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WELD COUNTY, COLORADO, SOUTHERN PART
<br />Lawns, shrubs, and trees grow well. Capability subclass
<br />Its irrigated.
<br />55-Paoli loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes. This is a deep,
<br />well drained soil on terraces at elevations of 4,700 to 5,250
<br />feet. It formed in alluvial deposits. Included in mapping
<br />are small areas of soils that have a loamy sand surface
<br />layer.
<br />Typically the surface layer is grayish brown loam about
<br />22 inches thick. The underlying material to a depth of 60
<br />inches is light brownish gray fine sandy loam.
<br />Permeability is moderate. Available water capacity is
<br />high. The effective rooting depth is 60 inches or more.
<br />Surface runoff is slow, and the erosion hazard is low.
<br />This soil is used almost entirely for irrigated crops. [t
<br />is suited to all crops commonly grown in the area, includ-
<br />ing corn, sugar beets, beans, alfalfa, small grain, potatoes,
<br />and onions. An example of a suitable cropping system is 3
<br />to 4 years of alfalfa followed by corn, corn for silage,
<br />sugar beets, small grain, or beans. Land leveling, ditch
<br />lining, and installing pipelines may ~be needed for proper
<br />water application.
<br />All methods of irrigation are suitable, but furrow ir-
<br />rigation is the most common. Barnyard manure and com-
<br />mercial fertilizer are needed for top yields.
<br />This soil is well suited to winter wheat, barley, and
<br />sorghum if it is summer followed in alternate years.
<br />Winter wheat is the principal crop. The predicted average
<br />yield is 33 bushels per acre. If the crop is winterkilled,
<br />spring wheat can be seeded. Generally precipitation is too
<br />low for beneficial use of fertilizer.
<br />Stubble mulch farming, stripcropping, and minimum til-
<br />lage are needed to control soil blowing and water erosion.
<br />Terracing also may be needed to control water erosion.
<br />The potential native vegetation is dominated by
<br />western wheatgrass. Blue grams, switchgrass, sand
<br />reedgrass, big bluestem, slender wheatgrass,indiangrass,
<br />and green needlegrass are also present. Potential produc-
<br />tion ranges from 3,000 pounds per acre in favorable years
<br />to 2,000 pounds in unfavorable years. As range condition
<br />deteriorates, the tall grasses decrease, blue grams and
<br />buffalograss increase, and forage production drops. Un-
<br />desirable weeds and annuals invade and erosion can occur
<br />as range condition becomes poorer.
<br />Management of vegetation on this soil should be based
<br />on taking half and leaving half of the total annual produc-
<br />tion. Seeding is desirable if the range is in poor condition.
<br />Western wheatgrass, switchgrass, sand reedgrass,
<br />sideoats grams, pubescent wheatgrass, intermediate
<br />wheatgrass, and blue grams are suitable for seeding. The
<br />grass selected should meet the seasonal requirements of
<br />livestock. It can be seeded into a firm, prepared seedbed.
<br />A grass drill should be used. Seeding early in spring has
<br />proven most successful.
<br />Windbreaks and environmental plantings are generally
<br />suited to this soil. Soil blowing, the principal hazard in
<br />establishing trees and shrubs, can be controlled by cul-
<br />tivating only in the tree row and by leaving a strip of
<br />vegetation between the rows. Supplemental irrigation
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<br />may be needed at the time of planting and during dry
<br />periods. Trees that are best suited and have good survival
<br />are Rocky Mountain juniper, eastern redcedar, ponderosa
<br />pine, Siberian elm, Russianolive, and hackberry. The
<br />shrubs best suited are skunkbush sumac, lilac, and Siberi-
<br />an peashrub.
<br />Wildlife is an important secondary use of this soil. The
<br />cropland areas provide favorable habitat for ring-necked
<br />pheasant and mourning dove. Many nongame species can
<br />be attracted by establishing areas for nesting and escape
<br />cover. For pheasants, undisturbed nesting cover is essen-
<br />tial and should be included in plans for habitat develop-
<br />ment, especially in areas of intensive agriculture.
<br />This soil has good potential for urban and recreational
<br />development. The primary limiting feature is the rapid
<br />permeability in the substratum, which causes a hazard of
<br />ground water contamination from sewage lagoons. Road
<br />designs should be modified to compensate for the
<br />moderate frost potential. Lawns, shrubs, and trees grow
<br />well. Capability subclass IIe irrigated, IIIe nonirrigated;
<br />Overflow range site.
<br />56-Renohill clay loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes. This is
<br />a moderately deep, well drained soil on plains at eleva-
<br />tions of 4,850 to 5,200 feet. [t formed in residuum from
<br />shale. Included in mapping are small areas of soils that
<br />have shale deeper than 40 inches.
<br />Typically the surface layer is grayish brown clay loam
<br />about 9 inches thick. The subsoil is grayish brown and
<br />pale brown clay loam about 14 inches thick. The sub-
<br />stratum is pale brown clay loam. Shale is at a depth of
<br />about 32 inches.
<br />Permeability is slow. Available water capacity is
<br />moderate. The effective rooting depth is 20 to 40 inches.
<br />Surface runoff is medium, and the erosion hazard is
<br />moderate.
<br />This soil is suited to most of the irrigated crops com-
<br />monly grown in the area, but the high clay content and
<br />moderate depth of the soil slightly restrict some crops. A
<br />suitable cropping system is corn, corn for silage, barley, 3
<br />to 4 years of alfalfa, and wheat. This soil is also well
<br />suited to irrigated pasture.
<br />Furrows can be used in irrigating row crops. Flooding
<br />from contour ditches is suitable for close grown crops and
<br />pasture. Production can be maintained by applying bar-
<br />nyard manure and commercial fertilizer. Keeping tillage
<br />to a minimum and utilizing crop residue are important.
<br />In nonirrigated areas this soil is suited to winter wheat,
<br />barley, and sorghum. Most of the acreage is planted to
<br />winter wheat. The predicted average yield is 25 bushels
<br />per acre. The soil is summer followed in alternate years
<br />to allow moisture accumulation. Generally precipitation is
<br />too low for beneficial use of fertilizer.
<br />Stubble mulch farming, striperopping, and minimum til-
<br />lage are needed to control soil blowing and water erosion.
<br />The potential native vegetation is dominated by
<br />western wheatgrass and blue grams. Buffalograss is also
<br />present. Potential production ranges from 1,000 pounds
<br />per acre in favorable years to 600 pounds in unfavorable
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