|
<br />GENERAL SOIL MAP
<br />
<br />!
<br />
<br />The general soil map at the back of this survey
<br />shows, in color, the soil associations in Otero
<br />County. A soil association is a landscape that has
<br />a distinctive proportional pattern of soils. It
<br />normally consists of one or mOTe major soils and at
<br />least one minor soil, and it is named for the major
<br />soils. The soils in one association may occur in
<br />another, but in a different pattern.
<br />A map showing soil associations is useful to
<br />people who want a general idea of the soils in a
<br />county, who want to compare different parts of a
<br />county, or who want to know the location of large
<br />tracts that are suitable for a certain kind of land
<br />use. Such a map is a useful general guide in manag-
<br />ing a watershed, a wooded tract, or a wildlife area,
<br />or in planning engineering works, recreational fa-
<br />cilities, and community developments. It is not a
<br />suitable map for planning the management of a farm
<br />or field, or for selecting the exact location of a
<br />road, building, or similar structure, because the
<br />soils in anyone association ordinarily differ in
<br />slope, depth, stoniness, drainage. and other char-
<br />acteristics that affect their management.
<br />The five soil associations in Otero County are
<br />discussed in the following pages
<br />
<br />i
<br />
<br />1. Vona-Olney-Dwyer Association
<br />
<br />Deep, nearly level to undulating, well-drained to
<br />excessively drained, loamy and sandy soils on up-
<br />lands
<br />
<br />
<br />The largest area of this association is located
<br />east of the Apishapa River in the western part of
<br />the county. Other smaller areas are located near
<br />the Arkansas River which flows east through the
<br />county. The soils developed from limy fine sands
<br />that apparently were blown out of the drainage chan-
<br />nels as the landscape gradually formed (fig, 2),
<br />This association embodies about 10 percent of
<br />the county. The Vona soils comprise about 40 per-
<br />cent of it; the Olney soils, about 25 percent; and
<br />the Dwyer soils, about 20 percent. Otero. Harvey,
<br />and Stoneham soils, and small areas of Minnequa,
<br />Shingle, or Cascajo soils, make up the rest.
<br />Vona soils are gently undulating to nearly level.
<br />They have a sandy loam surface layer and subsoil,
<br />but the subsoil is somewhat finer textured than the
<br />surface layer. Vona soils are lime free down to a
<br />depth of 15 inches. Olney soils are nearly level.
<br />They have a sandy loam surface layer and a sandy
<br />clay loam subsoil. They are free of lime to a depth
<br />of 12 inches. Dwyer soils are loamy sand throughout
<br />the profile and have the most nearly undulating
<br />relief. The depth to lime ranges from 18 inches to
<br />3 feet.
<br />
<br />~
<br />I
<br />
<br />Nearly all of this association is used as range.
<br />Only a small area in the vicinity of Holbrook Reser-
<br />voir is irrigated. The principal vegetation consists
<br />of blue grama, side-oats grama. Indian ricegrass,
<br />galleta, sand dropseed, bluestem grasses, and wild
<br />legumes. In most areas. yucca and sand sage are
<br />plentiful. Well-regulated grazing is the most ef-
<br />fect.ive and cheapest conservation practice. Brush
<br />control may be of value in places. Tracts that
<br />were farmed by homesteaders many years ago need re-
<br />seeding. Stock water can be obtained from wells, or
<br />from pits dug in areas of Olney soils.
<br />
<br />2. Minnequa-Penrose Association
<br />
<br />Nearly level to steep, well-drained to excessively
<br />drained, loamy soils that are moderately deep to
<br />very shallow over limestone or marl; on uplands
<br />
<br />This association is largely comprised of nearly
<br />level to gently undulating loarns and silty clay
<br />loams on plains and of channery lo~ on limestone
<br />breaks and escarpments (fig. 3). Areas of this
<br />association are drained by dry creek channels at
<br />intervals a few miles apart. Nearly level terraces
<br />along the creeks are more than a half-mile wide in
<br />some places.
<br />This is the largest of the five associations; it
<br />embodies about 53 percent of the county. Minnequa
<br />soils comprise about 36 percent of the association,
<br />and the Penrose soils, about 19 percent. The rest
<br />consists largely of 1yrone, Manvel, and ~nzanola
<br />soils, together with minor areas of Cadoma, Haverson.
<br />Limon, Sarnsil, and Shingle soils.
<br />Minnequa soils aTe nearly level to gently undu-
<br />lating loams and silty clay loams that have a very
<br />high content of lime. They are underlain by parent
<br />limestone at depths ranging from 20 to 40 inches.
<br />Penrose soils are only 6 to 20 inches deep to lime-
<br />stone. and their surface is strewn with angular
<br />fragments of limestone. Penrose soils are mainly
<br />near the southern boundary of the association, in a
<br />long narrow strip that extends diagonally from the
<br />southwest corner of the county to the Otero-Bent
<br />County line south of La Junta.
<br />Nearly all of this association is used as range.
<br />A small part comprised mostly of Minnequa soils in
<br />the La Junta vicinity is irrigated. lhe dominant
<br />range grasses are blue grama, buffalograss, and
<br />galleta. Maintaining high-quality range that helps
<br />prevent surface runoff is the best management prac-
<br />tice. Mechanical practices such as pitting and con-
<br />tour furrowing can help reduce runoff if the range
<br />is in poor condition. Obtaining stock water is a
<br />problem because most of it comes from small dams and
<br />pits which sometimes go dry. In some places, water
<br />can be obtained from wells dug along th~ creeks.
<br />
<br />3
<br />
|