2005-07-13_REVISION - M2000016 (34)

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Typically, the surface layer is brown and pale brown about 12 inches thick. The upper 28 inches of the underlying material is pale brown loam. The lower part to a depth of 60 inches is pale brown fine sandy loam. Permeability is moderate. Available water capacity is high. The effective rooting depth is 60 inches of more. Surface runoff is medium, and the erosion hazard is low. In irrigated areas this soil is suited to all crops commonly grown in the area, including corn, sugar beets, beans, alfalfa, small grain, potatoes, and onions. An example of a suitable cropping system is 3 to 4 years of alfalfa followed by corn, corn for silage, sugar beets, small grain, or beans. land leveling, ditch lining, and installing pipelines may be needed for proper water applications. All methods of irrigation are suitable, but furrow irrigation is the most common. Barnyard manure and commercial fertilizer are needed for top yields. In nonirrigated areas this soil is suited to winter wheat, barley, and sorghum. Most of the acreage is planted to winter what and is summer followed in alternate years to allow moisture accumulation. Generally precipitation is too low for beneficial use of fertilizer. Stubble mulch farming, stripcropping, and minimum tillage are needed to control soil blowing and water erosion. Terracing also may be needed to control water erosion. The potential native vegetation is dominated by blue grama. Several mid grasses, such as western wheatgrass and needleandthread, are also present. Potential production ranges from 1600 pounds per acre in favorable years [0 1000 pounds in unfavorable years. As range condition deteriorates, the mid grasses decrease; blue grama, buffalograss, snakeweed, yucca, and fringed sage increase; and forage production drops. Undesirable weeds and annuals invade the site as range condition becomes poorer. Management of vegetation on this soil should be based on taking half and leaving half of the total annual production. Seeding is desirable if the range is in poor condition. Sideoats grama, little bluestem, western wheatgrass, blue grama, pubescent wheatgrass, and crested wheatgrass are suitable for seeding. The grass selected should meet the seasonal requirements of livestock. It can be seeded into a clean, firm sorghum stubble, or it can be drilled into a firm prepared seedbed. Seeding early in spring has proven most successful. Windbreaks and environmental plantings of trees and shrubs commonly grown in the azea are generally well suited to this soil. Cultivation to control competing vegetation should be continued for as many years as possible following planting. Trees that are best suited and have good survival are Rocky Mountain juniper, eastern redcedar, ponderosa pine, Siberian elm, Russian-olive, and hackberry. The shrubs best suited are skunkbush sumac, Siberian peashrnb, lilac, and American plum. DMG !R Permit Page 43 oJ8/