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• If this unit is used for nonirrigated crops, the main limitations are the <br />hazard of water erosion and the short growing season. Crop residue left on or <br />near the surface helps to conserve moisture, maintain tilth, and control <br />erosion. Erosion can be reduced if fall grain is seeded early, stubble-mulch <br />tillage is used, and tillage and seeding are on the contour or across the <br />slope. Also, waterways should be shaped and seeded to perennial grass. <br />The potential plant community on this unit is mainly mountain big sage- <br />brush, bluebunch wheatgrass, Columbia needlegrass and mountain brome. Other <br />plants that characterize this site are Saskatoon serviceberry, lanceleaf <br />rabbitbrush and mountain snowberry. The average annual production of air-dry <br />vegetation is about 1,500 pounds per acre. <br />If the range is overgrazed, the proportion of preferred forage plants <br />decreases and the proportion of less preferred forage. plants increases. <br />Therefore, livestock grazing should be managed so that the desired balance of <br />preferred species is maintained in the plant community. Management practices <br />• suitable for use on this soil are proper range use, deferred grazing, rotation <br />grazing, and brush management. Brush management improves deteriorated areas <br />of range that are producing more woody shrubs than were present in the poten- <br />tial plant community. If the range vegetation is seriously deteriorated, <br />seeding is needed. The plants selected for seeding should meet the seasonal <br />requirements of livestock or wildlife, or bath. <br />If this unit is used for homesite development, the main limitations are <br />shrink-swell potential, very slow permeability and low strength. If build- <br />ings are constructed on soil, properly designing foundations and footings and <br />diverting runoff away from buildings help to prevent structural damage <br />because of shrinking and swelling. The effects of shrinking and swelling can <br />be minimized by using proper engineering designs and by backfilling with <br />material that has low shrink-swell potential. Septic tank absorption fields <br />do not function properly because of the very slow permeability. Use of sandy <br />backfill for the trench and long absorption lines helps to compensate for the <br />very slow permeability. Buildings and roads should be designed to offset the <br />limited ability of the sail in this unit to support a load. <br />u <br />Ex. 16-3 <br />