M331Al Upper Yellowstone Valley

Landscape Characteristics:

Valley floor, terraces, toeslopes, and foothills that formed in alluvium and Tertiary sedimentary and volcanic rocks. Elevations range from 4500 to 7500 feet. Drainage density is moderate and wetlands are fairly common.

Climate:

Mean annual precipitation ranges from 15 to 40 inches, about 55 percent falling as snow. The soil temperature and moisture regimes are frigid and aridic ustic.

Potential Vegetation:

Foothills prairie

Relationships of Dominant Map Unit Components:

Landform Geology Soil Taxa
Valley floor/terraces Alluvium Haploborolls/Camborthids
Foothills/toeslopes Tertiary volcanics Argiborolls/Haploborolls

Disturbance and Land Use:

The primary natural disturbance is flooding. Land use is predominantly recreational development, with some agriculture and livestock grazing.