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08/1412008 15:01 19703456610
<br />Washington County, Colorado
<br />WASHINGTON COUNTY
<br />Mechanical practices such as pitting and contour
<br />furrowing can be used to reduce runoff and increase the
<br />water intake rate of the soil.
<br />Seeding is suited to this unit. The seed should be
<br />placed in a clean, firm bed of sorghum or millet stubble,
<br />and protection from plant competition should be
<br />provided.
<br />If this unit is used for windbreaks, the main limitations
<br />are low precipitation and the hazard of erosion. Planting
<br />on the contour conserves moisture. Fallowing in summer,
<br />cultivating for weed control, and selecting adapted plants
<br />help to Insure the establishment and survival of
<br />seedlings. If necessary, supplemental irrigation should be
<br />provided when planting and during dry periods. Suitable
<br />trees for planting are Rocky Mountain juniper, eastern
<br />redcedar, ponderosa pine, Siberian elm, Russian-olive,
<br />and hackberry. Suitable shrubs are skunkbush sumac,
<br />lilac, Siberian peashrub, and American plum.
<br />If this unit is used for homesite development, the main
<br />limitations are the moderately slow permeability and the
<br />shrink-swell potential of the subsoil. Excavating can
<br />expose material that is highly susceptible to soil blowing.
<br />Revegetating disturbed areas around construction sites
<br />as soon as feasible reduces soil blowing.
<br />Septic tank absorption lines should be plaoed below
<br />the moderately slowly permeable subsoil. Roads and
<br />streets should be designed to offset the low strength of
<br />the soil. The effects of shrinking and swelling can be
<br />minimized by using an appropriate engineering design
<br />and by backfilling excavations with material that has low
<br />shrink-swell potential.
<br />This map unit is in capability subclass Ille, nonirrigated.
<br />It is in the Loamy Plains range site.
<br />B-Badland. This map unit consists of steep, hilly,
<br />severely eroded and dissected land. Most of it does not
<br />support vegetation. Clay, shale, sand, and, in a few
<br />places, boulders, rock ledges, and gravelly material are
<br />exposed in numerous deep gullies and on eroded
<br />slopes. Badland is mainly northwest of Akron and in the
<br />southwestern part of the survey area. Areas of this unit
<br />are irregular in shape and are as much as 200 acres in
<br />size.
<br />Included in this unit are small areas of Stoneham
<br />loam, 6 to 9 percent slopes, and Colby-Torriorthents
<br />complex, 9 to 30 percent slopes. These soils support a
<br />good cover of range grasses, mainly blue grama.
<br />Included areas make up as much as 10 percent of the
<br />total acreage.
<br />Because of very rapid runoff on the barren steep
<br />slopes, most areas of this unit are slowly being enlarged
<br />by headward erosion. Most areas are very limited as a
<br />source of water for livestock; however, some areas are
<br />suited to use as sites for livestock watering
<br />impoundments.
<br />This map unit is in capability subclass Ville.
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<br />7-Bankard sand loam. This deep, somewhat
<br />excel y rame soil is on alluvial valley floors and on
<br />low stream terraces of intermittent and perennial
<br />streams. It formed in sandy alluvium. Slope is 0 to 2
<br />percent. Areas are elongated and are 10 to 300 acres.
<br />Typically, the surface layer is grayish brown sandy
<br />loam 8 inches thick. The underlying material to a depth
<br />of 60 inches or more is mainly pale brown, stratified
<br />sand and gravelly sand. In some areas of similar
<br />included soils, the surface layer is sand.
<br />Included in this unit are small areas of Paoli sandy
<br />loam. Included areas make up about 10 percent of the
<br />total acreage. The percentage varies from one area to
<br />another.
<br />Permeability of this Bankard soil is rapid. Available
<br />water capacity is low. Effective rooting depth is 60
<br />inches or more. Runoff is slow, and the hazard of water
<br />erosion is slight. The hazard of soil blowing is severe.
<br />This soil is subject to frequent, brief periods of flooding
<br />in spring and summer.
<br />Most areas of this unit are used for grazing. A few
<br />areas are used for irrigated crops.
<br />If this unit is used for irrigated crops, the main
<br />limitations are the low available water capacity and low
<br />fertility. Sprinkler irrigation is suited to this unit. Because
<br />the soil in this unit is droughty, applications of Irrigalion
<br />water should be light and frequent. Applying nitrogen anc
<br />phosphorus increases production. Returning all crop
<br />residue to the soil and using a cropping system that
<br />includes grasses, legumes, or grass-legume mixtures
<br />help to improve or maintain fertility and filth.
<br />The potential plant community on this unit is mainly
<br />switchgrass, sand bluestem, prairie sandreed, and
<br />indiangrass.
<br />Seeding improves range that is in poor condition.
<br />Suitable seed mixtures include sand bluestem, little
<br />bluestem, sideoats grama, prairie sandreed, Indian
<br />doegrass, switchgrass, and indiangrass.
<br />This unit is poorly suited to windbreaks and
<br />environmental plantings. Onsite investigation is needed
<br />to determine the feasibility of planting trees and shrubs.
<br />This unit is poorly suited to homesite development.
<br />The main limitations are the hazard of flooding and the
<br />low available water capacity,
<br />This map unit is in capability subclasses IVw, irrigated,
<br />and Vlw, nonirrigated. It Is in the Sandy Bottomland
<br />range site.
<br />B-Beckton fine sandy loam. This deep, moderately
<br />well drained soil is on terraces of intermittent streams. It
<br />formed in calcareous alluvium derived from various kinds
<br />of rock. Slope is 0 to 2 percent. Areas are elongated ant
<br />are 40 to 200 acres.
<br />Typically, the surface layer is grayish brown fine sandy
<br />loam 12 inches thick. The subsoil is grayish brown and
<br />brown clay loam 18 inches thick. The substratum to a
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