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<br />DELTA-MONTR08E AREA, COLORADO
<br />Altltougli these soils typically are calcareous throughout,
<br />their uplleilnost few Inches is noncalcareous in some
<br />places. The degree of and depth to stratification vary
<br />,viclely, but t]le texture is dominantly loam from a cleptli
<br />of about 8 to a depth of 30 incites. The depth to mottling
<br />ranmes up to 18 to 20 incites.
<br />I~iicompahgre soils are coarser textured, aro less well
<br />drained, and have a darker colored surface layer then
<br />Billings soils, wllicll they adjoin in many places. Un-
<br />comp:tllgre soils resemble Genola soils hilt have a darker
<br />colored surface layer and are less well drained. Drain-
<br />aDe is comparable to that of Blanyon soils, but Uncom-
<br />pali~re soils are coarser textured, have n darker colored
<br />surface layer, and laclc the accumulations of silicate
<br />clay typical of Blanton soils.
<br />In their untut:•tl state, Uncompal>,_re soils support a
<br />den,e rover of grass, willow, and cottonwood. The water
<br />table, which is hi_h at least part of each tear, harms
<br />crops 111 SOllte places. Secet•theless. these soils ni•e mod-
<br />erately pt•oductice and are used for celery and ninny
<br />other crops.
<br />Uncompahgre clay loam (D to 2 percent slopes) lUcl.-
<br />This soil is on flood plains and low terraces. );xcept
<br />for ilia surface layer, the profile is similar to the one
<br />described as typical of the Uncompahgre series. The
<br />lar_est acreage borders the Uncampah_tn Ricer.
<br />This soil supports a good cover of native gasses, wil-
<br />Iows, and scattered cottonwood. It can Ue tilled success-
<br />fully but should be artificially drained because the water
<br />table is high at some period near]c every year. This soil
<br />is not highly susceptible to erosion, but occasionally it is
<br />flooded and reeeices deposits of silt. (Capahility unit
<br />~"Iw-3 nonicri_ated; IIw-I irritated)
<br />Uncompahgre clay loam, wet (0 to ~ percent, slopes)
<br />IUgI.-This soil is in slio-ht depressions on the flood plains
<br />vu1 is wet most of the year. )/xcept for the surface
<br />];ner, the profile is similar to the one described as typi-
<br />cal of the Uncompahgre series, but all ]avers generaIly
<br />are mottled. 3.1i the acreage borcleis the Uncompahgre
<br />River.
<br />This soil supports a fair cover of water-tolerant grass
<br />and n-illoly and is used primarily as native range and
<br />for n,ttice hay. It is not suitable for tilled crops unless
<br />ai•tifici:llly dt•ainecl. It is not Iligllly susceptible to ero-
<br />sion. (Capability unit VIw-? nonu•ri~ated; IIIw-1
<br />irri~*:tted)
<br />Uncompahgre fine sandy loam (0 to 2 peicettt slopes)
<br />IUhI.-This soil is on flood plains and logy terraces. $scept
<br />for the surface layer, the profile is similar to the one
<br />desct•ibecl as typical of the Uncompahgre series. illest
<br />of the acreage borcleis the Uncompahgre River.
<br />Tltis soil supports a fair cover of willow and grass.
<br />It can be used for tilled crops, but the n-ater table fluc-
<br />tttates and at some time of the year is near enough to
<br />the surface to be damaging to crops. Tllis soil is mod-
<br />erately susceptible to wind erosion. (Capability unit
<br />VIw-~ nonirrtgated; II\v-I irrigated)
<br />Uncompahgre gravellp loam (0 to 2 percent slopes)
<br />(Uml,-This soil generally is on those parts of the flood
<br />plain nearest the UncompahRi•e River and those adjacent
<br />to terraces underlain by san~ and gravel. It has a ro-
<br />file similar to the ono described as typical of the Un-
<br />oompahgre series, but the surface layer is 15 to 30 per-
<br />cent gravel.
