Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />C) <br />00 <br />w <br />:.;> <br /> <br />VESCRIPrIJ:; Jl' ::.t,SITi <br /> <br />B. .;oi1s <br /> <br />The soilz of t:..e Colorado River Basin closely resemi:>le the ,'cologie <br />forrr.ation::: 01' their origir.. Only it": luJ.te1 areas !it the hig.'ler eleva- <br />tions has the precipitation leached the soil rr.as,s of its soluble constit- <br />uents. ~:er most of the area both residual ~r.i transported soil::: are <br />basic in reaction and ....ell supplied ,,"it!, carbonatcoS wit!) nor::-;al o!" :nature <br />soils e~~ibiting a distinct horizon of carbo~ate aec~~atio~. The i~- <br />press of soil-fcrminf' fa~tors has resulted in the ~idespread development of <br />soils classified as members of the Gr~y-Desert, Red Desert and Siero~e~, <br />ureat Soil Group. In areas .....ith higher rainfall. soils of the Brolffl and <br />Chestnut Great Soil Croups have dp,elor~1. Saline ~d alAali (sodic) <br />soils occur in many parts of the basin. <br /> <br />"he residual soils comprise the larp-er area. ar.ri are usually shallow <br />irl depth over shale and sands~one of various ~es. l1an.y of the shales <br />are salir~ but contain much ~spsurr. as well as o~her chloride a~d sul- <br />phate salts. Some formatioros are high in sodium Chloride and some have <br />sodiu:n carbonate or bicarbonate s~ra-':.a. 1lery few roeddual soil areas <br />are suitable for irrigation de'relop:!':e:1<-. C:;al~ pickup tr.ll.inly occurs in <br />areas where 'he r:a:.ural runoff contac':s the saline shales before en~ering <br />the stre9..!~s. <br /> <br />The alluvial materials are extremely variable and range from allu~ <br />'rial fans and terraces. outwash plains. ':0 lacustrine sedi~er.ts. Some <br />areas have soils from material transported only shor- dist.ances and re. <br />semble the original materials. Other areas have soils which have been <br />transported and mixed extrerr.ely well. !40st of the agricultural areas <br />are on these well-mlxed alluvi~~ and, therefore, the soils are quite <br />'1"Ilriable. <br /> <br />Extensive areas of Eoliar. deposits Occur i~ par':s of t~e basin. <br />principally in southwestern rolorado. The u~ifo~y t~xtured soils <br />are reddish br~~n in color and have La rese~blar.ce to either the u~der- <br />lyi~~ formations or adjacent arees. These are exceller.t agricultural <br />soils, but in many areas topography ~es agriculture difficult. <br /> <br />C. Clirna t.e <br /> <br />The Colorado River Basin has cli~tic extre~~s. ~ar..ging cetween <br />Jear~round sr.ow COver and heavy precipi:atior. or. the high peaks of the <br />Pock:.' ~1ou;;tains to desert co::.di~ions wi':1-'l very li~'::le rain in t~e south- <br />ern par~ of the basin. This wide ra::.ge of cli~te is caused by differ- <br />ences in altitude. latitude. and by the configuration of the high mountain <br />ral1i:es. The er,circl1ng mountair: ranges obs"ruct a:'ld deflec':: the air ::lasses <br />t;o such an eX~,e!":t that stor:n pa':':e:r!":.s are mOre erra"_ic than in :!\Ost other <br />parts of ':he Ur.ited States. ~.Sos" o!' the ::lOis:ure for precipitation on the <br /> <br />