|
<br />Huedano County Area, Colorado
<br />The potential plant community is mainly pinyon and
<br />juniper and an understory of Indian ricegrass,
<br />mountainmahogany, blue grama, and muttongrass. Other
<br />grasses that characterize the unit ere Scribner
<br />needlegrass, skunkbush, and sideoats grama. The
<br />potential production of the native understory vegetation
<br />in normal years is about 200 pounds of air-dry vegetation
<br />per acre.
<br />Chaining the pinyon and juniper can increase the
<br />production of understory forage plants. Following
<br />chaining, proper grazing management is needed to
<br />reduce erosion and to lengthen the lifespan of the
<br />clearings. Range seeding is most successful if done in
<br />conjunction with chaining. Suitable seeding mixtures can
<br />include crested, pubescent, and intermediate
<br />wheatgrasses and blue grama.
<br />Woodland products such as firewood, high-quality
<br />fenceposts, pinyon nuts, and Christmas trees are
<br />available on this unit. Mature stands of trees can
<br />produce 8 to 12 cords of firewood per acre if all trees
<br />are removed. Removing standing dead trees and
<br />opening the canopy generally enhance reproduction and
<br />promote the growth of grass and younger trees. The use
<br />of tree spades Tor transplant removal is severely limited
<br />by the cobbles and stones in the soil.
<br />This unit is well suited to homesite development. If the
<br />density of housing is moderate to high, community
<br />sewage systems are needed to prevent contamination of
<br />water supplies as a result of seepage from onsite
<br />sewage disposal systems. If the soil in this unit is
<br />excavated, cutbanks may cave in.
<br />This map unit is in capability subclass Vlls,
<br />nonirrigated. II is in Pinyon-Juniper woodland site.
<br />77-Schamber-Midway complex, 3 to 25 percent
<br />slopes. This map unit is on hills, terrace edges, and side
<br />slopes. The native vegetation is mainly grass. Elevation
<br />is 5,500 to 6,600 leet. The average annual precipitation
<br />is 12 to 15 inches, the average annual air temperature is
<br />49 to 54 degrees F, and the average frost-free period is
<br />125 to 155 days.
<br />This unit is about 65 percent Schamber sandy loam
<br />and about 20 percent Midway clay. The Schamber soil is
<br />in the gently sloping areas and on hilltops, and the
<br />Midway soil is on the steeper side slopes. The
<br />components of this unit are so intricately intermingled
<br />that it was not practical to map them separately at the
<br />scale used.
<br />Included in this unit is about 15 percent Kim tine sandy
<br />loam on foot slopes and in drainagevrays.
<br />The Schamber soil is deep and excessively drained. It
<br />formed in alluvium. Typically, the surface layer is brown
<br />gravelly sandy loam about 5 inches thick. The next 25
<br />inches is mainly very gravelly loamy sand. Below this to
<br />a depth of 60 inches or more is very gravelly sand. The
<br />soil is moderately alkaline throughout.
<br />Permeability of the Schamber soil is very rapid.
<br />Available water capacity is very low. Effective rooting
<br />
<br />55
<br />depth is 60 inches or more. Runoff is medium, and the
<br />hazard of water erosion is moderate to very high.
<br />The Midway soil is shallov: and well drained. It formed
<br />in residuum and colluvium derived dominantly from
<br />shale. Typically, the surface layer is grayish brov:n clay
<br />about 3 inches thick. The nett 3 inches is clay. Below
<br />this is clay about 12 inches thick. Platy shale is at a
<br />depth of 15 inches. The soil is moderately alkaline and
<br />slightly saline throughout.
<br />Permeability of the Ivlidv+ay soil is slow. Available water
<br />capacity is very low. Effective rooting depth is 10 to 20
<br />inches. Runoff is rapid to very rapid, and the hazard of
<br />water erosion is very high.
<br />This unit is used as rangeland.
<br />The potential plant community on this unit is mainly
<br />sideoats grama, blue grama, and Indian ricegrass. Other
<br />grasses that characterize the unit are needleandthread
<br />and sand dropseed. The average annual production of
<br />air-dry vegetation is about 700 pounds per acre. If the
<br />condition of the range deteriorates, rabbitbrush,
<br />threeawn, yucca, and cactus increase. Livestock grazing
<br />should be managed to protect the unit from excessive
<br />erosion. The main limitations for seeding are
<br />droughtiness and very gravelly material near the surface
<br />of the soils.
<br />This unit is poorly suited to windbreaks and
<br />environmental plantings. The main limitations are the
<br />salinity, limited rooting depth, and slope of the Midway
<br />soil and the droughtiness of both of the soils in the unit.
<br />If this unit is used for homesite development, the main
<br />limitations are slope in the steeper shaly areas and
<br />shrink-swell potential. The gently sloping areas of the
<br />Schamber soil are well suited to homesite development.
<br />Effluent from septic tank absorption fields can surface
<br />in downslope areas and thus create a hazard to health.
<br />This map unit is in capability subclass Vlls,
<br />nonirrigated. About 75 percent of the unit is in Gravel
<br />Breaks range site, and 25 percent is in Shaly Plains
<br />range site.
<br />78-Tisworth sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes.
<br />This deep, well drained soil is on alluvial fans. It formed
<br />in alluvium. The native vegetation is mainly grass.
<br />Elevation is 7,000 to 7,500 feet. The average annual
<br />precipitation is 11 to 15 inches, the average annual air
<br />temperature is 43 to 45 degrees F, and the average
<br />frost-free period is 100 to 120 days.
<br />Typically, the surface layer is pinkish gray sandy loam
<br />about 3 inches thick. The upper part of the subsoil is
<br />clay loam about 12 inches thick, and the lower part is
<br />sandy loam about 9 inches thick. The upper 21 inches of
<br />the substratum is stratified sandy loam and loam, and
<br />the lower part to a depth of 60 inches or more is sandy
<br />loam. The soil is moderately alkaline to a depth of 3
<br />inches and strongly alkaline belo:v that depth. It is
<br />slightly alkali-affected to moderately alkali-affected.
<br />Included in this unit is about 20 percent Neville fine
<br />sandy loam.
<br />
|