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<br />20-CascaJo gravelly sandy loam, 5 to 20 percent
<br />slopes. This deep, excessively drained soil rs on
<br />backslopes and shoulders of moderately dissected to
<br />highly dissected upland ridges and breaks. It formed in
<br />calcareous gravelly alluvium. Slopes are concave. Areas
<br />are long and narrow and are 20 to 1,000 acres.
<br />Typically, 15 to 35 percent o1 the surface is covered
<br />with gravel and cobbles. The surface layer is dark
<br />grayish brown gravelly sandy loam 3 inches thick. The
<br />next layer is calcareous very gravelly loamy coarse sand
<br />21 inches thick. Below thrs to a depth of 60 inches or
<br />more is calcareous very gravelly loamy coarse sand.
<br />Included in this unit are small areas of soils, on
<br />backslopes, shoulders, and crests of upland ridges and
<br />breaks, that have fine-grained sandstone or siltstone at a
<br />depth o' 2C tc a0 inches, nocn outcrop on snowders
<br />and crests of upland ridges and breaks; and Otero sandy
<br />loam and Stoneham fine sand} loam on the lower pans
<br />01 backslopes and on upland ridges and breaks.
<br />Included areas make up about 25 percent of the total
<br />acreage. The percentage varies from one arez to
<br />ano:ner.
<br />Permeability of this Cascajo soil is moderately rapid to
<br />a depth of 3 inches and rapid below this depth. Available
<br />water capacity is moderate. Effective rooting depth is 60
<br />inches or more. Runoff is medium, and the hazard of
<br />water erosion is moderate to very nlgn. The hazard of
<br />soil blowing is slight.
<br />Most areas of this unit are used as rangeland. A few
<br />areas are used as a source of gravel.
<br />The potential plant community on this unit is mainly
<br />blue grams, little bluestem, sideoats grams, and prairie
<br />sandreed. The average annual production of air-dry
<br />vegetation ranges from 500 to 1,200 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 />Areas that are heavily infested with undesirable plants
<br />can be improved by proper grazing management.
<br />Management practices that are suitable for use on this
<br />unit are proper range use, deferred grazing, and rotation
<br />grazing. Mechanical treatment is not practical because of
<br />the stony surface and the steepness of slope. If the
<br />plant cover is disturbed, protection from erosion is
<br />needed. Loss of the surface layer results in a severe
<br />decrease in productivity and in the potential of the soil in
<br />this unit to produce plants suitable for grazing. Slope
<br />limits access by livestock and results in overgrazing of
<br />the less sloping areas.
<br />This unit is poorly suited to windbreaks and
<br />environmental plantings. The main limitations are the
<br />large accumulations of lime and moderate available
<br />water capacity. Supplemental irrigation may be needed
<br />when planting and during dry periods. Summer fallow,
<br />cultivation for weed control, and selection oT adapted
<br />plants ere needed to insure establishment and survival
<br />of seedlings.
<br />This map unit is in capability subclass Vlls,
<br />nonirrigated, and in Gravel Breaks range site.
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<br />23-Dacono clay loam, 0 to 6 percent slopes. This
<br />deep, well drained soil rs on plains and adjacent stream
<br />terraces. It formed in calcareous loamy alluvium.
<br />Typically, the surface layer is dark grayisn brown clay
<br />loam 4 inches thick. The upper 3 inches of the subsoil is
<br />clay loam, and the lower 6 inches rs clay. The upper par,
<br />of the substratum is calcareous clay loam 6 inches thick.
<br />and the lower part to a depth of 60 incnes or more is
<br />sandy clay loam over calcareous very gravelly loamy
<br />sand and sand.
<br />Included m this unit are small areas of Haverson loam.
<br />Nunn clay loam, and Nunn loam.
<br />Permeability of this Dacono soil is moderately slow.
<br />Available water capacity is moderate. Effective rooting
<br />depth is 60 inches o~ mor=_. Reno" is medium, and the
<br />hazard of water erosion is slight to moderate. The
<br />hazard of soil blowmp is slipht.
<br />Trns unit is used as nonirrigated cropland and
<br />rangeland. Winter wheat is the main crop.
<br />This uni; is well suited to winter wheat, barley, oats.
<br />and SorJhJ^!, The fi'lc t°7C;7re J: tnc SUrtdCE layer IImIlS
<br />the crops that can be grown on this unit. Because
<br />precipitation is not sufficient for annual cropping. a
<br />cropping system that includes small grain and summer
<br />fallow is most suitable. Precipitation usually is too low for
<br />crops on this unit to make efficient use of fertilizer.
<br />Maintaining crop residue on or near the surface
<br />reduces runoff, reduces soil blowing, and helps [o
<br />maintain soil tilth and organic matter content. Stubble-
<br />mulch farming, stripcropping, and minimum tillage 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 grams, western wheatgrass, fourwing saltbush, and
<br />buffalograss. The average annual production of air-dry
<br />vegetation ranges from 400 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 welt 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 IVe,
<br />nonirrigated, and in Clayey Plains ranoe site.
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