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<br />30-Fort Collins loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes. This
<br />deep, well drained soil formed in medium textured alluvi-
<br />um on uplands. Elevation ranges f1•om 6,200 to 6,500 feet
<br />The average annual precipitation ranges from about 13
<br />inches at the lower elevations to about 15 inches at the
<br />higher elevations; the avetage annual temperature is
<br />about 49 degrees F; and the average frost-free period is
<br />about 145 days.
<br />Typically, the surface layer is brown loam about 6
<br />inches thick. The subsoil is brown clay loam about I5
<br />inches thick. The substratum is pale brown loam.
<br />Included with this soil in mapping are small areas of
<br />Stoneham sandy loam, 3 to 8 percent slopes; Keith silt
<br />loam, 0 to 3 percent elopes; Olney sandy loam, 0 to 3 per-
<br />cent elopes; Bresser sandy loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes;
<br />and Wiley silt loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes.
<br />Permeability of this Fort Collins soil is moderate. Ef-
<br />fective rooting depth is 60 inches or more. Available
<br />water capacity is high. Surface runoff is medium, and the
<br />hazard of erosion is moderate.
<br />This soil is used as rangeland and for dryland farming.
<br />Wheat and feed grains such as millet are the crops com-
<br />monly grown. Crop residue management, minvnum tillage,
<br />and stripcropping are useful conservation measures if this
<br />soil is cropped. Periods of fallow are needed.
<br />This soil is well suited to the production of native
<br />vegetation suitable for grazing. Native vegetation is
<br />mainly blue grams, western wheatgrass, side-oats grams,
<br />and sand dropseed. Needleandthread, big bluestem, and
<br />native bluegrasses also grow in areas of this soil in the
<br />northern pazt of the survey area.
<br />Fencing and properly locating livestock watering facili-
<br />ties help to control grazing. Deferment of glazing may be
<br />needed to maintain the derved balance between livestock
<br />use and forage production. In areas where the plant cover
<br />has been depleted, pitting can be used to help the natural
<br />vegetation recover. Chemical control practices may be
<br />needed in disturbed areas where dense stands of
<br />pricklypear occur. Ample amounts of litter and forage
<br />should be left on the soil because of the high hazard of
<br />soil blowing.
<br />Windbreaks and environmental plantings are generally
<br />suited to this soil. Summer fallow a year prior to planting
<br />and continued cultivation for weed control are needed to
<br />insure establishment and survival of plantings. Trees that
<br />are best suited and have good survival are Rocky Sloun-
<br />tain juniper, eastern redcedar, ponderosa pine, Siberian
<br />elm, Russian-olive, and hackberry. Shrubs that are best
<br />suited are skunkbush sumac, lilac, Siberian peashrnb, and
<br />American plum.
<br />This soil is suited to wildlife habitat. I[ is best suited to
<br />habitat for openland and rangeland wildlife. In cropland
<br />areas, habitat favorable for ring-necked pheasant, mourn-
<br />ing dove, and many nongume species can be developed by
<br />establishing wildlife areas for nesting and escape cover.
<br />For pheasant, nesting cover is vital and should be pro-
<br />vided for in plans for habitat development. This is espe-
<br />cially true in areas of intensive farming. Rangeland wil-
<br />dlife, such as pronghorn antelope, can be encouraged b}
<br />developing livestock watering facilities, properly manag-
<br />ing livestock grazing, and reseeding range where needed.
<br />This soil has good potential for use a, homesites. Its
<br />main limitation is a limited ability to support a load-
<br />Roads can be designed to offset [his limitation. Capability
<br />suhclass [Vc.
<br />8'L-Schamber-Razor complex, 8 to 50 percent scopes.
<br />These gently rolling to steep soils are on eroded breaks
<br />and remnants of granite out~vash over shale. Elevation
<br />ranges from 5,500 to 6,500 feet. The average annual
<br />precipitation is about 13 inches, and the average annual
<br />air temperature is about 49 degrees F.
<br />The Schamber soil makes up about 40 percent of the
<br />complex, the Raver soil about 30 percent, and other soils
<br />about 30 percent.
<br />Included with these soils in mapping are areas oP
<br />Chaseville-hlidway complex; Kim loam, 1 to 8 percent
<br />slopes; Razor stony clay loam, 5 to 15 percent slopes; and
<br />Heldt clay loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes.
<br />The Schamber soil is deep and well drained. It formed
<br />in eolian material mixed with alluvium and colluvium
<br />derived from granite. Typically, the surface layer is gray-
<br />ish brown gravelly loam about 5 inches thick The under-
<br />lying material is brown very gravelly loam about 9 inches
<br />thick over light yellowish browm very gravelly sand that
<br />extends to a depth of 60 inches or more.
<br />Permeability of the Schamber soil is rapid. The effec-
<br />tive rooting depth is GO inches or more, and available
<br />mater capacity is low to moderate. Surface runoff is medi-
<br />um to rapid, and the hazard of erosion is moderate.
<br />The Razor soil is moderately deep and well drained. It
<br />.formed in residuum derived from calcareous shale. Slope
<br />~ is 8 to 15 percent. Typically, the surface layer is light
<br />brownish gray clay loam about 3 inches thick The subsoil
<br />is greyish brow~tt heary clay loam or clay about 15 inches
<br />thick The substratum is grayish brown clay that grades
<br />to calcareous shale at a depth of about 31 inches. Visible
<br />lime is in the lower part of [he subsoil and in [he sub-
<br />stratum.
<br />Permeability of the Razor soil is slow. The effective
<br />rooting depth is 20 to 40 inches. Available water capacity
<br />• is moderate. Surface runoff is medium to rapid, and the
<br />hazard of erosion is moderate to high.
<br />The soils in [his complex are used as native rangeland,
<br />for wildlife habitat, and as military impact areas.
<br />These soils are suited to the production of native
<br />vegetation suitable for grazing. Native vegetation on the
<br />Schamber soil is western wheatgrass, blue grams, side-
<br />oats grams, and little bluestem. The common shrubs are
<br />skunkbush sumac, fourwing saltbush, and buckwheat. Na-
<br />tive vegetation on the Razor soil is alkali sacaton, western
<br />wheatgrass, galleta, and lesser amounts of blue grams.
<br />Fourwing saltbush is a common shrub. The presence of
<br />princesplume, hco-groove milkvetch, and Fremont gol-
<br />denweed indicates chat selenium-bearing plants are in the
<br />stand.
<br />These soils are very difficult to revegetate, and it is
<br />especially important that livestock grazing be carefully
<br />managed. Fencing and properly locating livestock water-
<br />ing facilities help to control grazing. Where the plant
<br />cover has been depleted, especially on the Razor soil,
<br />pitting aids in the recovery of the native vegetation.
<br />Windbreaks and environmental plantings are suited to
<br />this soil. Low available water capacity is the main limita-
<br />tion for the establishment of tree and shrub plantings.
<br />Summer fallow a year in advance and continued cultiva-
<br />tion for ~ceed curt rol are needed to insure the estahli<h
<br />ment and survi~:d .8 plantings. Supplemental irri~ar i.,:~
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