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Custer County Area, Colorado
<br />needs to be levele and irtigation water managed to
<br />obtain uniform distrib 'on of water, control erosion, and
<br />prevent large losses of er. Applications of manure
<br />and commercial fertilizer co fining nitrogen and
<br />phosphorus help maintain soil rtility. Water erosion can
<br />occur ii this soil is unprotected. With good management
<br />this soil is capable of produ ' g about 5 tons of grass
<br />hay per irrigated acre.
<br />The potential nativ vegetation is mainly Arizona
<br />fescue, mountain mu ly, western wheatgrass, and Parry
<br />oatgrass. As the rang eteriorates, blue grama,
<br />sleepygrass, fringed sag limstem muhly, and
<br />rabbitbrush increase. Renov 'ng and using a planned
<br />grazing system, cross fencing, d livestock water
<br />developments help to prevent ra a deterioration and
<br />promote the production of the mor desirable plants. In
<br />renovating, seed should be drilled i to a well prepared,
<br />firm, weed-free seedbed. Suitable rasses for seeding
<br />are intermediate wheatgrass, escent wheatgrass,
<br />western wheatgrass, and rizona fescue.
<br />This soil is well suited o use as homesites. However,
<br />included areas of Vena le soil adjacent to streams are
<br />subject to ponding or flo ding. This Coutis soil is a good
<br />source of topsoil.
<br />This soil is in capability s lasses Vle, nonirrigated,
<br />and Vc, irrigated.
<br />9-Coutls sandy loam, 5 to 1~percent slopes. This
<br />is a deep, well drained soil along land drainageways
<br />and on toot slopes and stream ter aces. It formed in
<br />mixed alluvium. Elevation is 7,8 to 8,800 feet. The
<br />average annual precipitation ' 14 to 20 inches, the
<br />average annual air temp lure 40 to 44 degrees F, and
<br />the frost-Tree season is 5 to 75 days.
<br />Typically, the surfac layer is dark brown sandy loam
<br />11 inches thick. It is un rlain by dark brown sandy loam
<br />37 inches thick. The subs tum is brown gravelly loam
<br />to a depth of 60 inches or re. The soil is slightly acid
<br />to a depth of 11 inches and n tral below that depth.
<br />Included with this soil in mapp g are areas of
<br />Norriston extremely cobbly sandy am on the steeper
<br />terrain and areas of Venable loam n low stream
<br />terraces and in depressions. The rriston soil makes up
<br />about 15 percent of the map unit, nd the Venable soil
<br />makes up 5 percent.
<br />Permeability of this Coutis it is moderately rapid, and
<br />the available water capaci is moderate. The effective
<br />rooting depth is 60 inche or more. Surface runoff is
<br />medium, and the hazard erosion is high to very high.
<br />Most of the acreage is u d as rangeland and irrigated
<br />hayland. Mixtures of brome, hardgrass, pubescent
<br />wheatgrass, and timothy are co monly grown.
<br />Where this soil is irrigated, the ain management
<br />concerns are proper use of water, aintenance of soil
<br />fertility, and reduction of soil erosio .Flooding is the
<br />common method of irrigation, buts rinklers and contour
<br />ditches are also suitable methods The land needs to be
<br />leveled and irrigation water managed to obtain uniform
<br />
<br />13
<br />distribution of irrigation wat control erosion, and
<br />prevent large losses of water. pplications of manure
<br />and commercial fertilizer contai ' g nitrogen and
<br />phosphorus help maintain soil Pert 'ty. Severe water
<br />erosion can occur if this soil is unp tected (fig. 1). With
<br />good management this soil is capa a of producing
<br />about 4.5 tons of grass hay per it ' ated acre.
<br />The potential native veget n is mainly Arizona
<br />fescue, mountain muhly, w tern wheatgrass, and Parry
<br />oatgrass. As the range del riorates, blue grama,
<br />sleepygrass, fringed sage, limstem muhly, and
<br />rabbitbrush increase. Renov ling and using a planned
<br />grazing system, cross fencing, nd livestock water
<br />developments help to prevent r e deterioration and
<br />promote the production of the mo desirable plants. In
<br />renovating, seed should be drilled in a well prepared,
<br />firm, weed-free seedbed. Suitable gra ses for seeding
<br />are intermediate wheatgrass, pubesc t wheatgrass,
<br />western wheatgrass, and Arizona f ue.
<br />Slope is the main limitation t se of this soil as
<br />homesites. Designs should modified for foundations
<br />and septic tank absorption f Ids in the steeper areas.
<br />This soil is a good source of psoil.
<br />This soil is in capability subc sses Vle, nonirrigated,
<br />and Vle, irrigated.
<br />10-Feltonia sand loam 2 to 6 ercent sloe ,I ~
<br />"""
<br />T is is a eep, we rame sot on terraces and tans
<br />i
<br />7
<br />800 t
<br />8
<br />500
<br />i
<br />El
<br />ti t ~ww~MMM
<br />Q~-
<br />eva
<br />on
<br />s
<br />,
<br />o
<br />,
<br />um.
<br />(fig. 2). It formed in alluv ,
<br />feet. The average annual precipitation is 14 to 17 inches,
<br />the average annual air temperature is 40 to 44 degrees
<br />F and the frost-free season is 55 to 75 days. gg tf `ors
<br />Typically, the surface la er is ra fish brown sandy U
<br />loam 8 inches thick. he su sot is ar grayis rown
<br />gravelly sandy loam 11 inches thick. The substratum is
<br />light brownish gray gravelly sandy loam in the upper 13
<br />inches and is white very gravelly sandy loam to a depth
<br />of 60 inches or more. The soil is mildly alkaline to a
<br />depth of 19 inches and is moderately alkaline and
<br />calcareous below that depth.
<br />Included with this soil in mapping are areas of Coutis
<br />sandy loam along toot slopes and drainageways and
<br />Silverclitf gravelly sandy loam along terrace edges. The
<br />Coutis soil makes up about 20 percent of the map unit,
<br />and the Silvercliff soil makes up 10 percent.
<br />Permeability of this Feltonia soil is moderate, and the
<br />available water capacity is low. The effective rooting
<br />depth is 60 inches or more. Root growth is somewhat
<br />restricted by high amounts of calcium carbonate at a
<br />depth of more than 32 inches. Surface runoff is medium,
<br />and the hazard of erosion is moderate to high.
<br />Most areas of this soil are used as rangeland.
<br />The potential native vegetation is mainly
<br />needleandthread, western wheatgrass, mountain muhly,
<br />and Arizona Tescue. As the range deteriorates, blue
<br />grama, gray horsebrush, rabbitbrush, sleepygrass,
<br />slimstem muhly, and snakeweed increase. Renovating
<br />and using a planned grazing system, cross fencing, and
<br />
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