LOCATION NIEMAN MT
Established Series
Rev: DES-JJU-EMM
03/2014
NIEMAN SERIES
The Nieman series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in colluvium over residuum derived from fine grained sandstone or igneous bedrock. These soils are on escarpments, ridges, strath terraces, structural benches, cuestas, hillslopes and mountain slopes. Slopes are 2 to 70 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 17 inches, and mean annual air temperature is about 38 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Lithic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Nieman very cobbly loam, very stony, in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very cobbly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 25 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
Bt1--4 to 8 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very cobbly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; common faint brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; 30 percent gravel, 25 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--8 to 13 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) extremely cobbly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and many fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; 35 percent gravel, 35 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0). (combined thickness of Bt1, Bt2 horizons - 6 to 14 inches)
R--13 inches; hard fine grained igneous bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Montana; 700 feet north and 75 feet east of the SW corner of sec. 18, T. 3N, R. 4W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 35 to 42 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 12 inches, includes all or part of the Bt horizon
Depth to argillic horizon - 4 to 7 inches
Depth to lithic contact - 10 to 20 inches
Note: Some pedons may have a BC and/or C horizon.
A horizon
Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR; dry or moist
Value: 3 to 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Texture: loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 10 to 60 percent--10 to 45 percent gravel, 0 to 25 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones or boulders
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 7.3
Bt1, Bt2 horizons
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y; dry or moist
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: loam, sandy loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent--20 to 55 percent gravel, 0 to 40 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones
Reaction: pH 6.0 to 7.8
COMPETING SERIES:
Bushpark (CO) - have an udic moisture regime
Copenhaver (MT) - have hues redder than 10YR in the argillic horizon
Donkehill (ID) - have secondary calcium carbonate accumulation
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 aridic moisture subclass
Mountpatterson (CA) - have a xeric moisture regime
Nielsen (ID) - have a xeric moisture regime
Notstew (NV) - have a xeric moisture regime
Slidemountain (MT) - have an udic moisture regime
Thiefridge (CA) - have a xeric moisture regime
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - escarpments, ridges, strath terraces, structural benches, cuestas, hillslopes and mountain slopes
Elevation - 5,500 to 8,600 feet
Slope - 2 to 70 percent
Parent material - colluvium over residuum derived from fine grained sandstone or igneous bedrock
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short, cool summers
Mean annual precipitation - 14 to 24 inches
Mean annual air temperature - 34 to 40 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 30 to 70 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the
Libeg soil. Libeg soils are very deep and are on less convex positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Nieman soils are primarily used for rangeland, woodland, and wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is mainly rough fescue, Idaho fescue, Sandberg bluegrass, lupine, bluebunch wheatgrass, prairie junegrass, western yarrow, hoods phlox, and big sagebrush. Areas in woodland have an overstory of Douglas-fir and an understory of rough fescue, Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, Rocky Mountain juniper, and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Nieman soils are of moderate extent in southwestern Montana. MLRAs - 43B, 44B.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Montana, 1998.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 8 inches (A, Bt horizons)
Argillic horizon - from 4 to 13 inches (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Lithic contact - at 13 inches (R horizon)
Particle-size control section - from 0 to 13 inches (A, Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Nieman soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil interpretation records - MT3053, MT3054.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.