<br />?19-881~7~-3
<br />3I
<br />Tltis soil supports a good native cover of grass, wil-
<br />low, and scattered cottonwood. The gravel in the sur-
<br />face layer is hard on farm machinery and makes tillage
<br />difficult unless the ]ar4er pieces are removed. Because
<br />of the grovel this soil is somewhat less valuable as cropp-
<br />land than oilier Uncontpaligre soils. It is not Ili4Itly
<br />susceptible to erosion. (Capability unit VIw-2 nonirri-
<br />gated; IIw-1 irrigated)
<br />Uncompahgre loam (0 to 2 percent slopes) ]Unl.-This
<br />soil is on flood plains and ]olr terraces. It has a profile
<br />similar to Ule one described as tvpical of the Uncom-
<br />pp•thgre series. Most areas bowler the Uncompahgre
<br />I{icer.
<br />This soil supports a good native cover of grass, wil-
<br />low, and scattered cottonwood. It can be used for tilled
<br />crops, but the water table Fluctuates and generally is
<br />near enough to the surface at some part of the year to
<br />cause d:una~e to crops. This soil is not hitldv susceptible
<br />to erosion, but flooding and tteposition of silt are com-
<br />]11011. (Capabdity 71nIL `I\\"-•? 11nIlIC1'Ig;ltell; IIw-1 irri-
<br />gated)
<br />,Uncompahgre loam, wet (0 to ~ percent slopes) IUw).-
<br />This soil is in slight depressions on flood plains and
<br />lon• terraces. It has a profile similar to the one de-
<br />scribed as typical of the Uncompahgre series. host
<br />areas border the Uncompahgre River.
<br />This soil supports a fair cover of n•ater-tolerant grass,
<br />tcillow, and scattered cottonwood. It is likely to be
<br />pondecl for long periods, and the water table is nt or
<br />near the surfitce much of the }'ear; consequently, it is
<br />not suitable for tilled crops unless artificially drained.
<br />This soil is not hi~hlc susceptible to erosion, bat it is
<br />subject. toftooding;uxl•silt:uion. (Gtpabilitcuuit'CIw?
<br />nonlrngated; IIIn'-1 irrigated)
<br />v21'IIRl SEP1C$
<br />The soils of the \-crnal series are deep, well drained,
<br />and moderately fine textured, They ;ire grassland soils
<br />that formed on stream terraces in fairly uniform, cal-
<br />careous material underlain b}' clean sand and gravel.
<br />Soils of this series are moderately extensive in the _1rea,
<br />mainly at the edges of the valley of the Uncompahgre
<br />River, south and west of the town of Montrose.
<br />Vernal soils have a li~ht•browu to brown, friable,
<br />granular surface Inver •1 to v incites thick. Tlley have
<br />a moderately Weil dereloped, brown or reddish-brown
<br />subsoil that is moderately fine textured and has pris-
<br />matic and blocky structure. The substratum, which be-
<br />gins 1S to 20 inches below the surface, is light-colored,
<br />calcareous, loose sand and gravel. tlccumula,tions of
<br />secondary calcium carbonate occut• in the lower part of
<br />the subsoil and the upper part of the substratum. The
<br />depth to bedrocl, ordinarily is GO inches or more.
<br />These soils are not lii~ltly susceptible to el•osion. The
<br />organic-matter content is moderate, and the structure is
<br />stable.
<br />Typical profile of a Vernal soil, one-fourth mile east
<br />attd~G00 feet north of fire soiitliwest corner of sec. 17,
<br />T. 40 N., R. 8 W. (Montrose County)
<br />A1--0 to 4 inches, loam; Ifght brolvn (T.SYR 0/3) when
<br />dry, brown or dark brown (T.5YR 4/3) when moist:
<br />moderate, doe, granular structure; soft when dry,
<br />very friable when moist; noncalcareous; DH 7.2;
<br />gradual, smooth boundary.
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