in forest (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A-- 0 to 8 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) stony sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and medium and few coarse roots; 10 percent gravel, 2 percent cobbles, 3 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
Bt1--8 to 15 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium and few coarse roots; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--15 to 26 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam; brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine and medium and few coarse roots; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of Bt horizons is 4 to 31 inches).
Cr--26 to 33 inches; olive (5Y 5/3) semi-consolidated and weathered sandstone.
R--33 inches; hard sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Gallatin County, Montana: 900 feet north and 1320 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 9, T.2S., R.7E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 39 to 43 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 12 inches; not dry for 45 consecutive days in the four months following the summer solstice.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 15 inches.
Depth to R horizon - 20 to 40 inches.
A horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture: sandy clay loam, sandy loam, or loam
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent--0 to 10 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles, 0 to 3 percent stones.
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.6
Bt1 horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture: sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 25 percent--5 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.6
Bt2 horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Texture: sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent--5 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES:
Absarook (MT) - has horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Archmesa (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact above the lithic contact.
Beartooth (MT) - has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation; has an Oi horizon; does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Beeno (WY) - has horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation; does not have a lithic contact above 60 inches.
Bielenberg (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Bitteroot (MT) - has horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Bookcliff (UT)- does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; is calcareous at a depth of 4 inches.
Burtoner (MT) - has a Cr horizon of decomposed granite bedrock (grus).
Clancy (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Clasoil (MT) - does not have a lithic contact above 60 inches.
Dooley (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Doughty (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Empedrado (CO) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Fairfield (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; has a calcic horizon.
Farnuf (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Farside (MT - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Felor (SD) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Greenway (SD) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Gurney (SD) - has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation; has hue redder than 10YR in the argillic horizon; formed in residuum derived from calcareous sandstone.
Hangdo (UT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Howbert (CO) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Hyalite (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; has a sandy-skeletal discontinuity above 40 inches.
Jeffcity (MT) - has horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Kokoruda (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Livona (ND) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Martinsdale (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Maudlin (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact above the lithic contact.
Meagher (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Moen (CO) - has hue of 7.5YR in the lower part of the argillic horizon; formed in residuum and colluvium derived from volcanic materials.
Moento (CO) - does not have a paralithic contact above the lithic contact.
Perrypark (CO) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Pianohill (MT) - does not have a paralithic contact above the lithic contact; formed in residuum or colluvium from volcanic mudflow breccia.
Placerton (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Reeder (ND) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Reedwest (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Sipple (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Snakejohn (UT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Sponseller (AZ) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Trag (CO) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Tragmon (CO) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Trazuni (NM) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Trujillo (CO) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Ulrant (WY) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Vida (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Watne (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Watrous (ND) - has horizon of secondary carbonate accumulation.
Wemple (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Williams (ND) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Yegen (MT) - does not have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - hills.
Elevation - 5,000 to 6,800 feet.
Slope - 15 to 60 percent.
Parent material - interbedded sandstone, siltstone, and shale residuum.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 22 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 37 to 43 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 80 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Hoppers soils are used mainly for grazeable woodland, rangeland and wildlife habitat. Potential native vegetation may include bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, alpine needlegrasses, lupine, arrowleaf balsamroot, western yarrow, big sagebrush, limber pine, juniper and Douglas fir as well as other forbs, grasses and woody shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Hoppers soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana. MLRAs 43B and 46.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gallatin County, Montana, 1997.
REMARKS: Soil interpretation record: MT1624.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to 15 inches (A, Bt1 horizons)
Argillic horizon (which is also the particle-size control section) - the zone from 8 to 26 inches (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Paralithic contact - the zone from 26 to 33 inches (Cr horizon)
Lithic contact - at 33 inches (R horizon)
Hoppers soils have an ustic moisture regime and a frigid temperature regime.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.