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~ • SO[L SURVEY • T}~pically the surface layer is a dazk grayish brown sandy Loam about 5 inches thick. The subsoil is a dark grayish brown heavy sandy loam and sandy clay loam about 18 inches thick. The substratum is light brownish gray, calcareous sandy clay loam about 18 inches thick over light brown coarse sand and gravel that extends to &0 inches or more. Permeability is moderate. Effective rooting depth is 60 inches or more. Available water capacity is moderate. Surface runoff is medium, and the erosion hazard is moderate. These soils aze used almost entirely for grazing. They are not suited to cropland because of the low available water capacity of the Dix soil, the slope, and the erosion hazazd. Small isolated areas are used for nonirrigated cropland, but are best seeded back to grass. Rangeland vegetation of the Dix soil consists mainly of blue grama, side-oats grama, little bluestem, and sedge. Rangeland vegetation of the Altvan soil consists mainly of blue grama, buffalograss, western wheatgrass, and sedge. Proper grazing use and planned grazing systems are the most tmportant management practices to maintain quantity and quality of desirable vegetation. Combina- tions of stockwater development, fencing and deferred grazing during the grazing season help improve and main- tain range condition. Range seeding will speed the revegetation of areas depleted by heavy grazing, cultiva- tion or other disturbances. Contour furrowing and pitting aze practices that improve water infiltration and reduce runoff and are especially effective on rangeland azeas in poor and fair condition of the Altvan soil. Windbreaks and environmental plantings are difficult to establish on these soils. Limited available water capaci- ty, depth to sand and gravel, and slope aze the principal concerns in establishing tree and shrub plantings. Special care consisting of summer fallow a year in advance of plantings, planting on the contour, continued cultivation for weed control, and supplemental water is needed to in- sure establishment and survival of plantings. Trees best suited and having good survival aze Rocky Mountain ju- niper, eastern redcedar, ponderosa pine and Siberian elm. Shrubs best adapted are skunkbush sumac and lilac. Rangeland wildlife such as antelope, cottontail and coyote are best adapted on these soils. The relief, natural springs and native vegetation provide food and cover. Areas of these sails provide sites that can be readily developed and managed for wildlife. Proper livestock grazing management is necessary if livestock and wildlife share the range. Watering facilities aze also important and are utilized by various wildlife species. The position of these soils in relationship to cropland makes it valuable as escape cover areas for openland wildlife, especially pheasants. Slope is the primary limiting soil feature where these soils are used for homesites or other urban developments. Intensive engineering designs and measures are needed to minimize the slope limitations. Where the soils are con- sidered for a sewage lagoon system, special sealing methods aze required to overcome excessive seepage, Capability subclass VIe nonirrigated. 25-Dix-Eckley complex, 5 to 25 percent slopes, These moderately sloping to moderately steep soils are nn gravelly uplands in the northern part of the county. The average annual precipitation ranges from 17 to 19 inches. Dix gravelly sandy loam, 9 to 25 percent slopes, makes up about 50 percent of the mapping unit and Eckley sandy loam, 5 to 18 percent slopes, about 30 percent. The Dir soils are on steeper crests and ridges. The Eckley soils are at midslope. About 20 percent of this unit is Chappell sandy loam, 3 to 9 percent slopes, and Altvan sandy loam, 5 to 9 percent slopes. The Chappell soil is on the narrow elongated drainageways, fans and foot slopes. The Altvan soil is on mid slope and foot slope positions. The Dir soil is a deep, somewhat excessively drained, gravelly soil. [t formed in very gravelly alluvial deposits of the Ogallala Formation. Typically the surface layer is dark grayish brown gravelly sandy loam about 4 inches thick. The subsoil is dark grayish brown gravelly coarse sandy loam about [4 inches thick. The substratum is a reddish yellow gravelly coarse sand and gravel (fig. 7) to a depth of 60 inches or more. Permeability is rapid. Effective rooting depth is 6Q inches or more. Available water capacity is low. Surface runoff is rapid, and the water erosion hazard is high. The Eckley soil is a deep, well drained soil. It formed in strat~ed gravelly alluvial materials of the Ogallala For- mation. Typically the surface layer is dark grayish brown gravelly loam about 3 inches thick. The subsoil is dark brown gravelly sandy clay loam about 17 inches thick The substratum is light brown, gravelly coarse sand to fi0 inches or mare. Permeability is moderate. The effective rooting depth is 60 inches or more. Available water capacity is moderate. Surface runoff is medium, and the water ero- sion hazard is high. These soils aze used almost entirely for grazing. They are not suited to cropland because of the low available water capacity of the Dix soil, the slope, and the erosion hazard. Small isolated areas are used for nonirrigated cropland, including mainly odd field boundaries and cor- ners. These azeas are usually seeerely eroded and are best seeded back to grass. Rangeland vegetation of both soils consists mainly of blue grams, side-oats grams, little bluestem, buffalograss. and sedge. Proper grazing use and planned grazing systems are needed on these soils to maintain the key forage species in good vigor. Periodic summer deferment is beneficial in reaching the objectives of range improve• ment and maintenance of high range conditions. Fencing and careful location of watering sites help improve dis- tribution of grazing use. Windbreaks and endvonmental plantings are difficult to establish on these soils. Limited available water capaci•