PERMFILE123716 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

6.4.9 Exfiibit I -Soils Information WELD COC:NTY, COLORADO, SOUTHERN PdRT These are deep, poorly drained soils that formed in recent alluvium. No one pedon is typical. Commonly the soils haves rmface layertland underlyingematerialnthataer or clayey tends to a depth of ti0 inches or more. In places they have a gieyed layer in the underlying material. Most of the acreage is subject to excessive runoff. The water table is at or near the surface in spring and during the peak of the imgation season. These soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Some small areas are irrigated pasture. The potential native vegetation is dominated by switchgrass, prairie cordgrass, saltgrass, alkaii sacaton, big bluestem, indiangrass, western wheatgrass, slender wheatgrass, sedge, and ntsh. Cattails and bullrush grow in the swampy spots associated with these range sites. Potential production ranges from 9.000 pounds per acre in favorable years to 3,000 pounds in unfavorable years. As range condition deteriorates, the tail and mid grasses decrease, production drops, and saltgrass: sedge, and rush increase. The farming and irrigation in adjacent areas has increased the amount of salts on much of the acreage. Management of vegetation on this' soil should be based on taking half and leaving half of the total annual produc- tion. switchgrass, big bluestem, indiangrass, western wheatgrass, pubescent wheatgrass, intermediate wheat- grass, tall wheatgrass, and tall fescue are suitable for seeding. The plants selected should met the seasonal requirements of livestock. For successful seeding, a firm prepared seedbed is needhas Arovens most succles PuL Tidl- Seeding early in spring P loge is needed to eliminate the undesirable vegetation. Wetland wildlife, especially waterfowl, utilize this unit The wetland plants provide nesting and protective cove as well as some food. The nearby irrigated cropland where wildlife obtain much of their food and find protec Live cover, makes this unit valuable to both wetland an openland wildlife. Openland wildlife, especially pheasant, use this unit fo cover and nesting. Aeer find excellent cover in som areas. These 'valuable wildlife areas should be protecte from fire and fenced to prevent encroachment an overuse by livestock. They should not be drained. Cap bility subclass VIw; Aquolls in Salt Meadow range sit Aquepts in Wet Meadow range site. 5-Ascalon sandy loam. 1 to 3 percent slopes. This a deep, well drained soil on uplands at elevations of 4,6 to 5,200 feet. It formed in alluvium. Included in mappi are small areas of rock outcrop. Typically the surface layer is brown sandy loam abo 10 inches thick. The subsoil is pale brown and yellowi brown sandy clay loam about 15 inches thick. The su stratum to a depth of 60 inches is calcareous fine son loam. Permeahility is moderate. Available water capacity high. The effective rooting depth is 60 inches or mo Surface runoff is slow, and the erosion hazard is low. s If summer followed in alternate years, this soil is well suited to winter wheat, barley, and sorghum. Winter wheat is the principal crop. The predicted average yield is 33 bushels per acre. If the crop is winterkilled, spring wheat can be seeded. Generally precipitation is too low for beneficial use of fertilizer. Stubble mulch farming, stripcropping, and minimum til- lage are needed to control soil blowing and water erosion. Terracing also may be needed to control water erosion. The potential native vegetation on this range site is dominated by sand bluestem, sand reedgrass, and blue grama. Needleandthread, switchgrass, sideoats grama, and western wheatgrass are also prominent. Potential production ranges from 2,?00 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 grama, sand dropseed, and sand sage increase. Annual weeds and grasses invade the site as range condition becomes poorer. Management of vegetation should be based on taking half and leaving half of the total annual production. Seed- ing is desirable if the range is in poor condition. Sand bluestem, sand reedgrass, switchgrass, sideoats grama, blue grama, pubescent wheatgrass, and crested wheat- grass are suitable for seeding. The grass selected should meet the seasonal requirements of livestock. IC 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 r 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 d pine, Siberian elm, Russian-olive, and hackberry. The shrubs best suited are skunkbush sumac, lilac, and Siberi- r an peashrub. e Wildlife is an important secondary use of this soil. The d cropland areas provide favorable habitat for zing-necked d pheasant and mourning dove. Many nongame species can a- be attracted by establishing areas for nesting and escape e, cover. For pheasants, undisturbed nesting cover is essen- tial and should be included in plans for habitat develop- is ment. Rangeland wildlife, for example, the pronghorn an- 00 telope, can be attracted by developing livestock watering ng facilities, managing livestock grazing, and reseeding where needed. ut Few areas of this Ascalon soil are in major growth and sh urbanized centers. The shrink-swell potential of the Bub- b- soil as it wets and dries is the most limiting soil feature dy that must be considered in planning homesites and con- structing roads. Capability subclass IIIe nonimgated; is Sandy Plains range site. re. 6-Ascalon sandy loam, 3 to 5 percent slopes. This is a deep, well drained soil on uplands at elevations of 4,600