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Huerfano County Area, Colorado Roads and landings can be protected from erosion by constructing water bars and by seeding cuts and fills. Seeding in some areas is limited to the broadcast .method because of the large amount of cobbles in the soil. Seeding late in tall helps to insure that the soil moisture content will be adequate for the establishment of seedlings next spring. Suitable seeding mixtures can nclude Manchar smooth brome, orchardgrass, intermediate wheatgrass or pubescent wheatgrass, and some alfalfa. If this unit is used for homesite development, the main :imitations are large stones and the shrink-swell ootential. The effects of shrinking and swelling can be -educed by maintaining a constant moisture content around the foundation. The large amount of rock `ragments in the soil makes excavation difficult. This map unit is in capability subclass Vlls, ionirrigated. It is in the Ponderosa Pine woodland site. 71-Ring cobbly loam, 20 to 45 percent slopes. This deep, well drained soil is on terrace side slopes. Il 'ormed in alluvium. The native vegetation is mainly oonderosa pine and Gambel oak. Elevation is 7,200 to 3,500 feet. The average annual precipitation is 18 to 22 nches, the average annual air temperature is 38 to 44 degrees F, and the average frost-free period is 70 to 100 lays. Typically, the surface is covered with a mat of pine and oak litter about 1 inch thick. The surface layer is dark brown cobbly loam about 5 inches thick. The subsurface layer is brown cobbly clay loam about 2 nches thick. The upper 8 inches of the subsoil is cobbly sandy clay, and the lower 25 inches is very cobbly sandy :lay. The substratum to a depth of 60 inches or more is •ery cobbly sandy clay loam. The soil is slightly acid to a lepth of 15 inches and neutral below that depth. Included in this unit is about 10 percent Wahatoya sandy loam on the crest of terrace edges. The Wahatoya .oil is moderately deep over sandstone. Also included are small areas of Maitland fine sandy loam on foot dopes. Permeability of this Ring soil is moderately slow. lvailable water capacity is low. Effective rooting depth is 30 inches or more. Runoff is rapid to very rapid, and the Lazard of water erosion is very high. This unit is used as woodland and for livestock grazing tnd vrildlife habitat. Livestock grazing should be nanaged to protect the soil from erosion. The potential plant community is mainly ponderosa pine and an understory of Arizona fescue, mountain nuhly, Gambel oak, and mountainmahogany. At lower ;levations, Gambel oak commonly dominates the site. he potential production of the native understory regetation in normal years is about 1,000 pounds of air- iry vegetation per acre. This unit is poorly suited to the production of ~onderos2 pine. Where the pine has been logged or Burned, an understory of Gambel oak increases and 53 generally excludes the pine. Harvesting of timber is not feasible because of the very lour average site index, the steepness of slope, and the cobbles and stones on the surface. This unit is poorly suited to homesite development. It is limited mainly by steepness of slope. This map unit is in capability subclass Vlls, nonirrigated. It is in the Ponderosa Pine woodland site. 72-P.iverwash-Las Animas complex. This map unit is on low stream terraces along major stream channels. Slope is 0 to 2 percent. The native vegetation is mainly cottonwood, willow, and some areas of grass. Elevation is 5,800 to 7,300 feet. The average annual precipitation is 12 to 15 inches, the average annual air temperature is a8 to 54 degrees F, and the average frost-free period is 100 to 150 days. This unit is about 65 percent Riverwash and about 30 percent Las Animas sandy loam. Riverwash consists of nearly barren areas of sand and gravel. The Las Animas soil is on vrel! vegetated stream terraces. The components of this unit are so intricately intermingled that it was not practical to map them separately at the scale used. Included in this unit is about 5 percent Glenberg sandy loam in the higher lying areas. Riverwash is stratified sand and gravel. The water table is near the surface in most areas. The Las Animas soil is deep and poorly drained. It formed in sandy alluvium. Typically, the surface layer is brovrn sandy loam about 6 inches thick. The next layer is sandy loam about 17 inches thick. The upper part of the substratum is loamy sand about 10 inches thick, and the lower part to a depth of 60 inches or more is sandy loam. The soil is moderately alkaline and slightly saline throughout. Permeability of the Las Animas soil is moderately rapid. Available water capacity is low. Effective rooting depth is limited by the seasonal high water table that is at a depth of 0 to 18 inches from May to July. The soil is subject to brie) periods of Ilooding in spring and summer. Runoff is slow, and the hazard of water erosion is slight. This unit is used for wildlife habitat and some livestock grazing. The potential plant community on this unit is mainly cottonwood, willow, sedge, alkali sacaton, and inland saltgrass. The average annual production of air-dry vegetation is highly variable. Salinity, sedimentation, and flooding significantly affect production. If the condition of the vegetation deteriorates, inland saltgrass, willow, and tamarack increase. This unit is poorly suited to homesite development. The main limitations are the hazard of flooding and the seasonal high water table. This map unit is in capability subclass Vllw, nonirrigated. It is in Riverbottom range site. 73-Rock outcrop. This map unit consists of steep, barren areas where sandstone or granite is exposed.