2006-10-24_REVISION - M1992051 - Laserfiche WebLink

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16-Cascajo very gravelly sandy loam, 10 to 40 percent slopes. This deep, excessively drained soil is on edges of stream terraces that are deeply dissected by drainageways. It formed in gravelly and sandy alluvium. The native vegetation is mainly grasses. Elevation is 5,000 to 5,400 feet. The average annual precipitation is 11 to 13 inches, the average annual air temperature is 50 to 53 degrees F, and the average frost-free period is 150 to 170 days. The surface layer is typically very dark grayish brown very gravelly sandy loam about 6 inches thick. The upper 15 inches of the substratum is extremely cobbly sandy foam. The lower part to a depth of 60 inches or more is extremely cobbly sand. The soil has a high content of secondary calcium carbonate between depths of 6 and 21 inches. The soil is moderately alkaline. Included with this soil in mapping are areas of Midway and Shingle soils on steep side slopes. Midway soils have a surface layer of stony clay loam. They makeup about 10 percent of the unit. They are shallow over shale. Shingle soils have a surface layer of very stony fine sandy loam. They make up about 5 percent of the unit. They are shallow over sandstone. Also included are areas of the deep Kim soils in drainageways. These soils have a surface layer of loam. They make up about 5 percent of the unit. Permeability is moderately rapid or rapid in the Cascajo sail. Available water capacity is low. Effective rooting depth is 60 inches or more. Runoff is rapid or very rapid, and the hazard of water erosion is high or very high. This soil is used as rangeland, The potential plant community is mainly sideoats grama, blue grama, little bluestem, Indian ricegrass, and needleandthread. The average annual production of air-dry vegetation is about 750 pounds per acre. If the condition of the range deteriorates, blue grama, red threeawn, ring muhly, and pricklypear increase. Range seeding is generally difficult. The main limitations are the slope, the high content of gravel in the surface layer, and the low available water capacity. Broadcast seeding generally is necessary. This soil is poorly suited to homesite development. It is limited mainly by the slope. It is poorly suited to use as a site for septic tank absorption fields because of a poor filtering capacity. The capability classification is Vlls, nonirrigated. The soil is in the Gravel Breaks #64 range site.