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PHILLIPS COUNTY, COLORADO <br />' T <br />IY <br />Wt It, <br />gCir� profile of Valentine sand showing the thin surface layer <br />_k sticture that breaks to single grain (structureless) ; <br />oerq, soft when dry, very friable to loose when moist ; <br />"&adu' alp smooth boundary. <br />g48=,iehes { ,pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sand, &Rrk <br />(10YR 4/3) when moist; single grain (strue- <br />loose when dry and moist; noncaleareons. <br />e sA `7aoiizon ranges from o to 6 inches in thickness. The <br />thl& a'66 layers are in the least sloping areas. <br />!N6,1V entin6 soils are associated with the Julesburg soils. <br />-have a thinner surface layer than the Jules- <br />ols'arid less clay in the underlying layer. Valentine <br />1t' 1e, �1', Svell developed throughout the profile than the <br />Iesblii� 79611ls and have less thickness of dark soil material. <br />illirine;firie Sand, rolling (VaD) occupies most of the <br />lyia aye southeast of Holyoke. This soil is asso- <br />_ <br />soils in some small areas in the north- <br />rthWestern parts of the county. Slopes are <br />oto'seep. The profile of this soil is similar to the <br />feie as typical for the series. <br />e?�edY'=wth'this soil in mapping were a few small 2 acre to 5 acres in size. These areas are shown <br />ft <br />.,9 Snap by a symbol. <br />21 <br />This Valentine soil is extremely droughty in dry years, <br />mainly because it is excessively drained and low in avail- <br />able water holding capacity. This soil has very rapid <br />permeability. <br />Growing in most areas are sandreed, sand bluestem <br />switchgrass, needle- and - thread, and other native mid and <br />tall grasses. This soil is well suited to these plants, but <br />grazing should be limited because of susceptibility to <br />severe blowing. This soil can be reseeded with adapted spe- <br />cies of native grasses, but the steep slopes make manage- <br />ment difficult. A few small areas are cultivated, mainly <br />for the purpose of squaring larger fields of other soils <br />and makin them easier to cultivate. Capability unit Vle- <br />2 (drylandI ; Deep Sand range site; windbreak suitability <br />group 4. <br />Valentine fine sand, hilly (VaE) occupies dunelike areas <br />that have steep, abrupt slopes on the leeward side. This soil <br />is in the south - central and southeastern parts of the county. <br />The surface layer of this soil is severely eroded, is very <br />dark grayish brown, and is as much as 2 inches thick. <br />This soil is suited to native grasses, but extreme limita- <br />tions are needed to prevent overgrazing. Even though the <br />plant cover generally is increasing, many areas are nearly <br />bare. Revegetation is extremely difficult, though it can be <br />done through careful management of grass in blowouts <br />and of annuals and yucca. This soil is droughty because <br />it is very rapidly permeable, excessively drained, and low <br />in available water holding capacity. Capability unit VIIe- <br />1 (dryland) ; Choppy Sand range site; windbreak suit- <br />ability group 4. <br />Wages Series <br />The Wages series consists of deep, well - drained, loamy <br />soils that are gently sloping to steep. These soils occupy <br />the side slopes of intermittent streams (fig. 8), and most <br />areas are along Frenchman and Patent Creeks. Wages soils <br />formed in a reddish -brown gravelly deposit. The upper <br />part of the soil has been mixed with some windblown silty <br />material. <br />In a typical profile the surface layer is grayish -brown <br />loam about 5 inches thick. The subsoil is about 11 inches <br />thick. In the upper part it is dark grayish- brown, slightly <br />hard clay loam that is about 5 percent fine gravel. The <br />lower part is limy, light brownish -gray clay loam that is <br />about 5 to 10 percent fine gravel. <br />At a depth of 16 to 24 inches is very strongly calcareous, <br />light brownish -gray loam. Below this is light -brown <br />gravelly sandy loam that is free of lime. <br />Wages soils are moderately to slowly permeable and are <br />well drained. Because they have a thin loam surface <br />layer over a slowly permeable clay loam subsoil and are <br />gently sloping to steep, surface runoff is medium to rapid. <br />Because their subsoil is somewhat gravelly, they have <br />moderate available water holding capacity. Wages soils <br />are moderate in natural fertility. <br />Along side slopes of intermittent streams are a few <br />areas of Wages soils that are still in native grass, mainly <br />western wheatgrass and blue grama. Grasses are better <br />suited than row crops, and only a few acres are cultivated. <br />These soils can be seeded to grass. <br />