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<br />Cascajo Series
<br />
<br />The Cascajo series consists of sloping to hilly,
<br />excessively drained, gravelly soils. For the most
<br />part, Cascajo soils are on gravelly escarpments
<br />bordering the valley of the Arkansas River.
<br />In a typical profile the surface layer, about 6
<br />inches thick, is gravelly loam. In the upper part
<br />it is light brownish gray and has a loose consistence
<br />_______-~hen dry. In the lower part it is dark brown and
<br />has a soft consistence when dry. The next layer,
<br />about 15 inches thick, is very pale-brown cobbly,
<br />very gravelly loam. It is rich in lime and has a
<br />thick lime coating on the bottom surface of pebbles
<br />and cobbles. Underlying the above horizon is strat-
<br />ified sand and gravel. From about 36 to 45 inches
<br />is brownish-yellow silty clay that is very strongly
<br />calcareous and contains many lime concretions. In
<br />places, these soils are underlain by pale-yellow
<br />soft shale at varying depths.
<br />Because of the steep slope of these soils, sur-
<br />face runoff is rapid. These soils are rapidly per-
<br />meable, have a low water-holding capacity, and are
<br />subject to a moderate water erosion hazard.
<br />Most of the acreage is part of areas used as
<br />range. The native vegetation is made up of blue
<br />grama, galleta, side-oats grama, yucca, snakeweed,
<br />and cholla cactus. These soils are a good source of
<br />commercial gravel.
<br />Typical profile of Cascajo soil in an area of
<br />range and gravel pits, 530 feet west and 500 feet
<br />south of the northeast corner of sec. 26, T. 23 S. J
<br />R. S7 W,
<br />
<br />All--O to 3 inches, light brownish-gray (IOYR 6(2),
<br />gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (IOYR 4/2)
<br />when moist; weak, thin, platy structure that
<br />parts to weak, very fine, crumb; loose when
<br />dry, very friable when moist; roots common;
<br />noncalcareous; abrupt, smooth boundary.
<br />A12--3 to 6 inches, dark-brown (lOYR 4(3) gravelly
<br />loam, dark brown (IOYR 3/3) when moist; moder-
<br />ate, very fine, crJffib structure; soft when
<br />dry, very friable when moist; roots common;
<br />noncalcareous; clear, smooth boundary.
<br />Clca--6 to 21 inches, very pale brown (IOYR 7(3)
<br />cobbly, very gravelly loam, light yellowish
<br />brown (lOYR 6/4) when moist; structureless;
<br />hard when dry, very friable when moist; roots
<br />common; thick lime coating on bottom of peb-
<br />bles and cobbles; strongly calcareous; clear,
<br />wavy boundary.
<br />C2--2l to 36 inches, banded calcareous sands and
<br />gravel; clear, wavy boundary.
<br />IIC3--36 to 45 inches, brownish-yellow (IOYR 6(6)
<br />silty clay, yellowish brown (IOYR 5(6) when
<br />moist; structureless; hard when dry, firm when
<br />moist; many, coarse, prominent lime concre-
<br />tions; very strongly calcareous; gradual)
<br />smooth boundary.
<br />R--4S to 60 inches, pale-yel;ow (2,SY 7(4) shale,
<br />pale olive (2.SY 6/4) when moistj medium and
<br />coarse, platy Smoky Hill marl; very strongly
<br />calcareous.
<br />
<br />10
<br />
<br />Depth to underlying shale ranges from 1 to sev-
<br />eral feet. In places the sand and gravel layer
<br />contains lenses of pale-brown silty clay that is up
<br />to 18 inches thick or seams of crystalline gypsum
<br />that are 1 to 5 inches thick.
<br />Cascajo soils are associated with Harvey and
<br />Otero soils. They differ from them in being more
<br />sloping and gravelly.
<br />
<br />Cascajo soils and Gravelly land (2 to 25 percent
<br />slopes) (Cg) .--This mapping unit occurs mainly on
<br />ridges and short, steep slopes bordering the irri-
<br />gated valley land along the Arkansas River. Most of
<br />the acreage occurs in elongated areas up to about 60
<br />rods wide and 200 acres in size. About 75 percent
<br />of each area has a profile similar to that described
<br />as typical for the Cascajo series. About 25 percent
<br />is disturbed areas, gravel pits, or eroded side
<br />slopes of V-shaped drainages.
<br />The principal inclusions are Harvey-Stoneham
<br />loams, 0 to 3 percent slopes, and Otero sandy loam,
<br />1 to 5 percent slopes. Total inclusions account for
<br />about 10 percent of each mapped area.
<br />This mapping unit is used for range and as a
<br />source of commercial gravel, but it does not make a
<br />productive range site because of the droughtiness of
<br />the soils. Most areas are too small to fence off
<br />from other range. The soils are suited for uses
<br />such as hay and feedlots or building sites, and as
<br />potential habitat for upland game birds and rabbits.
<br />(Nonirrigated capability unit VIIs-2; Gravel Breaks
<br />range site)
<br />
<br />Dwyer Series
<br />
<br />The Dwyer series consists of deep, undulating,
<br />excessively drained, sandy soils of the uplands.
<br />They are mostly in the west-central nonirrigated
<br />part of the county and are moderately extensive.
<br />In a typical profile the surface layer, about 11
<br />inches thick, is pale-brown to brown loamy sand. It
<br />has a loose consistence when dry or moist. The
<br />transitional layer, about 7 inches thick, is brown
<br />loamy sand, slightly hard when dry and friable when
<br />moist. It, like the surface layer, is free of lime.
<br />The substratum below a depth of about 18 inches is
<br />limy, light yellowish-brown or very pale brown loamy
<br />sand. From 18 to 25 inches the substratum has a
<br />loose consistence when dry or moist. Below a depth
<br />of 25 inches, it is slightly hard when dry and very
<br />friable when moist.
<br />Because of the rapid intake rate and rapid perme-
<br />ability of Dwyer soils there is almost no surface
<br />runoff. These soils have low water-holding capac-
<br />ity, and the hazard of wind erosion is high where
<br />grasses are overgrazed.
<br />All of the acreage is used as range. The native
<br />grasses are mainly sand bluestem, blue grama, gal-
<br />leta, Indian ricegrass, and side-oats grama.
<br />Typical profile of Dwyer loamy sand in an area of
<br />range, 0.15 mile south and 0.04 mile east of the
<br />northwest corner of sec. IS, T. 25 5., R. 59 W.
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