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<br />Weld County, Colorado, Northern Part
<br />• 4-Ascalon fine sandy loam, 0 to 6 percent slopes.
<br />This deep, well drained soil is on smooth to moderately
<br />dissected plains. It formed in calcareous loamy alluvium.
<br />Typically, the surface layer is dark brown fine sandy
<br />loam 8 inches thick. The subsoil is sandy clay loam 14
<br />inches thick. The substratum to a depth of 60 inches or
<br />more is calcareous sandy loam. In some areas the
<br />surface layer is loam.
<br />Included in this unit are small areas of Ascalon fine
<br />sandy loam that has slopes of 6 to 9 percent, Olney fine
<br />sandy loam, and Otero sandy loam. Also included are
<br />some areas of Rock outcrop.
<br />Permeability of this Ascalon soil is moderate. Available
<br />water capacity is high. Effective rooting depth is 60
<br />inches or more. Runoff is slow to medium, and the
<br />hazard of water erosion is slight to moderate. The
<br />hazard of soil blowing is moderate.
<br />This unit is used as nonirrigated cropland and
<br />rangeland. Winter wheat is the main crop.
<br />This unit is well suited to winter wheat, barley, oats,
<br />and sorghum. Because precipitation is not sufficient for
<br />annual cropping, a cropping system that includes small
<br />grain and summer fallow is most suitable. Precipitation
<br />usually is too low for crops on this unit io make efficient
<br />use of fertilizer.
<br />Maintaining crop residue on or near the surface
<br />~duces runoff, reduces soil blowing, and helps to
<br />aintain soil filth and organic matter content. Stubble-
<br />mulch farming, stripcropping, and minimum Pillage help to
<br />control erosion and conserve moisture. Terraces reduce
<br />runoff and the risk of erosion and help to conserve
<br />moisture.
<br />The potential plant community on this unit is mainly
<br />blue grama, western wheatgrass, sedges, and
<br />buffalograss. The average annual production of air•dry
<br />vegetation ranges from 500 to 1,500 pounds.
<br />If the range is overgrazed, the proportion of preferred
<br />forage plants decreases and the proportion of less
<br />preferred forage plants increases. Therefore, livestock
<br />grazing should be managed so that the desired balance
<br />of preferred species is maintained in the plant
<br />community.
<br />Range seeding is suitable if the range is in poor
<br />condition. The plants selected for seeding should meet
<br />the seasonal requirements of livestock or wildlife, or
<br />both. Other management practices that are suitable for
<br />use on this unit are proper range use, deferred grazing,
<br />and rotation grazing. If the plant cover is disturbed,
<br />protection from erosion is needed. Loss of the surface
<br />layer results in a severe decrease In productivity and in
<br />the potential of the soil to produce plants suitable for
<br />grazing.
<br />This unit is well suited to windbreaks and
<br />environmental plantings. Supplemental irrigation may be
<br />~eeded when planting and during dry periods.
<br />This map unit is in capability subclass IVe,
<br />nonirrigated, and in Loamy Plains range site.
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<br />5-Ascalon fine sandy loam, 6 to 9 percent slopes.
<br />This deep, well drained soil is on moderately dissected
<br />to highly dissected plains. It formed in calcareous loamy
<br />alluvium.
<br />Typically, the surface layer is dark brown fine sandy
<br />loam 6 inches thick, The subsoil is sandy clay loam 15
<br />inches thick. The substratum to a depth of 60 inches or
<br />more is calcareous sandy loam. In some areas the
<br />surface layer is loam.
<br />Included in this unit are small areas of Altvan fine
<br />sandy loam, Cascajo gravelly sandy loam, and Peetz
<br />gravelly sandy loam. Also included are some areas of
<br />Rock Outcrop.
<br />Permeability of this Ascalon soil is moderate. Available
<br />water capacity is high. Effective rooting depth is 60
<br />inches or more. Runoff is medium to rapid, and the
<br />hazard of water erosion is high. The hazard of soil
<br />blowing is moderate.
<br />This unit is used as rangeland and nonirrigated
<br />cropland. Areas of nonirrigated cropland are poorly
<br />suited for use as rangeland and should be seeded to
<br />adapted grasses.
<br />The potential plant community on this unit is mainly
<br />blue grama, western wheatgrass, sedges, and
<br />buffalograss. The average annual production of air-dry
<br />vegetation ranges from a00 to 1,300 pounds.
<br />If the range is overgrazed, the proportion of preferred
<br />forage plants decreases and the proportion of less
<br />preferred forage plants increases. Therefore, livestock
<br />grazing should be managed so that the desired balance
<br />of preferred species is maintained in the plant
<br />community.
<br />Range seeding is suitable if the range is in poor
<br />condition. The plants selected for seeding should meet
<br />the seasonal requirements of livestock or wildlife, or
<br />both. Other management practices that are suitable for
<br />use on this unit are proper range use, deferred grazing,
<br />and rotation grazing. If the plant cover is disturbed,
<br />protection from erosion is needed. Loss of the surface
<br />layer results in a severe decrease in productivity and in
<br />the potential of the soil to produce plants suitable for
<br />grazing.
<br />This unit is well suited to windbreaks and
<br />environmental plantings. Supplemental irrigation may be
<br />needed when planting and during dry periods.
<br />This map unit is in capability subclass Vle,
<br />nonirrigated, and in Loamy Plains range site.
<br />6-Ascalon•Blakeland complex, 3 to 15 percent
<br />slopes. This map unit is on alluvial and colluvial tans
<br />and on moderately dissected to highly dissected plains.
<br />This unit is 50 percent Ascalon fine sandy loam and
<br />30 percent Blakeland loamy sand. The components of
<br />this unit are so intricately intermingled that it was not
<br />practical to map them separately at the scale used.
<br />Included in this unit is about 20 percent Bushman tine
<br />sandy loam, Bresser sandy loam, and Wages tine sandy
<br />loam.
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