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$ aOiL SL'R VEY
<br />filter the leacha[e. Sewage lagoons require sealing.
<br />Lawns. shrubs, and trees grow well. Capability subclass
<br />Its irrigated.
<br />'?-Altvan loam, l to 3 percent slopes. This is a deep,
<br />well drained soil on terraces at elevations of x,500 to 4,900
<br />feet. It formed in old alluvium deposited by the major
<br />rivers. Included in mapping are small areas of soils that
<br />show evidence of poor drainage. Also included are small.
<br />long and narrow areas of sand and gravel deposits.
<br />Typically the surface layer of this Altvan soil is grayish
<br />brown loam about 10 inches thick. The subsoil is brown
<br />and light yellowish brown clay loam and sandy clay loam
<br />about 14 inches thick. The substratum is calcareous loamy
<br />sand about 5 inches thick over gravelly sand.
<br />Permeability and available water capacity are
<br />moderate. The effective rooting depth is 30 to 40 inches.
<br />Surface runoff is medium, and the erosion hazard is low.
<br />This soil is used almost entirely for irrigated crops. [t
<br />is suited to all crops commonly grown in the area- includ-
<br />ing corn, sugar beets, beans, alfalfa, small grain, potatoes.
<br />and onions. An example of a suitable cropping system is 3
<br />to 4 years of alfalfa followed by corn, corn for silage,
<br />sugar beets, ;mall grain, or beans. Land leveling, ditch
<br />lining, and installing pipelines may be needed for proper
<br />water application.
<br />All methods of irrigation are suitable, but furrow ir-
<br />rigation is the most common. Barnyard manure and com-
<br />mercial fertilizer are needed for top yields.
<br />Windbreaks and environmental plantins of trees and
<br />shrubs commonly grown in the area are generally well
<br />suited to this soil. Cultivation to control competing
<br />vegetation should be continued for as many years as
<br />possible following planting. Trees that are best suited and
<br />have good survival are Rocky Mountain juniper, eastern
<br />redcedar. ponderosa pine. Siberian elm. Russian-olive, and
<br />hackberrv. The shrubs best suited are skunkbush sumac.
<br />lilac, Siberian peashrub, and American plum.
<br />This ;oil can produce habitat elements that are highly
<br />suitable for openland wildlife including pheasant. cotton-
<br />tail, and mourning dove. Such crops as wheat, corn, and
<br />alfalfa provide suitable habitat for openland wildlife.
<br />especially pheasant. Tree and shrub plantings and
<br />undisturbed nesting cover would enhance openland wil-
<br />dlife populations.
<br />This Altvan ;oil has fair to good potential for urban
<br />and recreational development, The chief limiting soil fea-
<br />tures for urban development are the ;honk-:well pocen-
<br />[ial of the subsoil as i[ wets and dries and the rapid
<br />permeabilitc of the sand and gravel substratum. Septic
<br />tank absorption fields function properly, but in places the
<br />substratum does no[ contain enough tines to properly
<br />titer the leachate. Sewage lagoons require sealin¢.
<br />Lawns. shrubs, and trees grow well. Capability subclass
<br />IIe im2ate~1.
<br />3-.aguolls and .aquents. Kavelly substratum. This
<br />aearn' .e•.~ri maq unrz a on bottom lands and flood plains
<br />of ail ]br mapir ,t ream> in :.he sur:?}~ area. Aquoii;.
<br />which ::ai~a :~ ~iart snnrwi .ur.'ace :aver. murie un snout
<br />50 percent of the unit. Aquents. which have ss lighter
<br />colored surface layer, make up about 35 percent. ?.bout ~;
<br />percent is Aquepts and Bankard sandy loam.
<br />These are deep, poorly drained soils that t'ormed in
<br />recent alluvium. No one pedon is typical. Commonly [he
<br />soils have a mottled, mildly alkaline to moderately al-
<br />kaline loamy or clayey surface layer and underlying
<br />material and are underlain by sand or sand and gravel
<br />within 48 inches. In places they have a gleyed layer in the
<br />underlying material.
<br />Most of the acreage is subject to flooding. The water
<br />table is at or near [he surface early in spring and recedes
<br />to as deep as 48 inches late in fall in some years.
<br />These soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat.
<br />Some small areas have been reclaimed by major drainage
<br />and leveling and aze used for irrigated crops.
<br />The potential native vegetation is dominated by alkali
<br />sacaton, switchgrass, and western wheatgrass. Saltgrass,
<br />sedge, rush, and alkali bluegrass are also prominent.
<br />Potential production ranges from 3,000 pounds per acre in
<br />favorable years to ?,000 pounds in unfavorable years. As
<br />range condition deteriorates, the switchgrass, alkali
<br />sacaton, and western wheatgrass decrease and saltgrass.
<br />sedge, and rush increase.
<br />Management of vegetation should be based on caking
<br />half and leaving half of the total annual production. Seed-
<br />ing is difficult and costly because numerous tillage prac-
<br />tices are required to eliminate the saltgrass sod.
<br />Switchgrass, western wheacgrass, alkali sacaton, tall
<br />wheatgrass, and tall fescue are suitable for seeding. They
<br />can be seeded into a clean, firm seedbed. Seedbed
<br />preparation usually requires more than 1 year to
<br />eliminate the saltgrass sod. A grass drill should be used.
<br />Seeding early in spring has proven most successful.
<br />Wetland wildlife, especially waterfowl, utilize this unit.
<br />The wetland plants provide nesting and protective cover.
<br />as well as some food. The nearby irrigated cropland.
<br />where wildlife obtain much of their food and fmd protec-
<br />tive cover, makes this unit valuable to both wetland and
<br />openland wildlife.
<br />Openland wildlife, especially pheasant, use this unit for
<br />cover and nesting. Deer find excellent cover in some
<br />azeas.
<br />These valuable wildlife areas should be protected from
<br />fire and fenced to prevent encroachment and overuse by
<br />livestock. Thev should not be drained.
<br />These ;oils have good potential as a source of ;and and
<br />gravel. Capability subclass V Iw: Salt Meadow range ;ice.
<br />4-Aquolls and Aquepts, flooded. This nearly level
<br />map unit is in depressions in ;mooch plains and along Che
<br />bottoms of natural drainageways throughout the survey
<br />area Aquolls•. which have a dark colored surface layer,
<br />make up about :i5 percent of the unit. Aqueoc;. which
<br />have a lighter colored surface layer. make uo aoouc '_'S
<br />percent. About '_0 percent :; ;oils that lire •.ceil ~.irained
<br />and ;oils that have sandstone or shale ~.c~thcn ~t :~CCe> of
<br />the surface.
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