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<br />14
<br />AA
<br />SOIL SUNVEY
<br />ing corn, sugar beets, beans, alfalfa, small grain,
<br />potatotes, and onions. An example of a suitable cropping
<br />system is 3 to 4 years of alfalfa followed by corn, corn for
<br />silage, sugar boots, small grain, or beans, Few conserva-
<br />tion practicos am ma•ded Ur maintain top yields.
<br />All methods of irrigation are suitable, but furrow ir-
<br />rigation is the most common. Barnyard manure and com-
<br />mercial fertilizer are needed for top yields.
<br />Windbreaks and environmental plantings of trees and
<br />shrubs commonly grown in the area are generally well
<br />suited to this soil. Cultivation to control competing
<br />vegetation should be continued for as many years as
<br />possible following planting. Trees that are best suited and
<br />have good survival are Rocky Mountain juniper, eastern
<br />redcedar, ponderosa pine, Siberian elm, Russian-olive, and
<br />hackberry. The shrubs best suited are skunkbush sumac,
<br />lilac, Siberian peashrub, and American plum.
<br />Openland wildlife, such as pheasant, mourning Qove,
<br />and cottontail, are best suited to this soil. Wildlife habitat
<br />development, including tree and shrub plantings and
<br />grass plantings to serve as nesting areas, should be suc-
<br />cessful without irrigation during most years. Under ir-
<br />rigation, good wildlife habitat can be established, benefit-
<br />ing many kinds of openlami wildlife.
<br />Thie soil has good potential for urban and recreational
<br />developments. Road design can be modified to compen-
<br />sate for the limited capacity of this soil to support a load.
<br />Capability class I irrigated.
<br />15-Cnlbv loam. I to 3 oercenl slope. This is a deep,
<br />welt drained soil on uplands at elevations of 4,850 to 5,050
<br />feet. It formed in calcareous eolian deposits.
<br />Typically the surface layer is pale brown loam about 12
<br />inches thick. The underlying material is very pale brown
<br />silt loam to a depth oC 60 inches.
<br />Permeability is moderate. Available water capacity is
<br />high. The effective rooting depth is 60 inches or more.
<br />Surface runoff is medium, and the erosion hazard is
<br />moderate.
<br />In irrigated areas this soil is suited to all crops com-
<br />monly grown in the area, including corn, sugar beets,
<br />beans, alfalfa, small grain, potatoes, and onions. An exam-
<br />ple of a suitable cropping system is 3 to 9 years of alfalfa
<br />followed by corn, corn for silage, sugar beets, small grain,
<br />or beans. Land leveling, ditch lining, and installing
<br />pipelines may be needed for proper water application.
<br />All methods of irrigation are suitable, but furrow ir-
<br />rigation is the most common. Barnyard manure and com-
<br />mercial fertilircr are needed for Lop yields.
<br />In nonimgated areas this soil is suited to winter wheat,
<br />barley, and sorghum. Most of the acreage is planted to
<br />winter wheat. The predicted average yield is 28 bushels
<br />per acre. The soil is summer fallowed in alternate years
<br />to allow moisture accumulation. Generally precipitation is
<br />too low for beneficial use of fertilizer.
<br />Stubble mulch farming, stripcropping, and minimum til-
<br />lage are needed to control soil blowing and water erosion.
<br />Terracing may also be needed to control water erosion,
<br />The potential native vegetation is dominated by blue
<br />grama. Several mid grasses, such as western whextgrass
<br />and needleandthread, are also present Potential produc-
<br />tion ranges from 1,(1110 pounds per acre in favorable years
<br />Lo 1,00(1 pounds in unfavorable years. As range condition
<br />deteriorates, the mid grasses decrease; blue grama, buf-
<br />falograss, snakeweed, yucca, and fringed sage increase;
<br />and forage production drops. Undesirable weeds and an-
<br />nuals invade the site as range condition becomes poorer.
<br />Management of vegetation on this soil should be based
<br />on taking half and leaving half of the total annual produc-
<br />tion. Seeding is desirable if the range is in poor condition.
<br />Sidcoats grama, little bluestem, western wheatgrxss, blue
<br />grama, pubescent wheatgrass, and crested wheatgrass are
<br />suitable Cor seeding. The grass selected should meet the
<br />seasonal requirements of livestock. It can be seeded into
<br />a clean, firm sorghum stubble or it can be drillyd into x
<br />firm prepared seedbed. Seeding early in spring has
<br />proven most successful.
<br />Windbreaks and environmental plantings of trees and
<br />shrubs commonly grown in the area are generally well
<br />suited to this soil. Cultivation to control competing
<br />vegetation should be continued for as many years as
<br />possible following planting, Trees that are best suited and
<br />have good survival arc Ra•ky Mounlain junilxer, eastern
<br />redcedar, ponderosa pine, Siberian elm, Russian-olive, and
<br />hackberry. The shrubs best suited are skunkbush sumac,
<br />lilac, Siberian peashrub, and American plum.
<br />Openland wildlife, such as pheasant, mourning dove,
<br />and cottontail, and rangeland wildlife, such as antelope,
<br />cottontail, and coyote, are best suited to this soil. Under
<br />irrigation, good wildlife habitat can be established,
<br />benefiting many kinds of openland wildlife. Forage
<br />production is typically low on rangeland, and grazing
<br />management is needed if livestock and wildlife share the
<br />range. Livestock watering facilities also are utilized by
<br />various wildlife species.
<br />This soil has good potential for urban and recreational
<br />development. Road design can be modified to compensate
<br />for the limited capacity of this •soil to support a load.
<br />Capability subclass Ile irrigated, IVe nonirrigated;
<br />Loamy Plains range site.
<br />16-Colby loam, 3 to 5 percent slopes. This is a deep,
<br />well drained soil on upland hills and ridges at elevations
<br />of 4,850 to 5,050 feet. It formed in calcareous eolian
<br />deposits. Included in mapping are small areas of soils that
<br />have fine sandy loam or loam underlying material.
<br />Typically the surface layer is pale brown loam about 10
<br />inches thick. The underlying material is very pale brown
<br />silt loam Lo a depth of 60 inches.
<br />Permeability is moderate. Available water capacity is
<br />high. The effective rooting depth is 60 inches or more.
<br />Surface runoff is medium to rapid, and the erosion hazard ~~
<br />is moderate.
<br />In irrigated areas this soil is suited to crops commonly
<br />grown in the area. Perennial grasses and alfalfa or close
<br />grown crops should be grown at least 50 percent of the
<br />time. Contour ditches and corrugations can be used in ir-
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