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<br />Typically, the surface layer is brown sandy loam about
<br />3 inches thick. The upper 10 inches of the subsoil is
<br />mainly sandy clay loam, and the lover part is sandy clay
<br />loam about 5 inches thick. The substratum to a depth of
<br />60 inches or morn is fine sandy loam. The soil is neutral
<br />to a depth of 13 inches and moderately alkaline below
<br />that depth.
<br />Included in this unit is about 10 percent Fort Collins
<br />loam in swales. Also included are small areas of Otero
<br />sandy loam on low ridges.
<br />Permeability of this Olney soil is moderate. Available
<br />water capacity is moderate. Effective rooting depth is 60
<br />inches or more. Runoff is medium to rapid, and the
<br />hazard of water erosion is high to very high. The hazard
<br />of soil blowing is high.
<br />Mast areas of this unit are used as rangeland. A tew
<br />areas are used for nonirrigated and irrigated crops. Hay
<br />and pasture are the main irrigated crops. Wheat is the
<br />main nonirrigated crop. Areas of nonirrigated cropland
<br />are highly susceptible to water erosion and soil blowing
<br />and generally should be reseeded to grass.
<br />The potential plant community on this unit is mainly
<br />blue grams, sideoats grams, and western wheatgrass.
<br />Other grasses that characterize the unit are Indian
<br />ricegrass and sand dropseed. The average annual
<br />production of air-dry vegetation is about 900 pounds per
<br />acre. If the condition of the range deteriorates,
<br />pricklypear, threeawn, sand dropseed, and yucca
<br />increase. Range seeding is suitable if the range is in
<br />poor condition.
<br />If this unit is used for irrigated hay and pasture, the
<br />main limitations are the hazard of erosion and the
<br />steepness of slope. Irrigation water can be applied by
<br />corrugations, flooding from contour ditches, and
<br />sprinklers. Sprinkler irrigation is the most suitable method
<br />of applying v+ater. Use of this rne[hod permits the even,
<br />controlled application of water, reduces runoff, and
<br />minimizes the risk of erosion. Irrigation water needs to
<br />be applied at a rate that insures optimum production
<br />without increasing deep percolation, runoff, and erosion.
<br />Proper grazing practices, weed control, and fertilizer
<br />are needed to insure maximum quality of lorage. If
<br />properly managed, this unit can produce 4 tons of
<br />irrigated alfalfa hay per acre.
<br />This unit is well suited to windbreaks and
<br />environmental plantings. The ri=_k of soil blowing can be
<br />reduced by cultivating only in the tree rows and by
<br />leaving a strip of vegetation between the rows.
<br />Supplemental irrigation may be needed when planting
<br />and during dry periods. Among the trees that are suitable
<br />for planting are Russian-olive and ponderosa pine.
<br />Among the shrubs are caragana and lilac.
<br />This unit is well suited to homesite development.
<br />This map unit is in capability subclasses IVe, irrigated,
<br />and Vle, nonirrigated. It is in Loamy Plains range site.
<br />61-Olney-Progresso sandy looms, 3 to 15 percent
<br />slopes. This map unit is on uplands. The native
<br />Soil sun.
<br />vegetation is mainly grass, pinyon, and juniper. Elevatic
<br />is 6,200 to 7,000 feet. The average annual precipitation
<br />is 14 to 17 inches, the average annual air temperature
<br />48 to 52 degrees F, and the average frost-free period i
<br />100 to 130 days.
<br />This unit is about a6 percent Olney sandy loam and
<br />about 35 percent Progresso sandy loam. The Olney soi
<br />is in the gently sloping areas of the unit, and the
<br />Progresso soil is on the steeper ridges. The componen
<br />of this unit are so intricately intermingled that it was no'
<br />practical to map them separately at the scale used.
<br />Included in this unit are small areas of Louviers very
<br />channery clay loam and Travessilla channery sandy loo
<br />on ridges. These soils are shallow over shale and
<br />sandstone, respectively. Also included are small areas
<br />Rock outcrop of sandstone on ridges.
<br />The Olney soil is deep and well drained. It lormed in
<br />calcareous eolian material. Typically, the surface layer i
<br />brown sandy loam about 4 inches thick. The subsoil is
<br />sandy clay loam about 22 inches thick. The substratum
<br />to a depth of 60 inches or more is sandy loam. The soi
<br />is neutral to a depth of 4 inches, mildly alkaline to a
<br />depth of 26 inches, and moderately alkaline below that
<br />depth.
<br />Permeability of the Olney soil is moderate. Available
<br />water capacity is moderate. Effective rooting depth is 6
<br />inches or more. Runoff is medium to rapid, and the
<br />hazard of water erosion is high or very high.
<br />The Progresso soil is moderately deep and well
<br />drained. It formed in residuum derived dominantly from
<br />sandstone. Typically, the surface layer is brown sandy
<br />loam about 5 inches thick. The subsoil is sandy clay
<br />loam about 10 inches thick. The substratum is sandy
<br />loam about 9 inches thick. Sandstone bedrock is at a
<br />depth of 24 inches. The soil is.mildly alkaline to a deptf
<br />of 15 inches and moderately alkaline below that depth.
<br />Permeability of the Progresso soil is moderate.
<br />Available water capacity is low. Effective rooting depth
<br />20 to 40 inches. Runoff is rapid, and the hazard of watt
<br />erosion is very high.
<br />This unit is used as rangeland.
<br />The potential plant community on the Olney soil is
<br />mainly western wheatgrass, blue grams, and sideoats
<br />grams. Other grasses that characterize the unit are
<br />Indian ricegrass and needleandthread. The average
<br />annual production of air-dry vegetation is about 1,200
<br />pounds per acre. If the condition of the range
<br />deteriorates, blue grams, snakev+eed, pricklypear, and
<br />threeawn increase. Range seeding is suitable if the
<br />range is in poor condition.
<br />The potential plant community on the Progresso soil i
<br />mainly pinyon and juniper and an understory of big
<br />bluestem, little bluestem, and sideoats grams. The
<br />potential production of the native understory vegetation
<br />in normal years is about 900 pounds of air-dry vegetatic
<br />per acre. I( the condition of the range deteriorates, blue
<br />grams, threeawn, and skunkbush sumac increase.
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