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3.2 SOIL SURVEY <br />The study area was mapped to the Order 2 level of intensity on a 2005 aerial photo base map <br />at a scale of 1"=500 feet (USDA 2009). The original NRCS soils mapping was fairly <br />accurate to the Order 3 level of intensity and the 1"=2000' map scale (Tripp et. al. revised <br />1992). The previously identified soil series were confirmed in the study area and additional <br />map units were added to more specifically differentiate between soils to meet the <br />specifications for an Order 2 survey. No "unclassified" soils were found. <br />Six soil map units and two additional map units (Disturbed Land and Reclaimed Land) are <br />located within the study area. Minor areas of rock outcrop occur on the sides and bottoms of <br />the drainage channels. Map units encountered are listed below: <br />Map Unit 33, Forelle loam, 3-8% slopes <br />Map Unit 64, Piceance Fine Sandy Loam, 5 to 15% slopes <br />Map Unit 70, Redcreek-Rentsac Complex, 5 to 30% slopes <br />Map Unit 73, Rentsac channery loam, 5 to 50% slopes <br />Map Unit 75, Rentsac-Piceance complex, 2 to 30% slopes <br />Map Unit 104, Yamac Loam, 2 to 15% slopes <br />Map Unit DL, Disturbed Land <br />Map Unit RL, Reclaimed Land <br />The soils of study area are presented on the soils map in Figure 2 - Soils Map and Sample <br />Locations, Scale 1" = 500'. The soils are described by map unit in Table 1 - Soil Map Unit <br />Characteristics. Five major soil series were described and sampled at representative <br />locations within the study area and include the following series: Forelle, Piceance, Redcreek, <br />Rentsac, and Yamac. These soils are represented in the six different map units listed above. <br />The minor map units of Disturbed Land or Reclaimed Land were not sampled or described in <br />detail. Soil interpretations are presented by individual soil series in Table 2 - Soil <br />Interpretations. Sample locations are shown on the soils map in Figure 2. Soil series <br />classifications are presented in Table 3 - Soil Classifications. Map unit acreages for the soils <br />in the study area are listed in Table 4 - Soil Map Unit Acreage by Area. Results of the soil <br />sample analyses completed by the laboratory are listed in Table 5 - Soil Sample Analyses. <br />Copies of the Soil Test Reports from the laboratory can be found in Appendix 1 - Soil <br />Laboratory Results. <br />All of the soils are considered to be within a "frigid" soil temperature regime (average annual <br />air temperature about 42 to 45 degrees F.) and an "ustic-aridic" soil moisture regime (average <br />annual precipitation about 15 to 17 inches) (Soil Survey Staff 1998). The average frost-free <br />period is approximately 80 to 105 days. None of these soils are considered "hydric" or <br />"prime or important farmland" (Soil Survey Staff, 2009c). <br />The current NRCS official soil series descriptions for the study area soils are included in <br />Appendix 2 - NRCS Official Soil Series Descriptions. <br />• <br />4 <br />