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<br />KIOWA COUNTY, COLORADO
<br />cem in the Larimer soil, which is often used as a source
<br />of road till.
<br />These soils are in capability subclasses Vle, dryland,
<br />and IVe, irrigated.
<br />23-Limon clay. This deep, well drained soil is nearly
<br />level. It is in drainageways and on flood plains along
<br />Mustang, Adobe, and Rush Creeks. It formed in clayey
<br />alluvium derived from shale. Scopes are uniform and are
<br />commonly more than 1,000 feet long. Slope is 0 to 1
<br />percent. The average annual precipitation ranges from
<br />12 to 15 inches. This soil is subject to occasional flood-
<br />ing during heavy rains in spring and summer. Gulley
<br />erosion is a concern on this soil, but it can be controlled
<br />by dams and diversions.
<br />Typically, the surface layer is brown clay about 6
<br />inches thick. The underlying material, to a depth of 60
<br />inches, is brown clay and clay loam. The soil is calcare-
<br />ous throughout and is nonsaline to slightly saline.
<br />Permeability is slow. Available water capacity is mod-
<br />erate. Effective rooting depth is about 60 inches. Where
<br />the soil is under native vegetation, the average annual
<br />wetting depth is about 20 inches. Surtace runoff is slow,
<br />and the hazard of erosion is moderate. The hazard of
<br />soil blowing is high.
<br />Included with this soil in mapping are small areas of
<br />Arvada soils. The Arvada soil occurs as slick spots. It
<br />has a surface layer that has a high content of sodium
<br />salts and other salts.
<br />This soil is used for rangeland and is well suited to this
<br />use. At times it receives additional water from adjacent
<br />uplands, which increases forage production. The native
<br />vegetation is mainly alkali sacaton, blue grams, and
<br />western wheatgrass. When the range deteriorates, the
<br />proportion of pricklypear, snakeweed, annuals, and other
<br />less desirable plants increases. The intensity of grazing
<br />and distribution of livestock needs to be controlled so
<br />growth of the vegetation is uniform. Native grass is very
<br />difficult to reestablish on this soil. The most successful
<br />method of reseeding grass is to plant the seed by drill-
<br />ing, then pitting the area. The pitting, making shallow pits
<br />to hold water, should be done at a 45 degree angle to
<br />the holes that have been drilled for seed. The most
<br />suitable grasses for reseeding are alkali sacaton and
<br />western wheatgrass. Diversions that help to spread the
<br />runoff water are highly beneficial to the vegetation.
<br />This soil is not suited to dryfarmed crops because of
<br />slow permeability and the hazard of erosion.
<br />This soil is poorly suited to homesite development and
<br />to most urban uses. The main limitations for these uses
<br />are flooding, high shrink-swell potential, slow permeabil-
<br />ity, and low strength. Septic tank absorption fields do not
<br />function properly because of slow permeability and flood-
<br />ing.
<br />This soil is in capability subclasses Vls, dryland, and
<br />Ills, irrigated.
<br />
<br />zs
<br />24-Manzanola clay loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes.
<br />This deep, well drained soil is nearly level. It is in upland
<br />swales and on flats. It formed in calcareous, clayey allu-
<br />vium. Slopes are dominantly uniform and about 1,000
<br />feet in length. The average annual precipitation ranges
<br />from 12 to 15 inches. Lower lying areas of this map unit
<br />are subject to flooding during heavy rains. In some areas
<br />as much as 40 percent of the area may be flooded.
<br />Typically, the surface layer is light brownish gray clay
<br />loam about 6 inches thick. The subsoil extends to a
<br />depth of 32 inches. It is pale brown clay loam grading to
<br />light yellowish clay and clay loam. The substratum, to a
<br />depth of 60 inches or more, is light yellowish brown clay
<br />loam. The soil is calcareous throughout.
<br />Included with this soil in mapping are small areas of
<br />Absted and Stoneham soils and Manzanola soils that are
<br />flooded. Absted soils are alkali-affected. They are in
<br />small depressions. The moderately permeable Stoneham
<br />soils are on slightly higher parts of the landscape.
<br />Permeability of this Manzanola soil is slow. Available
<br />water capacity is high. Effective rooting depth is about
<br />60 inches. Where the soil is under native vegetation, the
<br />average annual wetting depth is about 20 inches. Sur-
<br />face runoff is slow and the hazard of erosion is moder-
<br />ate. The hazard of soil blowing is high.
<br />The soil is used for rangeland and for dryfarmed
<br />crops. Wheat is the dominant crop; however, minor
<br />amounts of forage sorghum and millet are grown.
<br />This soil is poorly suited to dryfarmed crops when
<br />compared to other soils in Kiowa County. The Manzan-
<br />ola soil has a high content of clay. When all vegetation is
<br />removed during fallow, the surface layer hardens and
<br />becomes difficult to till. Farmers usually refer to a soil in
<br />this condition as adobe. Adobe causes plants to suffer
<br />from moisture stress, because water does not penetrate
<br />the soil Surtace. The lower layers of this soil have a
<br />higher clay content and have excess salts, which are
<br />harmful to plants. When these layers are exposed by
<br />erosion, this soil is very difficult to manage and is best
<br />planted back to grass.
<br />In managing this soil, a cover must be maintained on it
<br />to conserve moisture and to protect against soil blowing.
<br />A good stubble mulch also helps prevent the sun from
<br />baking the soil. A minimum of 1,600 pounds of stubble
<br />needs to be left on the soil at planting time; however,
<br />this amount could be reduced if stripcropping were used.
<br />Wind stripcropping and contour stripcropping are benefi-
<br />cial in reducing soil blowing. Tillage needs to be kept to
<br />a minimum to keep the maximum amount of residue on
<br />the surface and to keep the soil from packing. The use
<br />of herbicides to control weeds could reduce tillage.
<br />Deep chiseling breaks up tillage pans and improves
<br />water infiltration. Areas of this soil receive water from
<br />adjacent uplands. In most places, this water is shallow
<br />and may be beneficial to crops; however, water accumu-
<br />lates in drainageways and washes away crops or crop
<br />residues and destroys terraces. After heavy rains, a layer
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