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<br />GUNNISON AREA, COLORADO
<br />Most of the acreage is in native vegetation and is
<br />used for timber and limited grazing. The dominant
<br />vegetation is ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir and an
<br />understory of Arizona fescue, mountain muhly, and big
<br />sagebrush. Suitabilit}• for timber is poor. Stones and
<br />rocks moderately to severely limit the use of eyuipment
<br />in harvesting timber. Steep slopes severely limit road-
<br />building and skidding.
<br />This trait is µ•e11 suited to recreation and wildlife.
<br />Trees should be protected from fire, disease, and insects.
<br />The timber should be harvested µ'hen usable. Grazing
<br />should be controlled to keep erosion at a minimum.
<br />CAPABI LITI' UNIT VI6-], NONIkBIGATF.II
<br />The one soil in this unit, Meredith very stony loam,
<br />8 to 50 percent slopes, is a deep, strongh• sloping to
<br />very steep, ++el]-drained soil on high mountainsides
<br />and rims aboee timberline.
<br />Available water capacity is 1oµ, and permeability is
<br />rnuderate. The erosion hazard is high.
<br />P.eveyeVrtinn is not feasible because the soil is too
<br />sleep and stop}', and the soil h•mperature is too cold.
<br />Tho rsi.etinyt ecy;etation must be r:urfnll}' mnnul;ed
<br />to keep err,..inn :d :I minimum earl to maintain cil;orous
<br />l~ro\+'th.
<br />1:.\I•,\kll.l'll VVI'I \'IIL~I ..\U~Ik kIGA'I L:Ir
<br />Onl>• Puck uutcrol, is in this unit It is more thin 9U
<br />l~r.rcent. e~puserl bedrock. It is used princ•ipall>' Ly µ•ild-
<br />life. It also has some .scenic valve.
<br />C \I':VU LI'rl 1'~'I'1' Ylllo'. \nVIk IIIG 4'rl:n
<br />l)nly l:ock~lirles is in this writ. It c•~r.sists of loose
<br />:mrnhu rork fragment, that ranlte from :=mall :mgular
<br />pr•bblf•s to boulders man? feel. thick. Ft is typically nn
<br />,ll•1•p upL•ulll slr,pc, below cliffs and rimrocks.
<br />Frockslides is valuable in maintaining water cields.
<br />it nh,ur'bs runoff after heave rainfall ;rod thus allmvs
<br />a more even dixtributimt of ,cater to springs and
<br />=U'eams belm•:. ]t also clous do+vn runoff from snow-
<br />me]t Ilecause the ice :urd snow that accumulate bet+ceen
<br />the rr,~};< melt more slouiy during spring thaw.
<br />rAr\un.n, r~~n~ In,.i Vf1VIlt BIG.\'I ell
<br />Unl>' St+n\' rock land is in this unit. I1 consists of
<br />espnsed Led rock, loose stones. and la}'ers of soil mate-
<br />rial that arc cer~ sh:rllu+c user bech'ock interspersed
<br />\vith pockets of dr•rprr soil mativ'ial.
<br />Stony rock land i. Le>: ~uiterl to +•: ildlil'e and recrea-
<br />{inn. Deer :Ind elk find concealment in these area- and
<br />~~ftrn ford on ±ho sunny >Inpcs in +•:intw•.
<br />I'rrrlirlyd virldA nn irricnlPd Arri/~
<br />Table °_ li~t~ the predirtcrl cielrls n1' mead'n•: had fur
<br />the principal soils under irrigation and other improved
<br />m:uwponlenl ,prnrtire>. -1'he estinudes ;u'e based un
<br />interviews with farmers and on racord~ from a~~encic•s
<br />that deal +cith production.
<br />Pndrr imprm'rd managomcnl-
<br />1. Irrip;rtion \vater is applied intermittently. as
<br />indic;lt,•d by plant and soil rryuucments.
<br />2 KitruF~en earl phosphate fertilizers arc applied.
<br />3. The more produrtice species, sorb as timnthc,
<br />
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<br />TABLe 2. Predicted average yields per acre under
<br />improved management on principal in•igated soils
<br />Meadow
<br />Soil hay
<br />Tows
<br />Big Blue loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes 3.6
<br />Big Hlue loam, 1 to 5 percent slopes ... .... 3.6
<br />Hosler sandy loam, 1 to 8 percent slopes.......... 3.5
<br />Curecanti gravelly loam, 1 to 8 percent slopes 3.0
<br />De\+ville loam, 1 to 5 percent slopes ... .. 4.0
<br />De\+ville loam, 5 to 15 percent slopes 3.0
<br />Evanston loam, I to 5 Percent slopes .. 4.0
<br />Evanston loam, 5 to 20 percent slopes .. 3.0
<br />Fola cobbly sandy loam, ] to 8 percent slopes .. 3.0
<br />Gas Creek sandy loam, 0 l0 1 percent slopes ... 2.5
<br />Gas Creek sandy loam, 1 to 5 percent slopes 2.0
<br />Gateviea• cobbly loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes... 3.5
<br />Gold Creek silty clay loam, 0 to 5 percent slopes .. 3.0
<br />Irim Loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes 3.5
<br />Irim loam, ] to 5 percent slopes ... 3.5
<br />brume, orchardgrass, meadow fescue, and
<br />closer, are interseeded.
<br />4. Snrfacc drainage is provided to remove excess
<br />water.
<br />6. Drainage is installed in the poorly drained soils
<br />to loµer the µater table and keep it at a con-
<br />stant level.
<br />Use of IhP Soils for Range'
<br />'f he Gunnisrin Area is characterized by rolling hills
<br />and eery steep, mountainnu.c range county}' interspersed
<br />with alluvial fans, Lcn';ucs, mesas, and many drain-
<br />ageµa}•,. Some drainageways are in deep canyons that
<br />base steep to very steep sides or ,beer cliffs.
<br />Relo\v an elevation of about 8,500 feet, Dry Mountain
<br />Loam is the must important and the dominant. range
<br />site. It is associated µ'ith several other sites and µ'ith
<br />:u'eas of ++oodlund, cer}' steep slopes, and Ruck outcrop.
<br />In the f'ochetopa Park :u•ea the fountain Outwash
<br />site is dominurt. At. elc+'alions of 8,300 to 4,300 feet.
<br />Mountain Loam is the most important. site. At ele\•a-
<br />tinns of about 9,3UU to 11,000 feet, Subalpine Loam is
<br />the most Inlp(Irtallt site. In the northern part of the
<br />surccy :u'ea, this site is at fln elevation of about 8,100
<br />feet. It urrur.a as open parks where the vegetation is
<br />domin:mil>' En>!elmann spnu•e, Douglas-fir, and aspen.
<br />The only Tango <itc rebore timberline is Alpine Slopes.
<br />\r;u•I}'all range in the surce>' area is grnze2. be cattle.
<br />Only a small plu•t, mainlc the Alpine Slopes site, is
<br />grxze'd be sheep. A la]'ge part of the range is puldicly
<br />oµ'ned and is administered by the Bureau of Land
<br />Management.
<br />RanFP AIIPA and rnnrliliun rlnASes
<br />A range site is a distinctive kind of range that has a
<br />remain put(•ntial for producing range plants. Each site
<br />has it< o++'n combination of nnvirnnmcntal conditions
<br />FORA EST G '<I A1fAFFF.Y and 7. K. EA+tAN, ra np'e cnnserca-
<br />tinnist~, Coil f'nns~~rvatinn S,~rc G'r~, hrl p~•d preps n• [his s•rtinn.
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