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32
<br />SOIL SURVEY
<br />described as representative of the series, but the sub-
<br />soil is stratified loamy eery fine sand, fine sandy loam,
<br />silt loam, and silty clay loam.
<br />Runoff is slow, and the hazard of erosion is slight.
<br />The soil is subject to occasional, brief flooding. A sea-
<br />sonal high water table is generally at a depth of 2l/, to
<br />4 feet, but in some seasons it is lower than 4 feet. There
<br />is a low concentration of salts on the surface and in
<br />the surface layer in some years.
<br />This soil is suited to irrigated crops. It is not suited
<br />to vegetable crops of• any crop that has a low salt
<br />tolerance unless the soil has been drained and the water
<br />table has been lowered. Capability unit IIw-1, irri-
<br />gated ;range site not assigned.
<br />Schamber Series
<br />The Schamber series consists of deep, somewhat ex-
<br />cessively drained soils. These soils formed on high
<br />terraces in sandy alluvium. The slope is 5 to 25 per-
<br />cent, and elevation is 4,400 to 5,300 feet. The average
<br />annual precipitation is 12 inches. The average annual
<br />tempel•atut•e is 53' I', and the frost-free season is 130
<br />to 160 days. The native vegetation is mainly mid
<br />grasses of the plains.
<br />In a representative profile (fig. 6) the sut•face layer
<br />is grayish-brown gravelly sandy loam about 5 inches
<br />thick. The subsurface layer is grayish-brown very
<br />gravelly sandy loam about 4 inches thick. The underly-
<br />ing material is light brownish-gray very gravelly
<br />loamy sand about 26 inches thick over very pale brown
<br />very gravelly loamy sand that extends to a depth of
<br />60 inches or more.
<br />Permeability is rapid, and the available water ca-
<br />pacity is low. The surface layer is mildly alkaline,
<br />and the underlying material is moderately alkaline.
<br />The root zone extends to a depth of more than 6C
<br />inches. These soils are used for grazing and are a
<br />source of gravel.
<br />Representative profile of Schamber gravelly sandy
<br />loam, 5 to 25 percent slopes, in grass, 0.5 mile east and
<br />0.05 mile nol•th of the southwest corner of sec. 21, T.
<br />19 S., R. 64 W.
<br />Al-0 to 5 inches, grayish-brown (lOYR 6/2) gravelly
<br />sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (lOYR 3/2) whet
<br />moist; moderate, medium, granular structure; slightly
<br />hard, very friable; nonsticky and slightly plastic; mild
<br />ly alkaline; clear, smooth boundary.
<br />AC-5 to 9 inches, grayish-brown (301'R 5/2) vet}' gravelly
<br />sandy loam, dark grayish brown (lOYR 4/2) whet
<br />moist; weak, medium, subangular blocky structure
<br />slightly hard, rery friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; 6(
<br />percent gravel; calcareous; moderately alkaline; grad
<br />ual, smooth boundary.
<br />Cl-0 to 35 inches, light brownish-gray (lOYR 6/2) very
<br />gravelly loamy sand, grayish brown (lOYR 5/2) whet
<br />moist; single grained; slightly hard, very triable; non
<br />sticky and nonplastic; 60 percent gravel; Calcareous
<br />moderately alkaline; gradual, smooth boundary.
<br />C2ca-35 to 60 inches, very pale brown (lOYR S/3) ven
<br />gravelly loamy sand, pale brown (SOYR 6/3) whet
<br />moist; single grained; slightly hard, very friable; non
<br />sticky and nonplastic; 45 percent gravel; calcareous
<br />moderately alkaline.
<br />The Al horizon is gravelly sandy loam or gravelly loamy
<br />sand 3 to S inches thick. Depth to lime ranges from 15 to 6'
<br />inches but is less than 90 inches in most places. The conten'
<br />of gravel, mostly ^ne gravel, ranges from 25 to 65 percent
<br />SaE---Schamber gra~'elly sandy loam, 5 to 25 per
<br />cent slopes. This soil is on high .terrace edges in the
<br />north-central part of the survey area. The areas art
<br />long and narrow and cover as much as 1,000 acres
<br />This soil has the profile described as representative o;
<br />the series, but in areas mt the Ft. Carson Rlilitary res
<br />ervation it is redder. Also, in some places there art
<br />clay balls as much as 12 inches in diameter, and iy
<br />others the underhing material is slightly sticky am
<br />slightly plastic.
<br />Included with this soil in mapping are areas of Gi]
<br />crest soils; these make up about 20 percent of tht
<br />acreage.
<br />Runoff is rapid, and the hazard of erosion is slight
<br />This soil is suited to grazing and is a source o
<br />gravel. It has potential for wildlife use if the habits
<br />can be improved. The native vegetation is mainly blu~
<br />grams, sand dropseed, and sage, cactus, and yucca
<br />Capability unit VIIs-2, nonirrigated; Gravel Break.
<br />range site.
<br />Shingle Series
<br />The Shingle series consists of shallow, well-drainer
<br />soils. These soils formed on uplands in loamy residuur
<br />that weathered from shale. They are underlain by sof
<br />Figure 6.-Profile of Schamber gravelly sandy loam. This soil is
<br />used for grazing end as a source of gravel.
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