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<br />Rio Blanco County Area, Colorado
<br />percent of the total acreage. The percentage varies from
<br />one area to another.
<br />Permeability of the Trembles soil is moderately rapid.
<br />Available water capacity is moderate. Effective rooting
<br />depth is 60 inches or more. Runoff is slow, and the
<br />hazard of water erosion is slight. A seasonal high water
<br />table fluctuates between depths of 36 and 60 inches in
<br />spring. In low areas along the major river in the area, this
<br />soil is subject to brief periods of flooding in spring.
<br />This unit is used for irrigated hay and pasture,
<br />livestock grazing, and wildlife habitat.
<br />This unit is well suited to hay and pasture. The main
<br />limitation is the short growing season. For good
<br />establishment of hay and pasture, prepare a seedbed,
<br />drill in the seed, and use supplemental irrigation. Furrow,
<br />border, corrugation, and sprinkler irrigation systems are
<br />suited to this unit. Leveling helps to insure the uniform
<br />application of water.
<br />Proper stocking rates, pasture rotation, and restricted
<br />grazing during wet periods help to keep the pasture in
<br />good condition and to protect the soil from erosion. Use
<br />of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer promotes good
<br />growth of forage plants.
<br />If this unit is used for irrigated small grain crops, the
<br />main limitation is the short growing season.
<br />The potential plant community on this unit is mainly
<br />western wheatgrass, slender wheatgrass, saltgrass,
<br />Kentucky bluegrass, and tall rabbitbrush. Smaller
<br />amounts of foxtail, basin wildrye, and some greasewood
<br />commonly are also present in the potential plant
<br />community. Cottonwood trees, willows, and cattails are
<br />common along streambanks and oxbows. The average
<br />annual production of air-dry vegetation is about 2,000
<br />pounds per acre.
<br />If the range is overgrazed, the proportion of preferred
<br />forage plants decreases and the proportion of less
<br />preferred forage plants increases. Therefore, livestock
<br />grazing should be managed so that the desired balance
<br />of preferred species is maintained in the plant
<br />community.
<br />Management practices suitable for use on this unit are
<br />proper range use, deferred grazing, rotation grazing, and
<br />brush management. Grazing should be delayed until the
<br />soil is firm and the more desirable forage plants have
<br />achieved sufficient growth to withstand grazing pressure.
<br />Range seeding is also suitable if the range is in poor
<br />condition. For successful seeding, prepare a seedbed
<br />and drill in the seed. The plants selected for seeding
<br />should meet the seasonal requirements of livestock or
<br />wildlife, or both.
<br />This map unit is in capability subclasses Ille, irrigated,
<br />and Illc, nonirrigated. It is in Salt Meadow range site.
<br />93-Turley fine sandy loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes.
<br />This deep, well drained soil is on fans, alluvial valley
<br />floors, and low terraces. It formed in calcareous mixed
<br />alluvium derived dominantly from sandstone and shale.
<br />75
<br />Areas are elongated and are 20 to 500 acres. The native
<br />vegetation is mainly desert shrubs and grasses.
<br />Elevation is 5,000 to 5,800 feet. The average annual
<br />precipitation is 8 to 12 inches, the average annual air
<br />temperature is 45 to 50 degrees F, and the average
<br />frost-free period is 105 to 125 days.
<br />Typically, the upper part of the surface layer is light
<br />brownish gray fine sandy loam about 4 inches thick. The
<br />next layer is light brownish gray loam about 10 inches
<br />thick. The upper 11 inches of the underlying material is
<br />light brownish gray loam, and the lower part to a depth
<br />of 60 inches or more is light brownish gray loam that has
<br />some salt crystals. In some areas the surface layer is
<br />sandy loam, loam, or very fine sandy loam.
<br />Included in this unit are small areas of Billings silty
<br />clay loam, Glenton sandy loam, Kinnear fine sandy loam,
<br />Nihill channery sandy loam, and Uffens loam. Also
<br />included are small areas of soils that are similar to this
<br />Turley soil but are moderately deep to shale or'
<br />sandstone and a few areas of Turley soils that are
<br />underlain by sand and gravel. Included areas make up
<br />about 15 percent of the total acreage. The percentage
<br />varies from one area to another.
<br />Permeability of this Turley soil is moderately slow.
<br />Available water capacity is high. Effective rooting depth
<br />is 60 inches or more. Runoff is medium, and the hazard
<br />of water erosion is slight. The soil is calcareous
<br />throughout.
<br />This unit is used mainly for livestock grazing and as
<br />irrigated cropland. It is also used for wildlife habitat and
<br />some urban development. Hay and pasture are the main
<br />irrigated crops.
<br />The potential plant community on this unit is mainly
<br />galleta, Indian ricegrass, greasewood, big sagebrush,
<br />bud sagebrush, bottlebrush squirreltail, and Gardner
<br />saltbush. Smaller amounts of western wheatgrass,
<br />Douglas rabbitbrush, and winterfat commonly are also
<br />present in the potential plant community. The production
<br />of forage is limited by low precipitation, alkalinity, and
<br />salinity. The average annual production of air-dry
<br />vegetation is about 650 pounds per acre.
<br />If the range is overgrazed, the proportion of preferred
<br />forage plants decreases and the proportion of less
<br />preferred forage plants increases. Therefore, livestock
<br />grazing should be managed so that the desired balance
<br />of preferred species is maintained in the plant
<br />community.
<br />Management practices suitable for use on this unit are
<br />proper range use, deferred grazing, rotation grazing, and
<br />brush management. Grazing should be delayed until the
<br />soil is firm and the more desirable forage plants have
<br />achieved sufficient growth to withstand grazing pressure.
<br />Range seeding is also suitable if the range is in poor
<br />condition. The main limitations for seeding are low
<br />precipitation in summer, alkalinity, and salinity. For
<br />successful seeding, prepare a seedbed and drill in the
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