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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20050288.tiff 04004 Banks and Gesso, LLC Appendix F: Soils Report Two soil types exist within the proposed expansion area, Aquolls and Aquents Gravelly Substratum, and Bankard Sand Loam (see Sheet 2: Vicinity Map for mapped soil locations). The report for these soils is found on the following pages. Amendment to USR 1255—Ft.Lupton Sand and Gravel Mine September 20,2004 L.G. Everist,Inc. Page 27 2005-0288 04004 Banks and Gesso, LLC ,--. 8 SOIL SURVEY filter the leachate. Sewage lagoons require sealing. 60 percent of the unit. Aquents, which have a lighter Lawns, shrubs, and trees grow well. Capability subclass colored surface layer,make up about 35 percent. About 5 Its irrigated. percent is Aquepts and Bankard sandy loam. 2—Altvan loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes. This is a deep, These are deep, poorly drained soils that formed in well drained soil on terraces at elevations of 4,500 to 4,900 recent alluvium. No one pedon is typical. Commonly the feet. It formed in old alluvium deposited by the major soils have a mottled, mildly alkaline to moderately al- rivers. Included in mapping are small areas of soils that kaline loamy or clayey surface layer and underlying show evidence of poor drainage. Also included are small, material and are underlain by sand or sand and gravel long and narrow areas of sand and gravel deposits. within 48 inches. In places they have a gleyed layer in the Typically the surface layer of this Altvan soil is grayish underlying material. brown loam about 10 inches thick. The subsoil is brown Most of the acreage is subject to flooding. The water and light yellowish brown clay loam and sandy clay loam table is at or near the surface early in spring and recedes about 14 inches thick.The substratum is calcareous loamy to as deep as 48 inches late in fall in some years. sand about 5 inches thick over gravelly sand. These soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Permeability and available water capacity are Some small areas have been reclaimed by major drainage moderate. The effective rooting depth is 20 to 40 inches. and leveling and are used for irrigated crops. Surface runoff is medium,and the erosion hazard is low. The potential native vegetation is dominated by alkali This soil is used almost entirely for irrigated crops. It sacaton, switchgrass, and western wheatgrass. Saltgrass, is suited to all crops commonly grown in the area,includ- sedge, rush, and alkali bluegrass are also prominent. ing corn,sugar beets,beans,alfalfa,small grain,potatoes, Potential production ranges from 3,000 pounds per acre in and onions. An example of a suitable cropping system is 3 favorable years to 2,000 pounds in unfavorable years. As to 4 years of alfalfa followed by corn, corn for silage, range condition deteriorates, the switchgrass, alkali sugar beets, small grain, or beans. Land leveling, ditch sacaton, and western wheatgrass decrease and saltgrass, lining, and installing pipelines may be needed for proper sedge,and rush increase. water application. Management of vegetation should be based on taking All methods of irrigation are suitable, but furrow ir- half and leaving half of the total annual production.Seed- rigation is the most common. Barnyard manure and com- ing is difficult and costly because numerous tillage prac- mercial fertilizer are needed for top yields. tices are required to eliminate the saltgrass sod. Windbreaks and environmental plantins of trees and Switchgrass, western wheatgrass, alkali sacaton, tall shrubs commonly grown in the area are generally well wheatgrass,and tall fescue are suitable for seeding.They ^—. suited to this sod. Cultivation to control competing can be seeded into a clean, firm seedbed. Seedbed vegetation should be continued for as many years as preparation usually requires more than 1 year to possible following planting.Trees that are best suited and eliminate the saltgrass sod. A grass drill should be used. have good survival are Rocky Mountain juniper, eastern Seeding early in spring has proven most succesafuL redcedar,ponderosa pine,Siberian elm,Russian-olive,and Wetland wildlife, especially waterfowl, utilize this unit. hackberry. The shrubs best suited are skunkbush sumac, The wetland plants provide nesting and protective cover, lilac,Siberian peashrub,and American plum. as well as some food. The nearby irrigated cropland, This soil can produce habitat elements that are highly suitable for openland wildlife including pheasant, cotton- where wildlife obtain much of their food and find protec- tail, and mourning dove. Such crops as wheat, corn, and tive cover, makes this unit valuable to both wetland and alfalfa provide suitable habitat for openland wildlife, openland wildlife. especially pheasant. Tree and shrub plantings and Openland wildlife, especially pheasant,use this unit for undisturbed nesting cover would enhance openland wil- cover and nesting. Deer find excellent