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6.4.9 Exhibit 1-Soils information
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<br />SOIL SURVEY
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<br />or drilled into a firm, clean sorghum stubble. Seeding
<br />early in spring has proven most successful. Brush
<br />management can also help to improve deteriorated range.
<br />Windbreaks and environmental plantings are fairly well
<br />suited to this soil. Blowing sand and low available water
<br />capacity are the principal hazards in establishing trees
<br />and shrubs. This soil is so loose that trees should be
<br />planted in shallow furrows, and vegetation is needed
<br />between the rows. Supplemental irrigation may be needed
<br />to insure survival. Trees that are best suited and have
<br />good survival are Rocky Mountain juniper, eastern
<br />redcedar, ponderosa pine, and Siberian elm. The shrubs
<br />best suited are skunkbush sumac, lilac, and Siberian
<br />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. Range-
<br />land wildlife, for example, the pronghorn antelope, can be
<br />attracted by developing livestock watering facilities,
<br />managing livestock grazing, and reseeding where needed.
<br />Few areas of this soil are in major growth and ur-
<br />banized centers. The chief limiting feature is the rapid
<br />permeability in the substratum, which causes a hazard of
<br />ground water contamination from seepage. Potential for
<br />recreation is poor because of the sandy surface layer.
<br />Capability subclass IVe irrigated, Vte nonirrigated; Deep
<br />Sand range site.
<br />50-Otero sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes. This is a
<br />deep, well drained soil on smooth plains at elevations of
<br />4,700 to 5,250 feet. It formed in mixed outwash and eolian
<br />deposits. Included in mapping are small areas of soils that
<br />have loam and clay loam underlying material.
<br />Typically the surface layer is brown sandy loam about
<br />12 inches thick. The underlying material to a depth of 60
<br />inches is pale brown calcareous fine sandy loam.
<br />Permeability is rapid. Available water capacity is
<br />moderate. The effective rooting depth is 60 inches or
<br />more. Surface runoff is slow, and the erosion hazard is
<br />low.
<br />This soil is used almost entirely for imgated crops. It
<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. Generally, such charac-
<br />teristics as a high clay content or a rapidly permeable
<br />substratum slightly restrict some crops.
<br />All methods of irrigation are suitable, but furrow ir-
<br />rigation is the most common. Proper imgation water
<br />management is essential. Barnyard manure and commer-
<br />cial fertilizer are needed for top yields.
<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 eul-
<br />tivating only in the tree row and by leaving a strip of
<br />vegetation between the rows. Supplemental irrigation
<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, Russian-olive, 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.
<br />Ring-necked pheasant, mourning dove, and many non-
<br />game species can be attracted by establishing areas for
<br />nesting and escape cover. For pheasants, undisturbed
<br />nesting cover is essential and should be included in plans
<br />for habitat development, especially in areas of intensive
<br />agriculture.
<br />Rapid expansion of Greeley and the surrounding area
<br />has resulted in urbanization of much of this Otero soil.
<br />This soil has excellent potential for urban and recrea-
<br />tional development. The only limiting feature is the
<br />moderately rapid permeability in the substratum, which
<br />causes a hazard of ground water contamination from
<br />sewage lagoons. Lawns, shrubs, and trees grow well.
<br />Capability subclass Its irrigated.
<br />51-Otero sandy loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes. This is a
<br />deep, well drained soil on plains at elevations of 4,700 to
<br />5,250 feet. It formed in mixed outwash and eolian
<br />deposits. Included in mapping are small areas of soils that
<br />have loam and clay loam underlying material.
<br />Typically the surface layer is brown sandy loam about
<br />12 inches thick. The underlying material to a depth of 60
<br />inches is pate brown calcareous fine sandy loam.
<br />Permeability is rapid. Available water capacity is
<br />moderate. The effective rooting depth is 60 inches or
<br />more. Surface runoff is slow, and the erosion hazard is
<br />low.
<br />This sot] is used almost entirely for irrigated crops. It
<br />is suited to all crops commonly grown in the area. Land
<br />leveling, ditch lining, and installing pipelines may be
<br />needed for proper 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 aze needed for top yields.
<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 2S bushels
<br />per acre. The soil is summer followed in alternate years
<br />to allow moisture accumulation. Generally precipitaiton is
<br />too low for beneficial use of fertilizer.
<br />Stubble mulch farming, stripcropping, and minimum til-
<br />lage are needed to control water erosion. Terracing also
<br />may be needed to control water erosion.
<br />The potential native vegetation on this range site is
<br />dominated by sand bluestem, sand reedgrass, and blue
<br />grama. Needleandthread, switchgrass, sideoats grama,
<br />and western wheatgrass are also prominent. Potential
<br />production ranges from 2,200 pounds per acre in favora-
<br />ble years to 1,800 pounds in unfavorable years. As range
<br />condition deteriorates, the sand bluestem, sand reedgrass,
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