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LOCAN COUNTY, COLORADO
<br />icon plum, purple willow, common chokecherry and redosi-
<br />er doge'ood.
<br />This is an important soil for wildlife because of its in-
<br />tensive use for cropland and its position in relation to the
<br />bottomlands of the South Platte River. Its primary value
<br />for wildlife species is in the food it produces, that wildlife
<br />utilize while using the riverbottom areas for cover. Wil-
<br />dlife utilizing this soil include mule and white-tailed deer,
<br />bobwhite, ducks, geese, and miscellaneous nongame spe-
<br />cies. Wildlife habitat can be provided and improved by
<br />tree and shrub plantings, planting grasses and legumes
<br />for undisturbed nesting cover, and providing wildlife
<br />travel lanes from riverbottom areas to feeding areas.
<br />Shallok' water wetland areas can be developed to attract
<br />waterfowl with irrigation.
<br />Where the soil is used for homesites and other urban
<br />developments, the primary limiting soil features are a
<br />water table at depths of 20 to 40 inches and a flooding
<br />hazard. Special sewage systems must be anticipated. Sep-
<br />tic tank absorption fields will not function properly
<br />because of the high water table. 1n homesite and other
<br />urban development construction, compensating measures
<br />and designs aze needed to overcome the water table and
<br />flooding hazard. Road designs are needed that will take
<br />into account the frost action of the soil. Capability sub-
<br />class IIIw nonirrigated, IIIw irrigated.
<br />a-Altvan-Eckley sandy looms, 3 to 5 percent slopes.
<br />These gently sloping soils are on upland ridges and side
<br />slopes in the northern part of the county. The average an-
<br />nual precipitation ranges from 15 to 19 inches. Altvan
<br />sandy loam, 3 to 5 percent slopes, makes up 50 percent of
<br />the unit and Eckley sandy loam, 3 to 5 percent slopes,
<br />about 30 percent. The Altvan soil is on foot slopes and at
<br />midslope. Eckley soils are on ridge crests and knobs.
<br />About 20 percent of this unit is Chappell sandy loam
<br />and Wages loam, both having 3 to 5 percent slopes, and
<br />Dix gravelly sandy loam, 5 to 9 percent slopes. The Chap-
<br />pell and Wages soils are on footslopes and in concave
<br />positions. The Dix soil is on ridge crests and knobs.
<br />The Altvan soil is a deep, well drained gravelly upland
<br />soil. It formed in calcareous, loamy alluvial and eolian
<br />delwsits underlain by sand and gravel.
<br />T~Pically the surface layer is a dark grayish brown
<br />sandy loam about 5 inches thick. The subsoil is a dark
<br />grayish brown heavy sandy loam and sandy clay loam
<br />about 18 inches thick. The substratum is light brownish
<br />gray, calcareous sandy clay loam about IS inches thick
<br />over light brown coarse sand and gravel (fig. 4) that ex-
<br />tends to 60 inches or more.
<br />Permeability is moderate. Effective rooting depth is 60
<br />inches or more. Available water capacity is moderate.
<br />Surface runoff is medium, and the erosion hazard is
<br />moderate.
<br />The Eckley soil is a deep, well drained soil. It formed in
<br />stratified, reddish, gravelly alluvial materials of the Ogal-
<br />lala Formation.
<br />Typically the surface layer is dazk grayish brown sandy
<br />loam about 3 inches thick. The subsoil is dark brown and
<br />15
<br />brown, gravelly sandy clay loam about 17 inches thick.
<br />The substratum is light brown gravelly coarse loamy sand
<br />and coarse sand to 60 inches or more.
<br />Permeability is moderate. The effective rooting depth
<br />is 60 inches or more, Available water capacity is
<br />moderate. Surface runoff is medium, and the erosion
<br />hazard is moderate.
<br />These soils are used for nonirrigated cropland, irrigated
<br />cropland and rangeland. Corn, alfalfa, sugar beets, and
<br />wheat aze the principal crops in irrigated areas. Wheat is
<br />the main crop in nonirrigated cropland areas.
<br />In nonirrigated cropland areas intensive management is
<br />needed to control soil erosion, conserve moisture and
<br />maintain soil productivity. Stubble mulch tillage and in-
<br />corporating crop residues are essential in improving soil
<br />tilth, conserving moisture, and protecting the soil From
<br />erosion. Terracing and contour tillage are essential to
<br />reduce runoff and conserve moisture. Chiseling or subsoil-
<br />ing is effective in breaking up tillage pans and improving
<br />water penetration. Tillage should be kept to a minimum.
<br />Combinations of these practices are essential on these
<br />soils to maintain productivity and protect them from ero-
<br />sion.
<br />In irrigated areas, special management is needed to
<br />protect these soils from erosion, to get uniform applica-
<br />tion and distribution of irrigation water and to maintain
<br />fertility. Contour ditch and contour furrow are irrigation
<br />methods best suited. Land smoothing is needed to obtain
<br />uniform distribution of water and control soil loss. Care
<br />must be taken to determine the maximum depth of cut on
<br />these soils because of their depth over sand and gravel.
<br />Some sacrifice acreage may be expected. Frequent irriga-
<br />tions with small amounts of water are required to reduce
<br />sail loss and obtain efficient use of irrigation water. Crop
<br />residue use and applications of manure and commercial
<br />fertilizers containing phosphorus and nitrogen are needed
<br />to maintain fertility.
<br />Rangeland vegetation of the Altvan soil consists mainly
<br />of blue grams, buffalograss, western wheatgrass, and
<br />sedge. Rangeland vegetation of the Eckley soil consists
<br />mainly of blue grams, sideoats grams, little bluestem, buf-
<br />falograss and sedge. Proper grazing use and planned
<br />grazing systems are the most important practices needed
<br />to maintain quantity and quality of desvable vegetation.
<br />Range seeding will speed revegetation of areas depleted
<br />by heavy grazing, cultivation, or other disturbances. Com-
<br />binations of stockwater development, fencing and
<br />deferred grazing help improve grazing distribution and
<br />maintain range condition. Contour furrowing and pitting
<br />are practices that improve water infiltration and reduce
<br />runoff and are especially effective on rangeland areas in
<br />poor and fair condition on the Altvan soils.
<br />Windbreaks and environmental plantings are difficult
<br />to establish on these soils. Depth to sand and gravel is
<br />the principal concern in establishing tree and shrub
<br />plantings. Special caze consisting of summer fallow a year
<br />in advance of planting and continued cultivation for weed
<br />control is needed to insure establishment of plantings.
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