cover in some dlife populations. areas. This Altvan soil has fair to good potential for urban These valuable wildlife areas should be protected from and recreational development. The chief limiting soil fea- fire and fenced to prevent encroachment and overuse by tures for urban development are the shrink-swell poten- livestock.They should not be drained. tial of the subsoil as it wets and dries and the rapid These soils have good potential as a source of sand and permeability of the sand and gravel substratum. Septic gravel.Capability subclass VIw; Salt Meadow range site. tank absorption fields function properly,but in places the 4—Aquolls and Aquepts, flooded. This nearly level substratum does not contain enough fines to properly map unit is in depressions in smooth plains and along the filter the leachate. Sewage lagoons require sealing, bottoms of natural drainageways throughout the survey Lawns, shrubs, and trees grow well. Capability subclass area. Aquolls, which have a dark colored surface layer, Ile irrigated. make up about 55 percent of the unit. Aquepts, which 3—Aquolls and Aquents, gravelly substratum. This have a lighter colored surface layer, make up about 25 nearly level map unit is on bottom lands and flood plains percent. About 20 percent is soils that are well drained of all the major streams in the survey area. Aquolls, and soils that have sandstone or shale within 48 inches of which have a dark colored surface layer, make up about the surface. Amendment to USR 1255—Ft.Lupton Sand and Gravel Mine September 20,2004 L.G. Everist,Inc. Page 28 04004 Banks and Gesso, LLC 12 SOIL SURVEY This soil has good potential for urban and recreational Wildlife is an important secondary use of this soil. The development. Increased population growth in the survey cropland areas provide favorable habitat for ring-necked area has resulted in increased homesite construction.The pheasant and mourning dove. Many nongame species can chief limiting soil features for urban development are the be attracted by establishing areas for nesting and escape shrink-swell potential of the subsoil as it wets and dries cover. For pheasants,undisturbed nesting cover is essen- and the limited ability of this soil to support a load.Septic tial and should be included in plans for habitat develop- tank absorption fields function properly, but community ment, especially in areas of intensive agriculture. Range- sewage systems should be provided if the population den- land wildlife, for example, deer and antelope, can be at- sity increases. Because of the moderately rapid perinea- tracted by managing livestock grazing and reseeding bility of the substratum, sewage lagoons must be sealed. where needed. Lawns, shrubs, and trees grow well. Capability subclass This soil is not suited to urban or recreational develop- Ile irrigated. ment because of the flood hazard. Capability subclass 10—Bankard sandy loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes. This IVw irrigated, Vlw nonirrigated; Sandy Bottom land is a deep, somewhat excessively drained soil on flood range site. plains at elevations of 4,450 to 5,000 feet. It formed in 11—Bresser sandy loam,0 to 1 percent slopes.This is stratified recent alluvium along streams and rivers. In- a deep, well drained soil on terraces at elevations of 4,700 eluded in mapping are numerous sand and gravel bars to 4,800 feet. It formed in alluvium deposited by the and small areas of noncalcareous soils. South Platte River. Included in mapping are small areas Typically the surface layer of this Bankard soil is of soils that have sand and gravelly sand in the lower brown sandy loam about 4 inches thick. The underlying part of the substratum. material to a depth of 60 inches is pale brown calcareous Typically the surface layer is grayish brown sandy loam sand stratified with thin lenses of sandy loam, loam, and about 11 inches thick.The subsoil is brown and yellowish fine gravel. brown sandy clay loam about 19 inches thick. The sub- Permeability is moderately rapid. Available water stratum to a depth of 60 inches is loamy sand. capacity is low.The effective rooting depth is 60 inches or Permeability and available water capacity are more. Surface runoff is slow, and the erosion hazard is moderate. The effective rooting depth is 60 inches or low. more. Surface runoff is slow, and the erosion hazard is This soil is suited to limited cropping. It is sandy and low subject to flooding. Pasture is the best use. Tall wheat- This soil is used almost entirely for irrigated crops. It grass,tall fescue,and annual sweetclover are some of the is suited to all crops commonly grown in the area includ- most suitable crops. Light,frequent irrigation by furrows ing corn sugar beets,beans,alfalfa,small grain, potatoes, and flooding is best. Commercial fertilizer improves the and oni ,ons.An example of a suitable cropping system is 3 amount and value of forage produced. to 4 years of alfalfa followed by corn, corn for silage, The potential native vegetation is dominated by