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gg SOIL SURVEY
<br />TABLE 10.-Probabilities of low temperatures in spring and Jall
<br />Probability
<br />16° F or lover ~ 20° F or lower ~ 24° F or lower ~ 28° F or lower ~ 32° F or lover
<br />Spring:
<br />1 year in 30 later than April 7
<br />2 years in 10 later than..----__- April 1
<br />5 years in 10 later than______-_- March 22
<br />Fall:
<br />I year in 10 earlier than---_____ November 5
<br />2 years in 10 earlier than_____-- November 10
<br />5years in l0 earlier than.--___ November l9
<br />April 12 April 16 April 30 D1ay 13
<br />April 6 April 12 April 25 1•fay S
<br />T.farch 27 April 4 April 15 April 29
<br />October 19 October I6 October 11 September 26
<br />October 25 October 20 October 15 October 2
<br />November 6 October 30 October 22 October 13
<br />Near the mountains, winds are more moderate and
<br />day-to-day temperature changes are not so great as in
<br />areas away from.the mountains. Temperatures in the
<br />foothills are cooler ill summer and warmer in winter,
<br />Above all elevation of 7,000 feet, the avel•age July tem-
<br />perature is about 60° F and the average Janual•y tem-
<br />peratul•e is about 20°. The growing season is consid-
<br />erably shol•ter at this elevation. Also, pl•ecipitation
<br />generally increases rapidly with increasing elevation.
<br />Trends in Soil Use
<br />Farm development in the Pueblo Area began in
<br />1859, a spinoff of the gold rush to the Rockies. The
<br />arrival of the railroad in the 1870's brought an influx
<br />of settlers and concurrent development of farming and
<br />industry. The early farms were along streams, where
<br />water could be diverted for irrigation. Later, the Home-
<br />stead Act and high crop prices during war years stimu-
<br />lated attempts at dl•yland farming. The cyclical nature
<br />of drought and of crop prices caused many fal•m fail-
<br />ures, particularly on land not suited to farming.
<br />Dlany families had to leave their ]and. Because of
<br />abandonment of land and tax delinquency, many ranches
<br />increased in size. About 72 percent of the acreage of
<br />the Pueblo Area is range.
<br />U.S. Census of Agriculture statistics show a de-
<br />crease in the number of farms and ranches in Pueblo
<br />County from 884 in 1958 to 615 in 1969. The average
<br />size of the farms and ranches increased from 1,637
<br />acres in 1958 to 1,843 acres in 1969. The acres of
<br />irrigated land decreased from 43,601 in 1958 to 35,338
<br />in.1969.
<br />The farming trend of the survey area in the past
<br />decade has been toward increasing production of
<br />cattle. Incl•easing production costs have caused farm-
<br />ers to raise clops that requil•e a minimum of input
<br />and ar•e useful to livestock. According to 1973 statistics
<br />of the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the planted
<br />acres in the survey al•ea hate increased fl•om 7,020
<br />acres of corn fol• gl•ain in 1961 to 13,000 acl•es in 1971
<br />and from 10,030 acres of sorghum for gr•ai» in 1961
<br />to 15,000 acres in 1971. During the same period, the
<br />planted acres have decreased from 27,750 acres of
<br />dry beans in 1961 to 8,900 acres in 1961; 17,000 acres
<br />of hay (alfalfa, itlciuding mixtures) in 1961 to 11,500
<br />acres in 1971; 13,160 acres of winter wheat in 1961 to
<br />(All data from Pueblo, Coiorado, for the period 1955-731
<br />Dates for given probability and temperature
<br />10,000 in 1971 ; 4,480 acres of barley ill 1961 to 1,550
<br />acres in 1971; 4,059 acres of sugar beets in 1961 to 380
<br />in 1971; and 3,370 acres of oats in 1961 to 2,400 acres
<br />in 1971. The value of all crop production in Pueblo
<br />County in 1971 was $4,434,400.
<br />The estimated number of cattle and calves on farms
<br />and 1•anches increased fl•om 54,330 in 1961 to 64,000
<br />in 1971. Hogs and sheep declined from an estimated
<br />8,600 in 1961 to 5,600 in 1971.
<br />Industry in the survey area includes a large steel
<br />mill. Dlany of the products of the al•ea, including fertil-
<br />izer, are used by ranchers and farmers of the area.
<br />About 152 wholesalers, manufacturers, and businesses
<br />in the city of Pueblo serve the Puebla Area. Many of
<br />them process farm products or supply farm needs. The
<br />Colorado State Fair has been held annually in Pueblo
<br />for more than 100 years.
<br />Federal government installations include the Pueblo
<br />Ordinance Depot, Department of Tr•anspor•tation High
<br />Speed Ground Test Center, and part of the Ft. Carson
<br />military reservation. These three installations occupy
<br />119,650 acres of former grazing land.
<br />The city of Pueblo is within an hour's driving time
<br />of some of Colorado's most beautiful mountain scenery.
<br />Residents of the Pueblo Area enjoy lower elevation
<br />living, yet can fish, hunt, ski, camp, and picnic in the
<br />higher mountains. Completion of the Pueblo dam and
<br />reservoir will provide a 30,000-acre permanent pool
<br />planned for reaction use. The main purpose of the
<br />reservoir is to provide flood protection and stol•age
<br />of water diverted from the western slope. The water
<br />will be used to supplement irrigation and domestic
<br />supplies of communities along the Arkansas River
<br />below Pueblo, as well as the city of Pueblo.
<br />The mild, dry climate of the survey area and the
<br />recreational opportunities attract many people who
<br />seek a quality environment in which to live. The
<br />population of Pueblo County grew fl•om 118,707 in
<br />1960 to 120,241 in 1972. Of the lattet•, 102,525 ar•e in
<br />the city of Pueblo. Arumerous land owners of the sw'-
<br />vey area have found it profitable to subdivide their
<br />property for building sites. Two major developments
<br />ar•e actually satellite cities of Pueblo. The survey area
<br />is within what is called the "front range strip" in re-
<br />ferring to regional population growth.
<br />The USDA Pueblo County Conservation Needs In-
<br />ventory shows a decrease in the acres of pasture and
<br />
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