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ADAb1S COUNTY, COLORADO
<br />gaced; tree planting suitability group 3. Weld soils,
<br />Loamy Plains range site. Deertrail soils, Alkaline Plains
<br />range site.
<br />Wet Alluvial Land
<br />Wet.alluviai land IWt) is on the nearly level bottom
<br />lands of the larger streams next to stream channels
<br />throughout the county. The areas range from 20 to 150
<br />acres in size. This land type is wet most of the time and
<br />is flooded by streamflow once to several times a year
<br />during periods of high water. Included in mapping
<br />are small areas of Loamy alluvial land, moderately wet,
<br />a few small sand and gravel bars, and areas underlain
<br />by heavy clad, commonly called oxbows.
<br />The matertals are extremely variable in texture; they
<br />consist of stratified layers of dark-colored silt, loam,
<br />and clay. The layers are generally less than 6 filches
<br />thick and are underlain by sand, fine sand, and some
<br />gravel at depths of 1 to 3 feet. They are wet at a depth
<br />of 2 feet most of the time and are commonly wet to the
<br />surface throughout the growing season. Natural fertility
<br />is moderate to good.
<br />Areas of this land type have a vegetative cover of
<br />water-tolerant plants, Bach as cattails and sedges, and
<br />are not suitable for cultivation, because of the hazard
<br />of flooding from streams and a high water table. Under
<br />improved management, the production of native grass
<br />for grazing or hay is good. Generally a few cottonwood
<br />trees and willows are present. Capability unit Vw-1,
<br />irrigated; Wet Meadow- range site; tree planting suit-
<br />ability group 4.
<br />Wiley Series
<br />The Wiley series consists of well-drained, gently slop-
<br />ing to strongly sloping soils on uplands. These soils
<br />formed in wind-worked loamy material.
<br />In a representative profile, the surface layer is gray-
<br />ish-brown ]oam about 3 inches thick. It is noncalcareous.
<br />The upper part of the subsoil is slightly calcareous, light
<br />brownish-gray loam about 5 inches thick. The lower part
<br />of the subsoil is very pale brown loam and very fine
<br />sandy loam. This material is highly calcareous; it con-
<br />tains many splotches of visible lime to a depth of about
<br />40 inches,~but splotches cannot be seen below that depth.
<br />Wiley soils absorb water at a moderate rate, and the
<br />available water capacity is high. Permeability is mod-
<br />erately slow, and the entire soil is suitable for plant
<br />roots,
<br />Representative profile of a Wiley loam havin!; a Slone
<br />of 4 percent,in an area of grass, 1,100 feet east and 100
<br />feet south of the northwest corner of section 18, T. 3 S.,
<br />R. 57 W.:
<br />Al--0 to 3 inches, grayisL-brown (SOYR 5/2) loam, ver9-
<br />dark grayisL brown (lOYR 3/2) when moist: weak,
<br />Hne, platy structure parting to weak to moderate,
<br />fine, granular structure; soft, very friable: noncal-
<br />careous; mildly alkaline; clear, smooth boundary,
<br />B21t~ to 8 inches, light brownish-gray (lOYR 6/2) clay
<br />loam, dark grayish brown (lOYft 4/2) when moist;
<br />weak, fine to medium, prismatic structure parting to
<br />weak, medium, subangular blocky structure; slightly
<br />Lard, friable; very thin continuous clay films on
<br />botL faces of peds; calcareous; moderately alkaline;
<br />clear, wavy 6ou¢dary.
<br />29
<br />BZZtca-8 to 13 inches, very pace brown (lOYR 7/3) clay
<br />loam, brown (lOYR 5/3) when moist; very weak,
<br />medium, prismatic structure parting to weak, me•
<br />dium, subangular blocky structure; slightly hard,
<br />friable; patchy clay films on both faces of peds;
<br />calcareous and contains lime disseminated and in
<br />common, medium-sized, distinct splotches; moder-
<br />ately alkaline; cleaq wavy boundary.
<br />Clca-13 to 24 inches, very pale brown (lOYR 713) loam,
<br />brown (lOYR 5/3) when moist; weak, medium, aub-
<br />angular blocky structure; slightly hard, Priable; Cal-
<br />careous and contains lime disseminated and i¢ com-
<br />mon, medium-sized, distinct splotches; moderately
<br />alkanne; gradual, smooth boundary.
<br />C2ca-24 to 40 inches, very pale brown (lOYR 7/3) very fine
<br />sandy loam, brown (lOYR 5/3) when moist; mas-
<br />sive; slightly Lard, very friable; calcareous and
<br />contains Rme disseminated and in common, medium-
<br />sized, faint splotches; moderately alkaline; gradual,
<br />smooth bomdary.
<br />C3--40 to 60 inches, very pale brown (IOYR 7/4) very fine
<br />sandy loam, yellowish brown (lOYR 5/4) when
<br />moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable; calcare-
<br />ous; moderately alkanne,
<br />The A horizon ranges from 2 to 5 inches in tbickness, Prom
<br />grayisL brown to brown in color, and from loam to fine
<br />sandy loam in tezture. The B horizon ranges from 10 to 24
<br />inches in thickness. Depth to calcareous material ranges
<br />Prom 0 to 8 inches.
<br />Wiley-Adena-Renohill complex, 3 to 20 percent slopes
<br />)WuE).-The soils in this complex have intermediate slopes
<br />between river terraces or upland drainage channels and
<br />the gently sloping soils on uplands.
<br />Wiley loam makes up about 40 percent of the com-
<br />plex; Adena loam, about 35 percent; Renohill loam,
<br />about 20 percent; and Loamy alluvial land, nearly 5
<br />percent. Included in mapping are small areas of Colby,
<br />Samsil, and Shingle soils. Scattered sliekspots also are
<br />included.
<br />Adena loam is the smoothest of the major soils. It is
<br />at the top of slo es in narrow bands and has slopes of
<br />3 to 5 percent. Willey loam has somewhat stronger slopes.
<br />It adjoins narrow thin ridges of Colby soils that are
<br />generally at right angles to the slopes around the brow
<br />of the hill or extend downward parallel to the slope
<br />as steeper ridges outlining drainage channels. Renohill
<br />loam is in the heads of drainageways. Samsil and
<br />Shingle soils are at the bottom of the slopes where
<br />erosion has exposed the shale and interbedded shale and
<br />sandstone. Loamy alluvial land is the fill material in the
<br />drainageways.
<br />Some less sloping areas of the complex have been
<br />cultivated, but most have been abandoned and allowed
<br />to return to grass cover. The soils are not suitable for
<br />cultivation, because of the strong slopes and the severe
<br />hazard of erosion. Capability unit VIe-1, nonirrigated;
<br />Loamy Slopes range site; tree planting suitability group
<br />3.
<br />Use and Management of the Soils
<br />This section consists of several parts. The first dis-
<br />cusses the use of soils for cropland. Predicted yields of
<br />crops under two levels of management are given for
<br />irrigated and nonirrigated soils. Next is a brief explana-
<br />tion of the capability grouping of soils used by the Soil
<br />Consercatiou Service. This is followed by a discussion
<br />of the capability units in the county. Also discussed
<br />
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