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r%x 4/ 15i-T- C <br /> Map Unit Description—Phillips County,Colorado <br /> Map Unit Description <br /> The map units delineated on the detailed soil maps in a soil survey represent the <br /> soils or miscellaneous areas in the survey area. The map unit descriptions in this <br /> report, along with the maps, can be used to determine the composition and <br /> properties of a unit. <br /> A map unit delineation on a soil map represents an area dominated by one or <br /> more major kinds of soil or miscellaneous areas.A map unit is identified and <br /> named according to the taxonomic classification of the dominant soils. Within a <br /> taxonomic class there are precisely defined limits for the properties of the soils. <br /> On the landscape, however, the soils are natural phenomena, and they have the <br /> characteristic variability of all natural phenomena.Thus, the range of some <br /> observed properties may extend beyond the limits defined for a taxonomic class. <br /> Areas of soils of a single taxonomic class rarely, if ever, can be mapped without <br /> including areas of other taxonomic classes. Consequently, every map unit is <br /> made up of the soils or miscellaneous areas for which it is named, soils that are <br /> similar to the named components, and some minor components that differ in use <br /> and management from the major soils. <br /> Most of the soils similar to the major components have properties similar to those <br /> of the dominant soil or soils in the map unit, and thus they do not affect use and <br /> management. These are called noncontrasting, or similar, components.They <br /> may or may not be mentioned in a particular map unit description. Some minor <br /> components, however, have properties and behavior characteristics divergent <br /> enough to affect use or to require different management.These are called <br /> contrasting, or dissimilar, components. They generally are in small areas and <br /> could not be mapped separately because of the scale used. Some small areas of <br /> strongly contrasting soils or miscellaneous areas are identified by a special <br /> symbol on the maps. If included in the database for a given area,the contrasting <br /> minor components are identified in the map unit descriptions along with some <br /> characteristics of each.A few areas of minor components may not have been <br /> observed, and consequently they are not mentioned in the descriptions, <br /> especially where the pattern was so complex that it was impractical to make <br /> enough observations to identify all the soils and miscellaneous areas on the <br /> landscape. <br /> The presence of minor components in a map unit in no way diminishes the <br /> usefulness or accuracy of the data. The objective of mapping is not to delineate <br /> pure taxonomic classes but rather to separate the landscape into landforms or <br /> landform segments that have similar use and management requirements.The <br /> delineation of such segments on the map provides sufficient information for the <br /> development of resource plans. If intensive use of small areas is planned, <br /> however, onsite investigation is needed to define and locate the soils and <br /> miscellaneous areas. <br /> An identifying symbol precedes the map unit name in the map unit descriptions. <br /> Each description includes general facts about the unit and gives important soil <br /> properties and qualities. <br /> USDA Natural Resources Web Soil Survey 10/23/2019 <br /> Conservation Service National Cooperative Soil Survey Page 1 of 8 <br />