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Fremont County Area, Colorado
<br />and swelling of the soil around foundations has been
<br />reduced in most areas because seepage and former
<br />crop irrigation have moistened the soil, and irrigation of
<br />lawns helps to maintain a constant soil moisture
<br />content. Basements are not suitable in most areas
<br />unless the seepage.from irrigation water is drained.
<br />Conventional septic tank absorption fields do not
<br />function adequately because of the restricted
<br />permeability. Other types of sewage disposal systems
<br />may be needed. The seasonal high water table also
<br />generally makes conventional systems unsuitable.
<br />The capability classification is Ills, irrigated, and Vls,
<br />nonirrigated. The unit is in the Salt Flat #34 range site.
<br />64=Louviers-Travessilla complex, 20 to 50 percent
<br />slopes. These soils are on hills, ridges, hogbacks, and
<br />canyonsides. The native vegetation is mainly pinyon
<br />and juniper. Elevation is 5,300 to 6,800 feet. The
<br />average annual precipitation is 13 to i5 inches, the
<br />average annual air temperature is 48 to 52 degrees F,
<br />and the average frost-free period is 120 to 150 days.
<br />This unit is about 40 percent Louviers soil and 35
<br />percent Travessilla soil, The Louviers soil is on side
<br />slopes and on the scarp side of hogbacks. The
<br />Travessilla soil is on canyon rims, ridges, and the upper
<br />part of side slopes and in areas of weather-resistant
<br />bedrock on hogbacks.
<br />Included with these soils in mapping are areas of
<br />sandstone rock outcrop on ridges, canyon rims, and
<br />side slopes. These areas make up about 5 percent of
<br />the unit. Also included are areas of moderately deep,
<br />clayey soils on side slopes. These included soils make
<br />up about 5 percent of the unit. Areas of the deep
<br />Cascajo soils are on the crest of side slopes and on
<br />foot slopes. These soils have a surface layer of very
<br />gravelly sandy loam. They make up about 5 percent of
<br />the unit. Also included are areas of the deep Kim and
<br />Otero soils in drainageways. Kim soils have a surface
<br />layer of loam. They make up about 5 percent of the
<br />unit. Otero soils also make up about 5 percent of the
<br />unit. They have a surface layer of sandy loam. A few
<br />small areas of gypsum land are along the south edge of
<br />Sixmile Park.
<br />The Louviers soil is shallow and well drained. It
<br />formed in residuum derived dominantly from shale and
<br />siltstone. The surface layer is typically light brownish
<br />gray very channery clay loam about 3 inches thick. The
<br />substratum is mainly clay about 13 inches thick. Shale
<br />bedrock is at a depth of about 16 inches. The soil is
<br />neutral to a depth of 3 inches. It is mildly alkaline to a
<br />depth of 6 inches and is neutral below that depth. In
<br />some areas the soil is calcareous and moderately
<br />alkaline. In other areas the surface layer is very cobbly
<br />or very stony.
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<br />Permeability is slow in the Louviers soil. Available
<br />water capacity is very low. Effective rooting depth is 10
<br />to 20 inches. Runoff is very rapid, and the hazard of
<br />water erosion is very high.
<br />The Travessilla soil is shallow and well drained, It
<br />formed in residuum derived dominantly from sandstone.
<br />The surface layer is typically light brown channery loam
<br />about 4 inches thick. The substratum is channery loam
<br />about 10 inches thick. Sandstone bedrock is at a depth
<br />of about 14 inches. The soil is moderately alkaline.
<br />Permeability is moderate in the Travessilla soil.
<br />Available water capacity is very low. Effective rooting
<br />depth is 4 to 20 inches. Runoff is rapid, and the hazard
<br />of water erosion is very high.
<br />This unit is used as noncommercial woodland, for
<br />livestock grazing, or for wildlife habitat. Livestock have
<br />limited access to the steeper areas because of the
<br />slope, and thus overgrazing is a concern in the less
<br />sloping areas.
<br />The potential plant community is mainly pinyon and
<br />juniper and an understory of Scribner needlegrass,
<br />western wheatgrass, blue grams, sideoats grams,
<br />Gambel oak, and mountainmahogany. The potential
<br />production of native understory vegetation in normal
<br />years is about 300 pounds of air-dry vegetation per
<br />acre. If the condition of the understory deteriorates, red
<br />threeawn, blue grams, pricklypear, and other forts and
<br />shrubs increase.
<br />Woodland products, such as firewood, fence posts,
<br />Christmas trees, and pinyon nuts, are produced in
<br />areas of this unit. Generally, only the foot slopes and
<br />ridges are accessible. The slope limits harvesting in
<br />other areas. The use of tree spades for removal of
<br />transplants is severely limited.
<br />Thinning the overstory generally enhances
<br />reproduction and promotes the growth of grass and
<br />younger trees. After pinyon and juniper are thinned or
<br />harvested, seeding grasses reduces the hazard of
<br />erosion. Deferring grazing in harvested areas for at
<br />least 2 years ensures the development of a plant cover
<br />that is sufficient to protect the soils from erosion.
<br />This unit is poorly suited to homesite development.
<br />The main limitations are the slope and the depth to
<br />bedrock.
<br />The capability classification is Vlle, nonirrigated. The
<br />unit is in the Pinyon-Juniper woodland site..
<br />65-Manvel silt loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes. This
<br />deep, well drained soil is on plains, foot slopes, fans,
<br />and stream terraces. It formed in alluvium derived from
<br />limestone and shale. The native vegetation is mainly
<br />grasses. Elevation is 5,000 to 5,300 feet. The average
<br />annual precipitation is 12 to 14 inches, the average
<br />annual air temperature is 51 to 53 degrees F, and the
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