M331Ba Bighorn Sedimentary Mountains

Landscape Characteristics:

Mountainsides, foothills, fans, and terraces that formed in limestone, sandstone, and shale. Some landslide deposits also occur. Elevations range from 5000 to 10500 feet. Drainage density is moderate.

Climate:

Mean annual precipitation ranges from 15 to 35 inches, about 40 percent falling as snow. The soil temperature and moisture regimes are cryic and typic ustic.

Potential Vegetation:

Douglas-fir forest/Foothills prairie

Relationships of Dominant Map Unit Components:

Landform Geology Soil Taxa
Mountainsides Sedimentary Cryoborolls/Cryoboralfs
Foothills Sedimentary Argiborolls/Haploboralfs
Fans/terraces Sedimentary Cryoborolls/Argiborolls

Disturbance and Land Use:

The primary natural disturbance is fire. Land use is predominantly livestock grazing and timber harvest.