LOCATION METLEN                  MT

Established Series
REV. KTS-RJS
01/2012

METLEN SERIES

The Metlen series consists of shallow, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in colluvium, slope alluvium and/or residuum derived from mixed metamorphic or sedimentary rock. These soils occur on hills or mountain slopes. Slopes are 8 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 300 mm, and the mean annual air temperature is about 5 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Lithic Calciustepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Metlen cobbly loamy fine sand, in rangeland on a 25 percent slope at an elevation of 1755 meters (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

A--0 to 8 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) cobbly loamy fine sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 13 cm thick)

Bk1--8 to 21 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly loamy fine sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine irregular pores; strongly effervescent; finely disseminated calcium carbonate and 50 percent fine prominent irregular carbonate nodules on bottom of rock fragments; 17 percent gravel and 23 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary.

Bk2--21 to 43 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly loamy fine sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; violently effervescent; finely disseminated calcium carbonate and 50 percent fine prominent irregular carbonate nodules on bottom of rock fragments; 35 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bk1, Bk2 horizons - 15 to 42 cm)

R--43 to 152 cm; indurated calcareous quartzite bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Beaverhead County, Montana; located about 750 feet west and 570 feet north of the southeast corner of sec. 14, T. 10S, R. 11W; Garfield Canyon topographic quadrangle; UTM 12T, 0349210e, 4980300n, NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 5 to 8 degrees C.
Depth to calcic horizon - 5 to 25 cm
Depth to lithic contact - 25 to 50 cm

A horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Clay content: 0 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent--10 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3

Bk1, Bk2 horizons
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Texture: loamy fine sand, loamy sand or sand
Clay content: 0 to 15 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 70 percent--15 to 50 percent gravel, 10 to 25 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 8.4

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - hills and mountain slopes
Elevation - 1700 to 2010 meters
Slope - 8 to 60 percent
Parent material - colluvium, slope alluvium and/or residuum derived from mixed metamorphic or sedimentary rock
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; warm summers
Mean annual precipitation - 240 to 360 mm
Mean annual air temperature - 4 to 7 degrees C.
Frost-free period - 70 to 90 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Metlen soils are used mainly for rangeland and wildlife. The vegetation is mainly Rocky Mountain juniper, mountain mahogany, big sagebrush, rubber rabbitbrush, Opuntia (species), bluebunch wheatgrass, needleandthread, Indian ricegrass, blue grama, Poa (species), and miscellaneous forbs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Metlen soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana. MLRA - 43B.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Horse Prairie-South Valley Area - Part of Beaverhead County, Montana, 2011; proposed in Beaverhead County, Montana, 2008.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - from 0 to 8 cm (A horizon)
Calcic horizon - from 8 to 43 cm (Bk1, Bk2 horizons)
Particle-size control section - from 25 to 43 cm (part of Bk2 horizon)

Metlen soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime bordering on aridic.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.