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44 SOIL SURVEY to allow moisture accumulation. Generally precipitation is too low to make beneficial use of fertilizer. Stubble mulch farming, stripcropping, and minimum til- lage are needed to control soil blowing and water erosion. Terracing also may be needed to control water erasion. The potential native vegetation is dominated by western wheatgrass and blue grams. Buffalograss is also present. Potential production ranges from 1,000 pounds per acre in favorable years to 600 pounds in unfavorable years. As range condition deteriorates, a blue grams-buf- falogtass sod forms. Undesirable weeds and annuals in- vade the site as range condition becomes poorer. Management of vegetation on this soil should be based on taking half and leaving half of the total annual produc- tion. Range pitting can reduce runoff. Seeding is desirable if the range is in poor condition. Western wheatgrass, blue grams, sideaats grams, buffalograss, pubescent wheatgrass, and crested wheatgrass are suitable for seed- ing. The grass selected should meet the seasonal require- ments of livestock. It can be seeded into a clean, firm sorghum stubble, or it can be drilled into a firm prepared seedbed. Seeding eazly in spring has proven most success- ful Windbreaks and environmental plantings of trees and shrubs commonly grown in the area are generally well suited to this soil. Cultivation to control competing vegetation should be continued for as many years as possible following planting. Trees that are best suited and have good survival are Rocky Mountain juniper, eastern redcedar, ponderosa pine. Siberian elm, Russianolive, and hackberry. The shrubs best suited are skunkbush sumac, lilac, Siberian peashrnb, and American plum. Wildlife is an important secondary use of this soil. The cropland areas provide favorable habitat for ring-necked pheasant and mourning dove. Many nongame species can be attracted by estabUshing areas for nesting and escape cover. For pheasants, undisturbed nesting cover is essen- tial and should be included in plans for habitat develop- ment, especially in areas of intensive agriculture. Range- land wildlife, for example, the pronghorn antelope, can be attracted by developing livestock watering facilities, managing livestock grazing, and reseeding where needed. This soil has poor potential for urban and recreational development. Slow permeability and high shrink swell cause problems in dwelling and road construction. Capa- bility subclass IIte irrigated, IVe nonirrigated: Clayey Plains.ra^°a ci i68-Ustic Torriorthents, moderately steep These are deep, excessively drained soils on terrace breaks and escarpments at elevations of 4,450 to 5,100 feet. They formed in gravelly alluvium and have slopes of 9 to 25 percent. Included in mapping are small areas of soils that have pockets of sandy loam and loam in the underlying material Typically the surface layer is pale brown gravelly sand about 10 inches thick. The underlying material to a depth of 60 inches is pale brown gravelly sand. Permeability is rapid. Available water capacity is low. The effective rooting depth is 60 inches or more. Surface runoff is medium, and the erosion hazard is moderate. The potential native vegetation is dominated by little bluestem, sideaats grams, sand reedgrass, blue grams, hairy grams, switchgrasa, and needleandthread. Potential production ranges from 700 pounds per acre in favorable years to 200 pounds in unfavorable years. As range condi- tion deteriorates, the tall and mid grasses decrease, blue grams and hairy grams increase, and forage produMion drops. Management of vegetation should be based on taking half or less of the total annual production. Deferred graz- ing is practical in improving range condition. Seeding and mechanical treatment are impract%cal. Windbreaks and environmental plantings generally are not suited to these soils. Onsite investigation is needed to determine if plantings aze feasible. Wildlife populations are lindted because the necessary habitat elements are lacking. Because most of the acreage is rangeland, only rangeland wildlife, for example scaled quail and antelope, are typical. Extreme Gaze is needed in managing livestock grazing in order to provide suitable habitat on these soils. Potential is poor for urban and recreational develop- ment. The chief limiting soil features are the Loose, coarse textured soil, steep slopes, and rapid permeability. Capa- bility subclass VIIs irrigated, VIIs nonirrigated; Gravel Breaks range site. 69-Valent sand, 0 to 3 percent slopes. This is a deep, excessively drained soil on plains at elevations of 4,650 to 5,100 feet. It formed in eolian deposits. Included in mapping aze small areas of soils that have lime within a depth of 40 inches. Typically the surface layer is brown sand about 8 inches thick The underlying material to a depth of 60 inches is brown sand. Permeability is rapid. Available water capacity is moderate. The effective rooting depth is 60 inches ar more. Surface runoff is slow, and the erosion hazard is low. This soil is suited to limited cropping. Intensive crapping is hazardous because of erosion. The cropping system should be limited to such close grown crops as al- falfa, wheat, and barley. The soil also is suited to ir- rigated pasture. A suitable cropping system is 3 to 4 years of alfalfa followed by 2 years of corn and small grain and alfalfa seeded with a nurse crop. Closely spaced contour ditches or sptinkers Batt he used in irrigating close grown crops. Contour furrows or sprin- klers shotild be used for new crops. Applications of bar- nyard manure and commercial fertilizer help to maintain good production. The potential vegetation is dominated by sand bluestem, sand reedgrass, switchgrass, sideaats grams, needleandthread, little bluestem, and blue grams. Poten- tial production ranges from 2,500 pounds per acre in favorable years to 1,800 pounds in unfavorable years. As