LOCATION VERSHAL MT
Established Series
Rev. LDB-JAL-EMM
04/2014
VERSHAL SERIES
The Vershal series consists of very shallow, well drained soils that formed in colluvium or residuum from igneous rock or hard sedimentary bedrock. These soils are on bedrock-floored plains, escarpments and hills. Slopes are 2 to 60 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 16 inches and mean annual air temperature is about 41 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Lithic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Vershal very channery loam, 20 percent slope in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A1--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very channery loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; 5 percent cobbles; 40 percent channers; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary.
A2--4 to 8 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) extremely channery loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; 15 percent cobbles; 55 percent channers; neutral (pH 7.0). (The combined thickness of the A horizons is 5 to 10 inches)
R--8 inches; hard sandstone bedrock with a few cracks; few fine roots in some cracks.
TYPE LOCATION: Meagher County, Montana; 1,900 feet west and 1,300 feet south of the NE corner of sec. 15, T 5 N., R. 8 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 40 to 44 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 4 and 10 inches.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 5 to 10 inches.
Depth to bedrock - 5 to 10 inches.
A1 horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--5 to 15 percent cobbles, 30 to 45 percent channers
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
A2 horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 60 to 80 percent--15 to 25 percent cobbles, 45 to 55 percent channers
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES:
Castner (MT) - is 10 to 20 inches deep to a lithic contact of argillite, quartzite, or sandstone; has a horizon of carbonate accumulation.
Catgulch (MT) - is 12 to 20 inches deep over a lithic contact of granite; has a paralithic contact above the lithic contact.
Celeste (CO) - is 10 to 20 inches deep to lithic rhyolite bedrock; has hue of 5YR through 10R.
Cosnino (AZ) - have less than 18 percent clay in the particle size control section.
Duffymont (NM) - mainly very stony or extremely stony in the particle-size control section and has 10 to 18 percent clay in the control section.
Firo (NM) - formed in acid igneous fine grained bedrock; has an O horizon of leaves, needles, and twigs; at elevations over 6,800 feet.
Moonset (UT) - is 10 to 20 inches deep to a lithic contact; is calcareous throughout.
Nivean (MT) - has vitrandic properties; is 10 to 20 inches to a paralithic and a lithic contact.
Paunsaugunt (UT) - is calcareous throughout; has bedrock at depths of 10 to 20 inches.
Whitlash (MT) - is 10 to 20 inches deep to a lithic contact of igneous rock; has a cambic horizon.
Wuby (UT) - has fine sandy loam textures in the A and Bw horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - bedrock-floored plains, escarpments and hills.
Elevation - 4,000 to 6,000 feet.
Slope - 2 to 60 percent.
Parent material - colluvium or residuum derived from igneous rock and hard sedimentary bedrock.
Climate - long, cold winters; moist springs; short, warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 15 to 19 inches, most of which falls during spring and early summer.
Mean annual air temperature - 38 to 43 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 70 to 115 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Vershal soils are used mainly for rangeland. The potential native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, needleandthread, western wheatgrass, forbs, and shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Vershal soils are of moderate extent in west-central Montana. MLRAs 43B, 44B, and 46.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sweetgrass County, Montana, 2000. Proposed in Meagher County, Montana, 1992.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from the surface to 8 inches (A1, A2 horizons)
Particle-size control section - from the surface to 8 inches (A1, A2 horizons)
Lithic contact - at a depth of 8 inches (R horizon).
Soil interpretation record: MT1426.
Vershal soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.