|
(
<br /> PHILLIPS COUNTY, COLORADO 23
<br /> soil,generally on knobs or in sags where the soil material Seedlings emerge quickly if the range is reseeded
<br /> � g g q y g d when the
<br /> has been reworked considerably and a thin mantle of loess soil is moist and has a good cover of litter. Then, grazing
<br /> deposited. should be deferred until the young plants are well estab-
<br /> The soils in this complex take in water well and have lished. Capability units IVe-1 (dryland) and IIIe-5 (ir-
<br /> moderate to high available water holding capacity.Chisel- rigated) ; Loamy Plains range site; windbreak suitability
<br /> in g can be used to break up plowpans that form if the group 1.
<br /> soils are tilled when wet. In a few spots,flat fragments of Wages-Eckley-Dix complex, 5 to 25 percent slopes
<br /> limestone as much as 3 to 12 inches in diameter cover the (WeE) occupies areas along intermittent drainageways,
<br /> surface. principally Frenchman and Patent Creeks.These soils are
<br /> These soils are suitable for cultivation or as rangeland. so intermingled that it is not practical to map them
<br /> Nearly all of the acreage is cultivated.In dryfarmed fields separately.
<br /> winter small grains, sorghums, and similar crops grow Included with these soils in-mapping were nearly level
<br /> well. Erosion can be controlled if stubble-mulch tillage is to moderately sloping soils on stream terraces and Chan-
<br /> ;used and these soils are summer fallowed after crops are nel bottoms. The channel bottoms are shown on the soil
<br /> 'harvested. In some fields emergency tillage is needed for map by a symbol for drainage. Also included were small
<br /> reducing soil blowing. In addition to small grains and areas where the soil is shallow over gravel and calcareous
<br /> sorghums, alfalfa, corn, and sugar beets are suited in throughout.
<br /> ::irrigated areas. In these areas crop residue and manure About 60 percent of this complex is Wages soils, 18 per-
<br /> should be worked into the soil. Irrigated crops respond if cent is Eckley soils, and 12 percent is Dix soils. Each kind
<br /> fertilizer is applied. of soil has the profile described as typical for its series.The
<br /> On rangeland blue grama, western wheatgrass, little rest of the complex consists of areas of Platner and Asca-
<br /> nbluestem, and buffalograss gyrow well.These native grasses Ion soils. In hardland or sandy land areas, the Ascalon
<br /> Gan be reseeded if the soil is moist and well covered with soils occur on the south banks of the streams and Platner
<br /> litter.Proper range use can be obtained by locating fences, soils are at the upper edges of side slopes.
<br /> ater,and salt so that animals aze the entire area. Capa- These soils take water at a moderate to rapid rate.Where
<br /> r
<br /> " 'ty units IIIs-2 (dryland and IIe-2 (irrigated) ; they are shallow, their capacity to hold water is limited.
<br /> amy Plains range site;wind eak suitability group 1. If rains are heavy, runoff is considerable -and causes rill
<br /> Wages-Campus-Weld loams, 3 to 5 percent slopes erosion. Also, extra water from runoff frequently concen-
<br /> cQ occur mostly in the western part of the county.They trates and floods the Dix soils.Erosion control dams could
<br /> ecupy old,high land surfaces that have been covered with be built to control this water.
<br /> dblown silt. These areas generally occupy convex The complex is not suitable for cultivation, mainly be-
<br /> dges that trend southeastward.Some areas of Wages and cause it is erodible, shallow, and sloping to steep. The
<br /> ampus soils are on side slopes adjacent to nearly level areas should be seeded with native grasses. In the more
<br /> as of Dawes loam, but the Weld soil does not occur accessible areas,overgrazing is prevented by placing water,
<br /> 4 these areas. fences,and salt so that the livestock graze the entire range.
<br /> Wages soil makes up about 50 percent of the complex; Although reseeding may be difficult in some eroded or over-
<br /> amppus soil,25 percent; and Weld soil,15 percent.Wages grazed areas, seeds germinate quickly if the soil is moist
<br /> '' d Campus soils are on the slopes,and the Weld soil is on and covered with litter.Young plants should not be grazed
<br /> 's narrow, convex ridgetops. These soils are so closely until they are well established. Capability unit VIe-3
<br /> ciated that it is not practical to map them separately. (dryland) ;Wages soils are in Loamy Plains range site and
<br /> ch kind of soil has a profile sunilar to the one described windbreak suitability group 1; Eckley soils are in Gravel
<br /> r its series. Breaks range site and windbreak suitability group 3; and
<br /> _Included in mapping were small areas of Platner soils Dix soils are in Gravel Breaks range site and windbreak
<br /> at occupy the toe slopes of the ridges.Also included were suitability group 2.
<br /> few small spots of Canyon soils near spots where lime-
<br /> ne crops out.The limestone is a hazard to farm machin- weld Series
<br /> .Also occurring were a few small areas having slopes of
<br /> to 9 percent. The Weld series consists of deep, well-drained, loamy
<br /> k These soils take in water moderately well. Their avail- soils that are nearly level to gently sloping.These soils are
<br /> le water holding capacity is moderate to high. Because in the western and extreme northeastern parts of the
<br /> opes are gentle, runoff is considerable during heavy county (fig 9). They formed in loamy eolian, or loessal,
<br /> s, which causes small rills to form. Plowpans tend to materials. In a typical profile the surface layer is about
<br /> Ana in the soils if they are tilled when wet. 6 inches thick. It is grayish-brown loam in the upper part
<br /> r Soils in this complex are suitable for limited cultivation and dark grayish-brown loam in the lower part.
<br /> as rangeland. Nearly all the acreage is cultivated. A The subsoil is about 10 inches thick and noncalcareous.
<br /> 'table practice in dryfarmed fields is stubble-mulch till- The upper part is very hard, dark grayish-brown clay,
<br /> for controlling erosion and maintaining tilth and fer- and the lower part is hard, dark grayish-brown very fine
<br /> 'ty. Tilth and fertility are also maintained by working sandy loam.
<br /> p residue into the soil,emergency tillage,and construct- The underlying material is very pale brown loamy ma-
<br /> terraces on the longer slopes.These practices also con- terial that contains many fragments of limestone as much
<br /> e moisture. In the irrigated areas, crops respond to as 1 inch in diameter.
<br /> plications of fertilizer. Because the surface layer of the Weld soils is a thin
<br /> On rangeland grasses grow well if fences,water,and salt deposit of loam overlying a very slowly permeable sub-
<br /> ;_ properly placed so that livestock graze the entire range. soil, runoff is rapid on moderately sloping areas. Hard-
<br />
|