WSP08554

• File Number: 8407
• Description: Platte River Basin - River Basin General Publications
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 8/1/1982
• Author: Arthur D Little Inc
• Title: Six State High Plains-Ogallala Aquifer Regional Resources Study - Study Element B-4 - Environmental and Socioeconomic Impacts Assessment
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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association historically farmed have become too wind damaged to be util ized
after a few years. Mansker-Potter (moderately shallow and shallow calcareous)
soils cover 10 percent of the county and are also highly erodible. More
specifically, three soils series make up a large percentage of the County;
Amarillo loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes (17.6%), Jlmarillo fine sandy loam, 0 to
2 percent slopes (14.4%), and Pullman loam, 1 to 2 percent slopes (27.0%) for
a total of 59.0%. Amarillo loam and Pullman loam require management to con-
serve moisture and control wind erosion. The Jlmarillo fine sandy loam is
likely to be damaged by wind erosion and on these soils only crops that leave
enough residue to protect them against high winds can be grown continuously.

Oklahoma

Three key soils (associations) in the panhandle are Richfield, Ulysses,
and Dalhart. The Richfield soils are most extensive, being deep, dark,
clayey soils that are well-drained, nearly level with depth to calcareous
material of 12 to 25 inches. They offer good resistance to wind erosion
because of their cloddy nature. The Ulysses soils are deep, moderately fine
textured, calcareous soils that are well-drained and occur on upland. The
Dalhart soils consist of deep friable, sandy soils that are well drained and
occur on upland. They have a high susceptibility to wind erosion.

The detailed soil survey for Cimarron County, Oklahoma, was reviewed as
representative of the panhandle. Rainfall is highly variable from year to
year. During the 1930's drought, there were many severe dust storms, but
during the 1950's drought there were dust storms on only a few days. Conser-
vation measures were credited for thi s change. Hazards noted are wi nd and
water erosion, with wind being the far greater concern.

The detailed soil survey for Ellis County, Oklahoma, was reviewed as
representative of the more eastern area. Wind and water erosion problems are
both mentioned, but in this more eastern area water erosion is apparently a
greater concern than wind erosion.