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11/89 SS--Eckley-Wages complex, 4 to 20 percent slopes. This map unit is on rolling hills and steep bench edges. The native vegetation is mainly grass. The average annual precipitation is about 13 to 15 inches. This unit is 4U percent Eckley gravelly sandy loam and 30 percent Wages loam, 4 to 9 percent slopes. Also in this unit is about 15 percent intergrading gravelly sails. Included in this unit are small areas of Ascalon sandy loam, Sampson loam, Manter sandy loam, Rock outcrop, a sail similar to Eckley except with a lighter colored surface layer, a soil similar +o Eckley but lacking the 8t horizon, and a sail similar to Eckley except depth to 2C material is 20 to 40 inches. The percentage varia_s from one area to another. The Eckley soil is deep and well drained. It formed in mixed eolian and gravelly alluvium derived dominantly from the Ogallala formation. Typically, the surface layer is brown gravelly sandy loam about 4 inches thick. The upper 8 inches of the subsoil is brown gravelly sand clay loam. The lower 3 inches is brown gravelly sand loam. The upper 7 inches of the substratum is yellowish brown calcareous very gravelly sand. The lower part to a depth of 60 inches is brown calcareous gravelly sand. In some areas the surface layer is a sandy loam. Permeability of the Eckley soil is moderate. Available water capacity is low. Effective rooting depth is 60 inches or more. Runoff is medium, and the hazard of water erosion is moderate. The hazard of soil blowing is moderate. the Wages soil is deep and well drained. It formed in mixed eolian and alluvium derived dominantly from sedimentary rock. Typically, the surface layer is grayish brown loam about 5 inches thick. The upper 7 inches of the subsoil is brown loam. The lower 5 inch=_s is light yellowish brown calcareous loam. The substratum to a dept's of 60 inches or more is very pale brown calcareous loam. Permeability of the Wages soil is moderate. Available water capacity is moderate. Effective rocting depth is 60 inches or more. Runoff is rapid, and the hazard of water erosion is high. The hazard of soil blowing is moderate. This unit is used mainly for rangeland and for wildlife habitat. It is also used for gravel and road fill. The potential plant community on this unit is mainly blue grama, side~~ats grama, and little bluestem. The average annual production of air-city vegetation ranges from 600 to 1,400 pounds. [f the range is overgrazed, the proportion of preferred forage plants decreases and the proportion of less preferred forage plants incr~aases. Therefore, livestock grazing should be managed so that the desired balance of preferred species is maintained in the plant community. The suitability of this unit for rangeland seeding is poor. The main limitations for seeding are slope, hazard of water erosion, and droughtines=. The plants selected for seeding should meet the seasnnal requirements of livestock or wildlife, or both. Interseeding should be used. Sowing the seed directly into the existing range vege ration protects the sail fram severe wind erosion. Old field conditions vary slightly from range Interseeding conditions. Grazing should be delayed until the soil is firm and the more desirable forage plants have achieved sufficient growth to withstand grazing pressure. dive.=.:tack grazing should be managed to protect the soil fram excess~••;e erosion.