CALM SITE DESCRIPTION FORM
SITE NAME: Mentasta Fen, Wrangell – St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska
PRIMARY RESEARCHERS: Chris Arp (USGS Alaska Science Center), Trey Simmons
(NPS Central Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Network
SITE LATITUDE/LONGITUDE: N 62° 33.097’ W143° 22.385’ NAD83
SITE ELEVATION (mean elevation above sea level, meters): 1000 masl
SITE SLOPE AND ASPECT: 3%, southwest
GEOMORPHOLOGICAL (landform) DESCRIPTION OF AREA CONTAINING SITE:
Valley toe-slope to valley bottom boreal lowlands with organic-rich soils overlying
glacial deposits, glaciofluvial outwash, and lacustrine deposits (Ecotype: boreal lowland
tussack – scrub bog)
SOIL DESCRIPTION (predominant texture, i.e., ‘sand’, ‘gravel’, ‘peat’, etc.): Moderate
thickness organic-rich horizon and peat overlying lacustrine clay, glacial and
glaciofluvial deposits. Typic Historthels, Terric Hemistels, Typic Aquorthels, Typic
Fibristels.
PERMANENT TEMPERATURE AND/OR MOISTURE INSTALLATIONS (probes,
recorders, sensors, etc.); INCLUDE ANNUAL AVERAGE VALUES/RANGES WHEN
POSSIBLE: 4-channel temperature loggers (HOBO U12 with HOBO TMC6-HD
temperature sensors) installed to 10, 50, 100, 150 cm depth logging at 4 hr intervals.
Shallow well installed with pressure transducer (HOBO U20-001) to record water level
and temperature at 4 hr interval.
CLOSEST CLIMATE STATION (name, lat./long.); INCLUDE MONTHLY AIR TEMP.
AND SNOW DEPTH FOR YEARS OF CALM MEASUREMENTS: Nearest long-term
station is Slana Airport Alaska (N 62° 42’ 00’’, W143°58’48’’ at 730 masl). Recent
station located at this CALM site since May 2009.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
Grid (1 hectare) AL measurements on 09 September 2009 in cm are: Mean = 50.5, SD =
11.1, Min = 30, and Max = 85
No soil or climate monitoring data available for this period.
2/97 KMH