switchgraes, indiangrasa, sand bluestem, sand reedgrass, tires are needed to auger beets,small grain,or beans.Few conservation prac- sideoats grama, needleandthread, and blue grama. Much yields. of this range site includes other soils and vegetation in All methods of maintain top irrigation are suitable, but furrow ir- such a complex pattern that it is difficult to map them ration is the most common. Barnyard manure and com- separately.Potential production ranges from 2,500 pounds menial fertilizer are needed for top yields. Windbreaks and per acre in favorable years to 1,500 pounds in unfavorable environmental plantings are generally years. As range condition deteriorates, the tall and mid suited to this soil. Soil blowing, the principal hazard in establishing trees and shrubs, can be controlled by cul- grasses decrease; blue grama, sand dropseed, and forbs increase;and forage production drops.Undesirable weeds tivating only in the tree row and by leaving a strip of and annuals invade the site as range condition becomes vegetation between the rows. Supplemental irrigation may be needed at the time of planting and during dry poorer. Management of vegetation should be based on taking periods.Trees that are best suited and have good survival half and leaving half of the total annual production.Seed- are Rocky Mountain juniper,eastern redcedar,ponderosa ing is desirable only in areas large enough to interseed or Pine, Siberian elm, Russian-olive, and hackberry. The to prepare a seedbed. Switchgrass, sand bluestem, sand shrubs best suited are skunkbush sumac,lilac,and Siberi- reedgrass,sideoats grama,little bluestem,blue grama,pu- an peashrub. bescent wheatgrass, and intermediate wheatgrass are Wildlife is an important secondary use of this soil. suitable for seeding. This soil can be seeded by using an Ring-necked pheasant, mourning dove, and many non- interseeder or a firm,clean sorghum stubble.A grass drill game species can be attracted by establishing areas for is required. Seeding early in spring has proven most sue- nesting and escape cover. For pheasants, undisturbed cessful. nesting cover is essential and should be included in plans This soil is generally not suited to the establishment for habitat development, especially in areas of intensive and growth of trees and shrubs. Onsite investigation is agriculture. needed to determine feasibility and possible tree and This soil has good potential for urban and recreational shrub species. development. Lawns, shrubs, and trees grow well. The r'^ Amendment to USR 1255—Ft. Lupton Sand and Gravel Mine September 20,2004 L.G.Everist, Inc. Page 29 04004 Banks and Gesso, LLC ..••••, ]00 SOIL SURVEY TABLE 6.--BUILDING SITE DEVELOPMENT [Some of the terms used in this table to describe restrictive soil features are defined in the Glossary. See text for definitions of "slight," "moderate," and "severe." Absence of an entry means soil was not rated] Soil name and Shallow Dwellings Dwellings Small Local roads map symbol excavations without with commercial and streets basements basements buildings____ ; 1, 2 Severe: Moderate: Moderate: Moderate: Moderate: Altvan cutbanks cave. shrink-swell. shrink-swell. shrink-swell. shrink-swell, frost action. 3': Aquolls Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe: floods, floods, floods, floods, floods, wetness. wetness. wetness. wetness. wetness, frost action. Aquepts Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe: floods, floods, floods, floods, floods, wetness. wetness. wetness. wetness. wetness, frost action. 4': Aquolls Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe: floods, floods, floods, floods, floods, wetness. wetness. wetness. wetness. wetness, frost action. Aquepts Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe: floods, floods, floods, floods, floods, wetness. wetness. wetness. wetness. wetness, frost action. 5 Slight Moderate: Moderate: Moderate: Moderate: Ascalon low strength. low strength, low strength. frost action, "'°'", low strength. 6, 7 Slight Moderate: Moderate: Moderate: Moderate: Ascalon low strength. low strength. slope, frost action, low strength. low strength. 8, 9 Slight Moderate: Moderate: Moderate: Moderate: Ascalon low strength. low strength. low strength. frost action, low strength. 10 Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe: Bankard cutbanks cave, floods. floods, floods. floods. floods. 11, 12 Slight Slight Slight Slight Moderate: Bresser frost action. 13 Severe: Moderate: Moderate: Severe: Moderate: Cascajo cutbanks cave, slope. slope. slope, slope. small stones. 14, 15 Slight Slight Slight Slight Moderate: Colby low strength. 16, 17 Slight Slight Slight Moderate: Moderate: Colby slope. low strength. 18': Colby Slight Slight Slight Moderate: Moderate: slope. low strength. Adena Slight Moderate: Moderate: Moderate: Moderate: low strength. low strength. low strength, low strength. slope. See footnote at end of table. Amendment to USR 1255—Ft. Lupton Sand and Gravel Mine September 20,2004 L.G.Everist, Inc. Page 30 Hello