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<br />30-Fort Collins loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes. This
<br />deep, well drained soil formed in medium textured alluvi-
<br />um on uplands. Elevation ranges from 5,200 to 6,500 Feet
<br />The average annual precipitation ranges from about 13
<br />inches at the lower elevations to about 15 inches at the
<br />higher elevations; the average annual temperature is
<br />about 49 degrees F; and the average frost-tY•ee period is
<br />about 145 days.
<br />Typically, the surface layer is brown loam about 6
<br />inches thick The subsoil is brown clay loam about 15
<br />inches thick The substratum is pale brown loam.
<br />included with this soil in mapping are small areas of
<br />Stoneham sandy loam, 3 to 8 percent slopes; Keith silt
<br />loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes; Olney sandy loam, 0 to 3 per-
<br />cent elopes; Bresser sandy loam, 0 to 3 percent elopes;
<br />and Wiley silt loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes.
<br />Permeability of this Fort Collins soil is moderate. Ef-
<br />fective rooting depth is 60 inches or more. Available
<br />water capacity is high. Surface runoff is medium, and the
<br />hazard of erosion is moderate.
<br />This soil is used as rangeland and for dryland farming.
<br />Wheat and feed grains such as millet are the crops com-
<br />monly grown. Crop residue management, minimum tillage,
<br />and stripcropping are useful cronservation measures if this
<br />soil is cropped. Periods oC fallow are needed.
<br />This soil is well suited to the production oC native
<br />vegetation suitable for grazing. Native vegetation is
<br />mainly blue grams, western wheatgrass, side-0ats grams,
<br />and sand dropseed. Needleandthread, big bluestem, and
<br />native bluegrasses also grow in areas of [his soil in the
<br />northern pazt of the survey azea
<br />Fencing and properly locating livestock watering facili-
<br />ties help to control grazing. Deferment of grazing may be
<br />needed to maintain the desired balance between livestock
<br />use and forage production In areas where the plant cover
<br />has been depleted, pitting can be used to help the natural
<br />vegetation recover. Chemical control practices may be
<br />needed in disturbed azeas where dense stands of
<br />pricklypear occur. Ample amounts of litter and forage
<br />should be left on the soil because of the high hazard of
<br />soil blowing.
<br />Windbreaks and emironmenta] plantings are generally
<br />suited to [his soil. Summer fallow a year prior to planting
<br />and continued cultivation for weed control are needed to
<br />insure establishment and survival of plantings. Trees that
<br />are best suited and have good survival are Rocky 3loun-
<br />[ain juniper, eastern redcedar, ponderosa pine, Siberian
<br />elm, Russian-olive, and hackberry. Shrubs [hat are best
<br />suited are skunkbush sumac, lilac, Siberian peashrub, and
<br />American plum.
<br />This soil is suited to wildlife habitat. [t is best suited to
<br />habitat for openland and rangeland wildlife. In cropland
<br />areas, habitat favorable for ring-necked pheasant, mourn-
<br />ing dove, and many nongame species can be developed by
<br />establishing wildlife azeas for nesting and escape cover.
<br />For pheasant, nesting cover is vital and should be pro-
<br />vided for in plans for habitat development. This is espe-
<br />cially true in azeas of intensive farming. Rangeland wil-
<br />dlife, such as pronghorn antelope, can be encouraged by
<br />developing livestock watering facilities, properly manag-
<br />ing livestock grazing, and reseeding range where needed.
<br />This soil has good potential for use as homesites. Its
<br />main limitation is a limited ability to suppot•t a toad.
<br />Roads can be designed to offset [his Limitation. Capability
<br />subclass IVc.
<br />82-Schamber-Razor complex, 8 to a0 percent slopes-
<br />These gently rolling to steep soils are on eroded breaks
<br />and remnants of granite outw•ash over shale. Elevation
<br />ranges from 5,500 to 6,500 feet. The average annual
<br />precipitation is about 13 inches, and the average annual
<br />air temperature is about 49 degrees F.
<br />The Schamber soil makes up about 40 percent of the
<br />complex, the Razor soil about 30 percent, and other soils
<br />about 30 percent
<br />Included with these soils in mapping are areas of
<br />Chaseville-bfidway complex; Kim loam, 1 to 8 percent
<br />slopes; Razor stony clay loam, 5 to 15 percent slopes; and
<br />Heldt clay loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes.
<br />The Schamber soil is deep and wetl drained. It formed
<br />in eoGan material mixed with alluvium and colluvium
<br />derived from granite. Typically, the surface layer is gray-
<br />ish brown gravelly loam about 5 inches thick The under-
<br />lying material is brown very gravelly loam about 9 inches
<br />thick over light yellowish brown very gravelly sand that
<br />extends to a depth of 60 inches or more.
<br />Permeability of [he Schamber soil is rapid. The effec-
<br />tive rooting depth is 60 inches or more, and available
<br />water capacity is low to moderate. Surface runoff is medi-
<br />um to rapid, and the hazard of erosion is moderate.
<br />' The Razor soil is moderately deep and well drained. It
<br />formed in residuum derived from calcareous shale. Slope
<br />is 8 [0 15 percent. Typically, the surface layer is light
<br />brownish gray clay loam about 3 inches thick. The subsoil
<br />is grayish brown heary clay loam or clay about 15 inches
<br />i thick- The substratum is grayish brown clay that grades
<br />to calcareous shale at a depth of about 3L inches. Visible
<br />~ lime is in the lower part of the subsoil and in the sub-
<br />stratum.
<br />Permeability of the Razor soil is slow. The effective
<br />rooting depth is 20 to 40 inches. Available water capacity
<br />is moderate. Surface runoff is medium to rapid, and [he
<br />hazard of erosion is moderate to high.
<br />The soils in this complex are used as native rangeland,
<br />for wildlife habitat, and as militar}• impact areas.
<br />These soils are suited to the production of native
<br />vegetation suitable for grazing. Native vegetation on Che
<br />Schamber soil is western wheatgrass, blue grams, side-
<br />oats grams, and little bluestem. The common shrubs are
<br />skunkbush sumac, fourwing saltbush, and buckwheat. Na-
<br />tive vegetation on the Razor soil is alkali sacaton, western
<br />wheatgrass, galleta, and lesser amounts of blue grams
<br />Fout•wing saltbush is a common shrub. The presence of
<br />princesplume, two-groove milkvetch, and Fremont gol-
<br />denweed indicates that selenium-bearing plants are in the
<br />stand.
<br />These soils are very difficult to revegetate, and it is
<br />especially important that livestock grazing be carefully
<br />managed. Fencing and properly locating livestock wx[er-
<br />ing facilities help to control grazing. Where the plan[
<br />cover ha, been depleted, especially on the Razor soil,
<br />pitting aids in [he recovery of the native vegetation.
<br />Windbreaks and environmental plantings are suited to
<br />this soil. Low available water capacity is the main limita-
<br />tion for the establishment of tree and shrub plantinr; s.
<br />Summer fallow a year in advance and continued culti~:r-
<br />tion for weed control are needed to insure [he es[a}di<h
<br />men[ and survival of plantings. Supplemental irri;;~~u•,..
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