PERMFILE106665 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

6.4.9 Exhibit 1-Soils Information WELD COUNTY, COLORADO, SOUTHERN PART and switchgrass decrease and blue grams, sand dropseed, and sand sage increase. Annual weeds and grasses invade the site as range condition becomes poorer. Management of vegetation on this soil should be based n taking half and leaving half of the total annual produc- tion. Seeding is desirable if the range is in poor condition. Sand bluestem, sand reedgrass, switchgrass, sideoats grams, blue grams, pubescent wheatgrass, and crested wheatgrass are suitable for seeding. The grass selected should meet the seasonal requirements of livestock. It can be seeded into 9 clean, firm stubble, or it can be drilled into a firm prepared seedbed. Seeding early in spring has proven most successful. Windbreaks and environmental plantings are generally suited to this soil. Soil blowing, the principal hazard in establishing trees and shrubs, can be controlled by cul- tivating only in the tree row and by leaving a strip of vegetation between the rows. Supplemental irrigation may be needed at the time of planting and during dry periods. Trees that are best suited and have good survival are Rocky Mountain juniper, eastern redcedar, ponderosa pine, Siberian elm, Russian-olive, and hackberry. The shrubs best suited are skunkbush sumac, lilac, and Siberi- an peashrub. Wildlife is an important secondary use of this soil. Ring-necked pheasant, mourning dove, and many non- game species can be attracted by establishing areas for nesting and escape cover. For pheasants, undisturbed nesting cover is essential and should be included in plans • for habitat development, especially in areas of intensive agriculture. Rapid expansion of Greeley and the surrounding area as resulted in urbanization of much of this Otero soil. ~'Fhis sail~has excellent potential for urban and recrea- tional development. The only limiting feature is the moderately rapid permeability in the substratum, which causes a hazard of ground water contamination from sewage lagoons. Lawns, shrubs, and trees grow well. Capability subclass IIIe irrigated, IVe nonirrigated; Sandy Plains range site. 52-Otero sandy loam, 3 to 5 percent slopes. This is a deep, well drained soil on plains at elevations of 4,700 to 5,250 feet. It formed in mixed outw•ash and eolian deposits. Included in mapping are small areas of soils that have loam and clay loam underlying material. Also in- cluded are small areas of soils that have sandstone and shale within a depth of 60 inches. Typically the surface layer of this Otero soil is brown sandy loam about 10 inches thick. The underlying material to a depth of 60 inches is pale brown calcareous fine sandy loam. Permeability is rapid. Available water capacity is moderate. The effective rooting depth is 60 inches or more. Surface runoff is medium, and the erosion hazard is low. This soil is used almost entirely for irrigated crops. It is suited to the crops commonly grown in the area. Perennial grasses and alfalfa or close growing crops 35 should be grown at least 50 percent of the time. Contour ditches and corrugations can be used in irrigating close grown crops and pasture. Furrows, contour furrows, and cross slope furrows are suitable for row crops. Sprinkler irrigation is also desirable. Keeping tillage to a minimum and utilizing crop residue help to control erosion. Main- taining fertility is important. Crops respond to applica- tions of phosphorus and nitrogen. The potential native vegetation on this site is dominated by sand bluestem, sand reedgrass, and blue grams. Needleandthread, switchgrass, sideoats grams, and western wheatgrass are also prominent. Potential production ranges from 2,200 pounds per acre in favora- ble years to 1,800 pounds in unfavorable years. As range condition deteriorates, the sand bluestem, sand reedgrass, and switchgrass decrease, and blue grams, sand dropseed, and sand sage increase. Annual weeds and grasses invade the site as range condition becomes poorer. Management of vegetation on this soil should be based on taking half and leaving half of the total annual produc- tion. Seeding is desirable if the range is in poor condition. Sand bluestem, sand reedgrass, switchgrass, sideoats grams, blue grams, pubescent wheatgrass, and crested wheatgrass are suitable for seeding. The grass selected should meet the seasonal requirements of livestock. It can be seeded into a clean, firm sorghum stubble, or it can be drilled into a firm prepared seedbed. Seeding early in spring has proven most successful. Windbreaks and environmental plantings are generally suited to this soil. Soil blowing, the principal hazard .in establishing trees and shrubs, can be controlled by cul- tivating only in the tree row and by leaving a strip of vegetation between the rows. Supplemental irrigation may be needed at the time. of planting and during dry periods. Trees that are best suited and have good survival are Rocky Mountain juniper, eastern redcedar, ponderosa pine, Siberian elm, Russianolive, and hackberry. The shrubs best suited are skunkbush sumac, lilac, and Siberi- an peashrub. Wildlife is an important secondary use of this soil. Ring-necked pheasant, mourning dove, and many non- game species can be attracted by establishing areas for nesting and escape cover. For pheasants, undisturbed nesting cover is essential and should be included in plans for habitat development, especially in areas of intensive agriculture. Rapid expansion of Greeley and the surrounding area has resulted in urbanization of much of this Otero soil. The soil has excellent potential for urban and recreational development. The only limiting feature is the moderately rapid permeability in the substratum, which causes a hazard of ground water contamination from sewage lagoons. Lawns, shrubs, and trees grow well. Capability subclass IIIe imgated, VIe nonirrigated; Sandy Flains range site. 53-Otero sandy loam, 5 to 9 percent slopes. This is a deep, well drained soil on plains at elevations of 4,700 to 5,250 feet. It formed in mixed outwash and eolian J