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<br />$3 SOIL SURVEY
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<br />In a representative profile the surface layer is light
<br />brownish-gray sandy loam about 4 inches thick. The
<br />subsurface layer is light brownish-gray sandy loam
<br />about 8 inches thick. The underlying material is very
<br />pale brown sandy loam and fine sandy loam that ex-
<br />tends to a depth of 60 inches or more.
<br />Permeability is rapid, and the available water ca-
<br />pacity is moderate. The surface layer is mildly alkaline,
<br />and the subsurface layer and underlying material are
<br />moderately alkaline. The root zone extends to a depth
<br />of 60 inches or more. These soils are used for grazing
<br />and irrigated crops.
<br />Representative profile of Otero sandy loam, 0 to 1
<br />percent slopes, in native grass, 0.25 mile south and
<br />100 feet west of the nol•th quarter corner of sec. 12,
<br />T. 26 S., R. 60 ~'V.
<br />Al-0 to 4 inches, light brownish-gray (lOYR 6/2) sandy
<br />loam, dark grayish brown (lOYR 4/2) when moist;
<br />weak, coarse, platy structure; slightly hard, very fri-
<br />able; nonsticky and nonplastic; mildly alkaline; clear,
<br />smooth boundary.
<br />AC-3 to 12 inches, light brownish-gray (lOYR 6/2) sandy
<br />loam, dark grayish brown (lOYR 9/2) when moist;
<br />weak, coarse, subangular blocky structure; sligghtly
<br />hard, very friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; calcar-
<br />eous; moderately alkaline; clear, smooth boundary.
<br />Clca-12 to 30 inches, eery pale brown (lOYR 7/3) sandy
<br />loam, brown (lOYR 5/3) when moist; moderate, medi-
<br />um, subangular blocky structure; hard, friable; non-
<br />sticky and slightly plastic; calcareous; common, medi-
<br />um, soft masses of lime; moderately alkaline; gradual,
<br />smooth boundary.
<br />C2-30 to 92 inches, very pale brown (lOYR 7/3) sandy
<br />loam, brown (lOYR 5/3) when moist; massive; slightly
<br />hard, very friable; nonsticky and slightly plastic; few
<br />small masses of lime; moderately alkaline; clear,
<br />smooth boundary.
<br />C3-4'2 to 60 inches, very pale brown (lOYR 7/3) fine sandy
<br />loam, brown (lOYR 5/3) when moist; massive; soft,
<br />very friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; calcareous;
<br />moderately alkaline.
<br />The A horizon is gravelly sandy loam, loamy fine sand,
<br />fine candy loam, sandy loam, or clay loam 3 to 14 inches
<br />thick. The C horizon in places is stratified gravelly loamy
<br />sand, loam, gravelly sandy loam, or sandy loam. The content
<br />of gravel ranges from 0 to 35 percent, and in places, at a
<br />depth of more than 40 inches gravel is the underlying
<br />material.
<br />OoA-Otet•o sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes. This
<br />soil is on high terraces along the Arkansas River.
<br />The areas are irregularly shaped and cover as much
<br />as 400 acres. This soil has the profile described as
<br />representative of the series.
<br />Included with this soil in mapping are areas of Kim
<br />fine sandy loam that make up as much as 20 percent
<br />of the act•eage.
<br />Runoff is slow. The hazard of erosion is slight in
<br />irrigated areas and high in nonirrigated areas.
<br />This soil is used fot• grazing and for it•t•igated hay
<br />and feed crops where irrigation water is available. It
<br />is well suited to irrigated crops and has a high produc-
<br />tion potential if adequate water is available. The native
<br />vegetation is mainly blue grama, sand dropseed, and
<br />yucca. Capability units I, irrigated, VIe~, nonirri-
<br />gated; Sandy Plains 1•ange site.
<br />OoC-Otero sandy loam, 1 to 5 percent slopes. This
<br />soil is on high terraces along the Arkansas River and
<br />on uplands in the northeastern part of Pueblo County.
<br />-: ,The areas are irregularly shaped and cover as much as
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<br />400 acres. This soil has a profile similar to the one
<br />described as representative of the series, but in places
<br />gravel is at a depth of about 3 feet.
<br />Included with this soil in mapping are areas of
<br />Cascajo very gravelly sandy loam that make up about
<br />10 percent of the acreage.
<br />Runoff is slow, and the hazard of erosion is high.
<br />This soil is better suited to grazing than to other
<br />uses. It is suited to irrigated crops where adequate
<br />water is available. Only a small amount of the acreage
<br />is irrigated. The native vegetation is mainly blue
<br />grama, sand dropseed, galleta, yucca, and rabbitbrush.
<br />Capability units IIIe-1, irrigated, VIe~, nonirrigated;
<br />Sandy Plains range site.
<br />OrD-Otero gravelly sandy loam, 3 to 9 percent
<br />slopes. This soil is on alluvial fans at the foot of
<br />gravelly escarpments in the north-central part of
<br />Pueblo County. These areas are irregularly shaped and
<br />cover as much as 600 acres. This soil has a profile
<br />similar to the one described as representative of the
<br />series, but the surface layer is gravelly sandy loam and
<br />the underlying material is stratified loam to gravelly
<br />loamy sand that averages gravelly sandy loam.
<br />Included with this soil in mapping are areas of
<br />Schamber soils that make up about 15 percent of the
<br />acreage, areas of Heldt soils that make up about 5
<br />percent, and areas of Razor soils that make up less
<br />than 5 percent. The Heldt and Razor soils are on level
<br />or slightly concave surfaces, and the Schamber soils
<br />are on low ridges or knolls at the foot of escarpments.
<br />Runoff is moderate, and the hazard of erosion is
<br />high.
<br />This soil is suited to grazing and to irrigated crops
<br />where adequate water is available. The native vegeta-
<br />tion is mainly blue grama, galleta, sand dropseed, four-
<br />wing saltbush, yucca, and cactus. Capability units
<br />IIIe-1, irrigated, VIe~, nonirrigated; Sandy Plains
<br />range alts.
<br />OtA-Otero clay loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes. This
<br />soil is on high terraces along the Arkansas River. The
<br />areas are irregularly shaped and cover as much as
<br />800 acres. This sail has a profile similar to the one
<br />described as representative of the series, but the sur-
<br />face layer is clay loam about 12 inches thick and in
<br />places the lower part of the underlying material is
<br />loam.
<br />Included with this soil in mapping are areas of
<br />Rocky Ford silty clay loam that make up about 10
<br />percent of the acreage.
<br />Runoff is slow, and the hazard of erosion is slight.
<br />This soil is used exclusively for irrigated corn,
<br />sorghum, alfalfa, small grain, grasses, and truck crops.
<br />Capability unit I, irrigated; not in a range site.
<br />OtB-Otero clay loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes. This soil
<br />is on high terraces along the Arkansas River. The
<br />areas are irregularly shaped and cover as much as
<br />300 acres. This soil has a profile similar to the one
<br />described as representative of the series, but the sur-
<br />face layer is clay loam about 10 inches thick.
<br />Included with this soil in mapping are areas of
<br />Otero sandy loam that make up about 15 percent of
<br />the acreage.
<br />Runoff is slow, and the hazard of erosion is slight.
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