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PUEBLO AREA, COLORADO
<br />Gilcrest Series
<br />The Gilcrest series consists of deep, somewhat ex-
<br />cessively drained soils. These soils formed on alluvial
<br />tel•1•aces and fans in sandy alluvium. The slope is 0 to
<br />9 percent, and elevation is 4,400 to 5,300 feet. The
<br />average annual precipitation is 12 inches. The average
<br />annual temperature is 52° F, and the frost-free season
<br />is 130 to 160 days. The native vegetation is mainly
<br />plains grasses and forbs.
<br />In a representative profile the surface layer is brown
<br />sandy loam about 4 inches thick. The upper part of the
<br />subsoil is pale-brown sandy loam about 23 inches thick,
<br />and the lower part is pale-brown gravelly coarse sandy
<br />loam about 8 inches thick. The underlying material is
<br />very pale brown gravelly sand that extends to a depth
<br />of 60 inches or more.
<br />Permeability is rapid, and the available water capac-
<br />ity is low. The surface layer and subsoil are mildly
<br />~lkaline, and the underlying material is moderately
<br />Ikaline. The root zone extends to a depth of 60 inches
<br />or more. These soils are used for grazing.
<br />Representative profile of Gilcrest sandy loam, 0 to 2
<br />percent slopes, in grass, 0.25 mile east and 0.15 mile
<br />south of the northwest corner of sec. 5, T. 18 S., R.
<br />62 ~'.
<br />Al-0 to 4 inches, brown (7.5YR 5/2) sandy loam, dark
<br />brown (7.5YR 3/2) when moist; weak, medium, platy
<br />structure; slightl}• hard, very friable; slightl}• sticky
<br />and slightly plastic; many eery fine roots; 5 percent
<br />gravel; mildly alkaline; clear, smooth boundary.
<br />B2t-4 to 27 inches, pale-brown (lOYR 6/3) sandy loam,
<br />dark brown (lOYR 4/3) when moist: weak, medium,
<br />prismatic structure parting to moderate, medium, sub-
<br />angular blocky; hard, very friable; slightly sticky end
<br />slightly plastic; thin, patchy, clay films in pores and
<br />on sand grains; 10 percent gravel; mildly alkaline;
<br />clear, smooth boundary.
<br />B3-27 to 35 inches, pale-brown (lOYR 6/3) gravelly coarse
<br />sandy loam, brown (lOYR 5/3) when moist; weak,
<br />medium, subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable;
<br />slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 15 percent gravel;
<br />mildly alkaline; clear, smooth boundarv.
<br />I1C-35 to 60 inches, very pale brown (lOYR 7/3) gravelly
<br />sand, brown (lOYR 5/3) when moist; single grained;
<br />loose; nonsticky and nonplastic; 20 percent grave]; cal-
<br />careous; moderately alkaline.
<br />Gravel makes up 5 to 25 percent of the A and B horizons
<br />and ]5 to 35 percent of the IIC horizon. The Al horizon
<br />is 3 to S inches thick. The B2t horizon is 10 to 30 inches
<br />thick. In places a prominent horizon of lime accumulation
<br />is below the B2t horizon. Depth to the IIC horizon ranges
<br />from 24 to 90 inches.
<br />GcA-Gilcrest sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes.
<br />This soil is on low alluvial terraces along streams. The
<br />areas are elongated and cover as much as 800 acres.
<br />This soil has the profile described as representative of
<br />the series.
<br />Included with this soil in mapping are areas of
<br />Bankard sand, generally along the drainagew•ays. These
<br />areas make up less than 10 percent of the acreage.
<br />Runoff is slow, and the hazard of water erosion is
<br />slight, but the hazard of soil blowing is high. The soil is
<br />subject to occasional brief flooding.
<br />This soil is used for grazing. The native vegetation
<br />is mainly blue grama, sand dropseed, rabbitbrush, cane
<br />cactus, and wild buckwheat. Capability unit VIe-3, non-
<br />irrigated ;Sandy Plains range site.
<br />15
<br />GeD-Gilcrest gravelly sandy loam, 3 to 9 percent
<br />slopes. This soil is mostly on the top of mesas. The areas
<br />are irregular in shape and cover as much as 1,800 acres.
<br />This soil has a profile similar to the one described as
<br />representative of the series, but the surface layer is
<br />gravelly sandy loam. Also, the layer of clay accumula-
<br />tion is about 10 inches thick and about 25 percent of
<br />it is grave]. Beneath that is a prominent, but discon-
<br />tinuous, layer of lime accumulation about 9 inches
<br />thick that is about 35 percent gravel. The underlying
<br />material is gravelly loamy sand or gravelly sand that
<br />is about 15 percent gravel.
<br />Included with this soil in mapping are areas of
<br />Schamber gravelly sandy loam. These included soils are
<br />in steeper areas and make up about 15 percent of the
<br />acreage.
<br />Runoff is slow, and the hazard of water erosion is
<br />slight.
<br />This soil is used for grazing. The native vegetation
<br />is maim}~ blue grama, side-oats grama, sand dropseed,
<br />needlegrass, sand sage, yucca, and buckwheat. Capa-
<br />bility emit VIe-3, nonin•igatetl; Sandy Plains range
<br />site.
<br />CfC-Gilcrest complex, 3 to 6 percent slopes. This
<br />complex is on fans at the foot of mesas in the northern
<br />part of the survey area. It is made up of about 70
<br />percent Gilcrest sandy loam and of 15 percent soils
<br />that are similar to Gilcrest sandy loam but are underlain
<br />by shale at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Areas of this
<br />conilllex are elongated and have concave slopes.
<br />The Gilcl•est soil in this complex has a profile similar
<br />to the one described as representative of the Gilcrest
<br />series, but it has less gravel and coarse sand.
<br />Included with these soils in mapping are areas of
<br />Schamber gravelly sandy loam that make up about 10
<br />percent of the acreage and areas of Razor clay loam
<br />that make up about 5 percent. The Schamber soils are
<br />on narrow ridges and steeper side slopes, and the Razor
<br />soils are on ridges and small knobs.
<br />Runoff is slow, and the hazard of water erosion is
<br />slight.
<br />These soils are used for grazing. The native vegeta-
<br />tion is mainly blue grama, galleta, sand dropseed, cane
<br />cactus, cucca, and sand sage. Capability unit VIe-3,
<br />nonirrigated ;Sandy Plains range site.
<br />Glenberg~Series
<br />~//MV,a~t t,OSFi
<br />The Glenberg series consists of deep, well-drained
<br />soils. These soils formed on flood plains in loamy allu-
<br />vium. The slope is 0 to 2 percent, and elevation is 4,300
<br />to 4,800 feet. The average annual precipitation is 12
<br />inches. The average annual temperature is 53° F, and
<br />the frost-free season is 145 to 175 days. The native
<br />vegetation is mainly plains grasses.
<br />In a representative profile the surface layer is light
<br />brownish-gray fine sandy loam about 5 inches thick.
<br />Below that is pale-brown fine sandy loam stratified
<br />with loamy fine sand and loam that extends to a depth
<br />of 60 inches or more.
<br />Permeability is moderately rapid, and the available
<br />water capacity is moderate. These soils are moderately
<br />alkaline. Their root zone extends to a depth of more
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