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Sa9uache County Area, Colorado
<br />prevent range deterioration and to promote the growth
<br />and increase of more desirable plant species.
<br />This soil supports habitat for such wildlife as antelope,
<br />cottontail, coyote, and jackrabbit. Forage production is
<br />typically low, and livestock grazing management
<br />practices are necessary if wildlife and livestock share the
<br />range. Livestock watering developments are also
<br />important and are used by various wildlife species. If
<br />food and cover are provided in irrigated areas,
<br />populations of such wildlife as ring-necked pheasant can
<br />be increased.
<br />This soil is well suited to homesite development. It has
<br />few limitations to this use.
<br />This soil is in capability subclasses Ille, irrigated, and
<br />Vle, nonirrigated. It is in the Limy Bench range site.
<br />I 44-Luhon loam, 3 to 6 percent slopes. This is a
<br />~ deep, well drained soil on fans and valley side slopes at
<br />elevations of 7,600 to 8,000 feet. The soil formed in
<br />calcareous alluvium. The average annual precipitation is
<br />about 10 inches; the average annual air temperature is
<br />about 41 degrees F; and the frost-free period is about 95
<br />days.
<br />Included in this unit are small areas of Garita sandy
<br />loam, Travelers very stony loam, and Rock River gravelly
<br />loam, all having slope of 3 to 6 percent.
<br />Typically, the surtace layer of this Luhon soil is brown
<br />loam about 7 inches thick. The underlying material to a
<br />depth of 20 inches is light gray loam that has much
<br />visible calcium carbonate. Below 20 inches to a depth of
<br />60 inches, the soil is pinkish white heavy sandy loam
<br />that has less visible calcium carbonate than the layer
<br />above.
<br />Permeability is moderate. Effective rooting depth Is 60
<br />inches. Available water capacity is high. Surface runoff is
<br />medium, and the erosion hazard is moderate.
<br />This soil is used as range and wildlife habitat.
<br />i. The potential natural vegetation on this soil is
<br />dominated by winterfat, fourwing saltbush, Indian
<br />ricegrass, and squirreltail. If the range deteriorates, the
<br />proportion of these more desirable plants decreases;
<br />that of plants such as threeawn, pricklypear, snakeweed,
<br />pingue, and other forbs increases. Undesirable weeds
<br />and annual plants invade and become more abundant as
<br />the range condition declines.
<br />I Establishing rangeland seedlings is difficult because of
<br />the low rainfall. Deferred grazing, cross fencing, and
<br />development of stockwater facilities are the practices
<br />most needed to prevent range deterioration and to
<br />promote the growth and increase of more desirable plant
<br />species.
<br />f This soil supports habitat for such wildlife as antelope,
<br />cottontail, coyote, and jackrabbit. Forage production is
<br />~ typically low, and livestock grazing management
<br />i practices are necessary if wildlife and livestock share the
<br />range. Livestock watering developments are also
<br />important and are used by various wildlife species.
<br />45
<br />This soil is well suited to homesite development.
<br />Vegetative cover should be disturbed as little as possible
<br />during construction to minimize erosion.
<br />This soil is in capability subclasses IVe, irrigated, and
<br />Vle, nonirrigated. It is in the Limy Bench range site.
<br />45-McGinty sandy loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes.
<br />This deep, moderately well drained soil is on fans on
<br />alluvial valley floors. Elevation is 7,600 to 6,000 feet.
<br />This soil formed in calcareous alluvium derived primarily
<br />from igneous rock. The average annual precipitation is
<br />about 7 inches; the average annual air temperature is
<br />about 41 degrees F; and the average frost-free period is
<br />about 95 days.
<br />Included in this unit are small areas of Luhon loam,
<br />Mosca loamy sand, and Norte gravelly sandy loam, all
<br />having slope of 0 to 3 percent.
<br />Typically, the surtace layer of this McGinty soil is pale
<br />brown sandy loam about 8 inches thick. The upper part
<br />of the underlying material is pale brown sandy loam
<br />about 9 inches thick. The lower part to a depth of 60
<br />inches is very pale brown sandy loam and pale brown
<br />fine sandy loam containing visible calcium carbonate.
<br />Permeability is moderately rapid. Effective rooting
<br />depth is 60 inches. Available water capacity is moderate.
<br />surtace runoff is slow, and the hazard of erosion is
<br />slight. The hazard of soil blowing is moderate. A
<br />seasonal high water table is within 4.5 to 5.0 feet of the
<br />surface during the irrigation season.
<br />This soil is used for irrigated crops of potatoes, alfalfa,
<br />and small grains and for range.
<br />On irrigated cropland, applications of commercial
<br />fertilizers are needed in addition to manure and crop
<br />residue. Generally, all nonlegume crops respond to
<br />phosphate fertilizer. Use of minimum tillage practices and
<br />high-residue crops helps prevent soil blowing.
<br />Irrigation methods suitable for this soil are sprinkler,
<br />border, or furrow. Sprinkler irrigation is well suited to all
<br />crops. Furrow methods are suited to row crops, and
<br />border irrigation is suited to alfalfa, small grain, and
<br />pasture. Land leveling and relatively short lengths of run
<br />are necessary to conserve water and to prevent
<br />seepage and salt buildup in the soil.
<br />The potential natural vegetation on this soil is
<br />dominated by Indian ricegrass, blue grams, thickspike
<br />wheatgrass, and alkali sacaton. Common shrubs are
<br />fourwing saltbush, black greasewood, and rubber
<br />rabbitbrush. If the range deteriorates, the proportion of
<br />Indian ricegrass, thickspike wheatgrass, and alkali
<br />sacaton decreases, and that of inland saltgrass, forbs,
<br />and woody shrubs increases. Black greasewood and
<br />rubber rabbitbrush increase and annual weeds invade
<br />and become more abundant as range condition declines.
<br />Establishing rangeland seedlings on this soil is difficult
<br />because of the low rainfall. Deferred grazing, cross
<br />fencing, stockwater developments, and brush control are
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