WSP11581

• File Number: 8407.500
• Description: Platte River Basin - River Basin General Publications - Missouri River
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 9/1/1986
• Author: USDA
• Title: Missouri River Tributaries - Colorado Cooperative River Basin Study - Potential for Irrigation System Improvements
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

LAND

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Soils

The general soil map locates soil with similar characteristics and
suitability within the basin, (see soils map and legend). Broad characteristics
and relationships can then be used to interpret the potential of soils for
agricultural, wildlife, recreational, commercial and industrial uses. Problems of
erosion, sediment yield, land use and future development are interrelated with
soils and their distribution.

The General Soils Map was prepared by delineating mapping units that differ
from each other in the kinds of soils that are present. Soils in each mapping
unit form patterns that are repeated from place to place.

Mapping units were defined and described according to requirements imposed by
the map scale and criteria from "Soil Taxonomy" published December 1975. The soil
map unit numbers in this report correspond to the soil map unit numbers of "Soils
of Colorado" published July 1977, by CSU Experiment Station - Bulletin 566S.

Assistance on the soils is available at the local Soil Conservation Service
offi ce. Pub 1 i shed Soi 1 Survey can al so be obtai ned at these offi ces. "Important
Farmlands" maps, which include prime land, are available for purchase through the
Bulletin Room 171, S.W. Wing Aylesworth Hall, Colorado State University,
Ft. Collins, Colorado 80523. Phone: [phone].

Natural Basin Features

The Missouri River Tributaries, Colorado, contains all of the North and South
Platte Rivers and Republican River drainages in Colorado. Figure 1 shows the
location of the study area. The total area consists of 19,121,000 acres.
Elevations in the basin vary from high mountain peaks of 14,000 plus feet above
mean sea level and high mountain passes of 11,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains
through foothills, plains and river bottomlands to about 3,400 feet mean sea level
at Laird, Colorado. Two distinguishable major physical divisions characterize the
basin.

The Rocky Mountain System occupies approximately 25 percent of the basin.
The Southern Rocky Mountaln province occupies all of the Rocky Mountain System
while the High Plains province occupies all of the Interior Plains System. The
Southern Rocky Mountain province has extensive areas of coniferous forests and
intermingled mountain parks supporting mixed grasses and shrubs. There are a
number of intermountain valleys between the mountain masses. These areas are used
mainly for grazing. The Rocky Mountain portion of the basin is a primary source
of water for the North and South Platte Rivers.

The High Plains province slopes gently eastward from the Rocky Mountains. It
occupies approximately 75 percent of the basin. The plains are characterized by
nearly level to rolling tablelands, with hilly to rough broken areas along the
valley sides. Stream dissection is well established, with broad smooth divides
between the larger drainages.

B-1