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I I I 1 1 I I L 1, LJ Fondis Series The Fondis series consists of well- drained soils that formed in eolian soil materials l to 2 feet thick that overlie coarser textured outwash materi- als derived from arkosic sedimentary rock. These gently sloping to steep soils are on uplands in the northern part of the Area. Slopes are 1 to 40 per- cent. The vegetation is short and tall grasses. Elevations are 5,500 to 6,800 feet. Annual precipi- tation is 15 to 19 inches. Mean annual soil temper- ature is 47 to SO F., and the frost -free season is 120 to 135 days. In a representative profile the surface layer, about 7 inches thick, is dark grayish -brown clay loam. The upper part of the subsoil, about 21 inches thick, is brown, grayish - brown, and light yellowish -brown clay. The lower part of the subsoil is very strongly calcareous sandy clay loam. The underlying material is a buried soil that is brown and reddish - yellow sandy clay loam. It extends to a depth of 60 inches or more, is very strongly cal- careous, and contains streaks of lime 2 to 6 inches wide. Fondis soils have slow permeability. Available water capacity is high. Plants can penetrate to a depth of 60 inches or more, except where bedrock is at a depth of about 40 inches or below. Most areas of Fondis soils are in native grasses and used for grazing livestock. Some of the less sloping areas are dryfarmed. Fondis clay loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes (FOB).- - This gently sloping sorl is on tablelands and up- lands in the northern part of the Area. Most mapped areas are irregularly shaped and 20 to 400 acres in size. Included with this soil in mapping are small areas of Fondis clay loam, 3 to 9 percent slopes, Kutch clay loam, 4 to 8 percent slopes, and Buick - Satanta loans, 3 to 9 percent slopes. Also included are small rock outcrops and a few lakes that form during periods of intensive amounts of rainfall. Runoff is medium. The hazard of erosion is slight to moderate. A few gullies are in drainage - ways. Most areas of this soil are cultivated and are used to grow wheat, barley, and oats. (Capability unit IIIc -1, dryland; Ile -1, irrigated; Clayey Foothill range site) Fondis clay loam, 3 to 9 percent slopes (FoD). -- Thii sloping soil is on uplands in the northern part of the Area. Most mapped areas are irregularly shaped and range from 40 to 60D acres in size. Included with this soil in mapping are small areas of Kutch clay loam, 4 to 8 percent slopes, Englewood clay loam, and Denver clay loam, 5 to 12 percent slopes. Also included are a few rock out - crops less than a quarter acre in size. Runoff is medium. The hazard of erosion is moder- ate. Gullies are on some of the larger drainageways not protected by grass. Most areas of this soil are cultivated and are used to grow small grains, mainly wheat. A few areas are in native pasture and are used for grazing livestock. (Capability unit IVe -3, dryland; IVe -1, irrigated; Clayey Foothill range site) SOILS EXHIBIT I Fondis -Kutch association (S to 40 percent slopes) (Fu). - -This association is about SO percent Fondis loam and about 35 percent Kutch sandy loam. These strongly sloping to steep soils are on uplands in the northern part of the Area. In a typical area the Fondis soils are at higher elevations than the Kutch soils. The Fondis soil has a profile similar to that de- scribed as representative for the series, but the surface layer, about 4 inches thick, is loam. Shale or sandstone is at a depth of 40 inches or more. The Newlin soil has a profile similar to that de- scribed as representative for the series, but it has a surface layer of sandy loam 3 to 4 inches thick. Included with these soils in mapping are areas of Newlin gravelly sandy loam, 8 to 30 percent slopes, and Bresser sandy loam, 3 to 9 percent slopes. Also included are a few small areas of Hilly gravelly land that are less than 5 acres in size and a few cliffs that are about 30 to 40 feet high. Taken together these areas make up about 15 percent of each mapped area. Runoff is medium to rapid. The erosion hazard is moderate to severe. In many places small slips, or "catsteps," 6 to 12 inches high are present where slopes exceed 9 percent. Gullies and headcuts are present along drainageways. These areas are used for grazing livestock and for wildlife habitat. (Fondis soils: capability unit VIe -1; Loamy Foothill range site. Kutch soils: capability unit Vle -1; Clayey Foothill range site)