1999-06-21_PERMIT FILE - M1999071 (8)

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52 SOIL SURVEY material is reddish brown heavy fine sandy loam about 6 inches thick over light reddish brown loam that extends to a depth of 60 inches or more. Permeability of the Neville soil is moderate. Effective rooting depth is GO inches or more. Available water capacity is high. Surface runoff is medium, and the hazard of erosion is moderate. Some gullies have developed along drainagevvays and [rails. These soils are used as rangeland, for wildlife habitat, and for military maneuvers. These soils produce mainly midgr•asses, dominantly western wheatgrass. Needlegrasses, big bluestem, side- oats grama, blue grama, and native bluegr•asses make up a high percentage of the total production. If the range has deteriorated, blue grama, junegrass, and native bluegrasses increase. Sleepygr-ass and annuals replace these grasses if the range has seriously deteriorated. Death of livestock that eat poisonous plants increases as the range deteriorates. Proper range management helps to maintain the vigor and production of plan [s. Proper location of livestock watering facilities helps to control grazing. Seeding is a good practice if the range is in poor condition. Seeding of the native vegetation is desirable, but the range can also be seeded with tame species of grasses such as Nordan crested wheatgrass, Russian ~vildrye, pubescent wheat- grass, or intermediate wheatgrass. Windbreaks and em-ironmental plantings generally are well suited [o these soils. Summer fallow a year prior to planting and continued cultivation for weed control are needed to insure the establishment and survival of plantings. Trees that are best suited and have good sur- vival are Rocky -Iountain juniper, eastern redcedar, pon- derosa pine, Siberian elm, Russian-olive, and hackberry. Shrubs that are best suited are skunkbush sumac, lilac, Siberian peashrub, and American plum. These soils ar•e suited to wildlife habitat. They are best suited to habitat for openland and rangeland wildlife. In cropland areas, habitat favorable for ring-necked pheasant, mourning dove, and many nongame species can be developed by establishing areas for nesting and escape cover. Far pheasant, undisturbed nesting cover is vita] and should be provided for in plans for habitat develop- ment. Rangeland vvildli Ce, such as pronghorn antelope, can be encouraged by developing livestock watering facilities, proper•]y managing livestock grazing, and reseeding range where needed. The main limitations for construction on these soils are low bearing strength, shrink-swell potential, and frost ac- tion potential. Special designs for buildings and roads are needed. Access roads must have adequate cut-slope grade, xnrl drains should be provided [o control surface runoff xnd keep soil losses to a minimum. Capability subclass I Ve. 82-Schamber-Razor complex, S to 50 percent slopes. These gently rolling to steep soils are on eroded breaks and remnants of granite outu-ash over shale. Elevation ranges from 5,500 to 6,500 feet. The average annual precipitation is about 13 inches, and the average annual air temperature is about 49 degrees F. The Schamber soil makes up about 40 percent of the complex, the Razor soil about 30 percent, and other soils about 30 percent. Included with these soils in mapping are areas of Chaseville-DIidway complex; Kim loam, 1 to S percent slopes; Razor stony clay loam, 5 to 15 percent slopes; and Held[ clay loam, 0 [0 3 percent slopes. The Schamber soil is deep and well drained. IC formed in eolian material mixed with alluvium and colluvium derived from granite. Typically, the surface layer is gray- ish brovvm gravelly loam about 5 inches [hick. The under- 1}•ing material is brown very gravelly loam about 9 inches thick over light yellowish brown very gravelly sand that extends to a depth of GO inches or more. Permeability of [he Schamber soil is rapid. The effec- tive rooting depth is 60 inches or more, and available water capacity is low to moderate. Surface runoff is medi- um to rapid, and the hazard of erosion is moderate. The Razor soil is moderately deep and well drained. I[ formed in residuum derived from calcareous shale. Slope is 8 to 15 percent. Typically, [he surface layer is light brownish gray clay loam about 3 inches thick. The subsoil is gra}•ish brown heavy clay loam or clay about 15 inches thick. The substratum is grayish brov5•n clay that grades to calcareous shale at a depth of about 31 inches. Visible lime is in the lower pm-C of the subsoil and in the sub- stratum. Permeability of [he Razor soil is slow. The effective rooting depth is 20 to 90 inches. Available water capacity is moderate. Surface runoff is medium to rapid, and the hazard of erosion is moderate to high. The soils in this complex are used as native rangeland, for wildlife habitat, and as military impact areas. These soils are suited to the production of native vegetation suitable for• grazing. Native vegetation on the Schamber soil is western wheatgrass, blue grama, side- oats grama, and little bluestem. The common shrubs are skunkbush sumac, four-~ving saltbush, and buckwheat. Na- tive vegetation on [he Razor soil is alkali sacaton, K•estern wheatgrass, galleta, and lesser amounts of blue grama. Four•~ving saltbush is a common shrub. The presence of princesplume, two-groove milkvetch, and Fremont gol- denweed indicates that selenium-bearing plants are in the stand. These soils are very difficult to revegetate, and it is especially important that livestock grazing be carefull}• managed. Fencing and properly locating livestock water- ing facilities help to control grazing. Where the plant cover has been depleted, especially on the Razor soil, pitting aids in the recovery of the native vegetation. R'indbreaks and environmental plantings are suited to this soil. Lott' available water capacity is the main ]imita- tion for the establishment of tree and shrub plantings. Summer fallow a year in advance and continued cultiva- tion for weed control are needed to insure the establish- ment and survival of plantings. Supplemental irrigation