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~ ~~_',, • <br />,~ . <br />USDA, Soil Conservation Service <br />Section II-E <br />f~ <br />UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE <br />. SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE <br />%2~.yio.yr~ , COLORADO FIELD OFFICE <br />Loamy Plains If6 <br />ECO - Site Description <br />MLRA 69A 6 69B <br />June 1983 <br />A. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS <br />1. Physiographic Features <br />This site is on level to gently rolling uplands with an occasional <br />slope up to 10%. Elevacic.is range from 3,350 to 6,500 feet (1,020 <br />to 1,980 meters). This site occurs on all exposures. <br />2. Climatic Features <br />a. The climate is semi-arid with precipitation averaging 10 to 13 <br />inches (25 to 33 centimeters). Total yearly snowfall is 12 to <br />44 inches (30 to 112 centimeters). The average monthly <br />` precipitation is as follows: <br />1` <br />Jan Feb March Apr11 May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec <br />' .3 .3 .6 1.2 1.6 1.3 1.9 1.6 .8 .7' .5 :3 <br />b. The mean growing season averages approximately 150 to 175 days <br />from April 25 to October 10, and, in average years, there is <br />sufficient moisture at the beginning of the growing season to <br />initiate growth in such cool-season grasses as western <br />wheatgrass and needleandthread. Their optimum growth is early <br />April through July. The warm season grasses have their optimum <br />growing season through June and August, if adequate moisture is <br />available. About 75 percent of the I1 inches (28 cm) of annual <br />precipitation falls in the form of rain during the frost-free <br />season. About 55 percent of Che annual precipitation benefits <br />cool-seaso^ plants, 70 _~ercent benefits warm season plants and <br />the rest falls during the season of plant dormancy. There are <br />27 days per year that the precipitation equals or exceeds .1 <br />inches (.04 cm), 6 days that meets, equals or exceeds .5 inches <br />(.20 cm), and 2 days that equal or exceed 1.0 inches (2.54 cm). <br />c. The average annual temperature is 53° F (12° C) with 71 days <br />higher than 90° F (32° C) and 155 days lower than 32° F (0° C). <br />Winter low temperatures fall below the freezing mark much of the <br />time in December through February. Dates of the last killing <br />frost may vary from April 24-30, and the first killing frost <br />from October 5 to October 17. <br /> <br />