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16— Cushman -Kutch complex, 8 to 25 percent <br />slopes. These moderately deep, well drained, moderate- <br />ly sloping to moderately steep soils are on upland' hills, <br />ridges, and side slopes. Elevation ranges from about <br />5.300 to 6.400 feet. Average annual precipitation ranges <br />from about 14 to 17 inches, average annual air tempera- <br />ture is about 47 degrees F, and average frost -free period <br />is about 135 days. The Cushman soil makes up about 50 <br />percent of this -unit and the Kutch soil about.30 percent. <br />Included with this complex in mapping, and making up <br />about 20 percent of the unit, are Ascalon sandy loam, 4 <br />to 8 percent slopes; Renohill- Louviers complex. 8 to 25 <br />percent slopes; sandy soils that are similar to the Terry <br />soils mapped in El Paso County; and sandstone outcrops <br />{fig. 5). • . <br />The Cushman soil formed in calcareous material <br />weathered from interbedded shale and sandstone. Typi- <br />cally, the surface layer is pale brown loam about 4 <br />inches thick. The subsoil is grayish brown clay loam to a <br />depth of about 20 inches. The substratum is light brown- <br />ish gray silty clay to a depth of about 34 inches. Below <br />that is olive interbedded shale and sandstone. <br />• Permeability is moderate, and available water capacity <br />is low to moderate. The effective rooting depth is 20 to <br />' 40 inches. Surface runoff is medium,• and the hazard of <br />erosion is moderate to high. Deep gullies have formed <br />along some drainageways and stock trails. <br />•. The Kutch soils formed in fine textured calcareous <br />• material weathered from clay shale. Typically, the gut -" <br />face layer is grayish brown clay loam about 4 inches <br />• thick. The subsoil Is grayish brown and light olive brown <br />clay to a depth of about 22 inches. It is calcareous in the <br />lower part. The substratum 'is grayish brown clay to a <br />depth of about 30 inches. Below that is gray and olive <br />shale. <br />Permeability is stow, and available water capacity is <br />moderate. The effective rooting depth is 20 to 40 inches. <br />Surface runoff is medium to rapid, and the hazard of <br />erosion is moderate. Some gullying has taken place in <br />narrow drainageways. <br />These soils are used mainly for grazing. They have <br />poor potential for cropland and for windbreaks and envi- <br />ronmental plantings. The Cushman soil has fair to poor <br />'pCtential for most engineering uses, and the Kutch soil. <br />has poor potential. <br />Rangeland vegetation on the Cushman soil is mainly <br />blue grams, needlegrasses, prairie junegrass, sideoats <br />grams, and western wheatgrass. When range condition <br />deteriorates, grasses such. as blue grama and native <br />bluegrasses increase. Sleepygrass and annuals replace' <br />these grasses in a seriously deteriorated range. <br />Seeding the range is recommended to revegetate de- <br />pleted areas in order to protect the soil from wind and <br />water erosion. Seeding to native grasses is desirable, but <br />the range may also be seeded with tame species of <br />_ grasses, such as Nordan crested wheatgrass, Russian <br />wildrye, pubescent wheatgrass, or intermediate wheat - <br />grass. <br />Rangeland vegetation on the Kutch soil consists of <br />western wheatgrass, blue grama, green needfegrass. s+- <br />decals grama, and sedge. Contour furrowing or pitting <br />aids in the recovery of depleted vegetation on this soil <br />by reducing runoff and increasing water infiltration. Areas <br />that have dense stands of pricklypear or rabbitbrush can <br />be managed bf_shemicaf control_ . <br />• These soils are generally not suited to windbreaks or <br />environmental plantings. Onsite investigation is needed <br />to determine which special planting practices are needed <br />to insure survival. <br />The main limiting soil features of these soils, where <br />they are used for homesites or other urban uses, are the <br />presence of sandstone and shale at a depth of 20 to 40 <br />inches, shrink -swell potential, slow permeability, and <br />steep slopes. Intensive and costly measures are needed <br />to offset these limitations. • <br />This complex is in capability subclass Vle,.nonirrigated. <br />NEL CLASS I FOR TJIND AND WATER . POSSIBLE <br />HYDRIC INCLUSIONS IN SWALES MEETING <br />PONDING CRITE,RLA. <br />