Soilscape in Fort Garland area, Colorado
Hayland (foreground) is a water-intensive crop that faces a major challenge when irrigation restrictions are in place. However, understanding when alfalfa or other grasses need moisture the most can greatly help you schedule applications to maximize limited amounts of water.
Colorado farmers and ranchers expect to harvest 710,000 acres of alfalfa hay this year, down 20,000 acres from 2019. They also expect to harvest 700,000 acres of other hay in 2020, down 30,000 acres from last year. Alfalfa production is forecast at 2.13 million tons, down 21 percent from the 2.70 million tons produced in 2019.
The soils (foreground) are predominantly the Fuertes series. The Fuertes series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in fine-loamy alluvium derived from derived from granite, gneiss, and mica schist. Fuertes soils are on stream terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 10 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 41 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Oxyaquic Argiustolls
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as native pastureland and for irrigated meadows. Occasionally, some areas are used for small grains. Principal native plants are sedges, rushes, saltgrass, and other water-tolerant grasses and plants.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: High intermountain valleys of south central Colorado, LLR E, MLRA 51. The series is of minor extent.
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/F/FUERTES.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#fuertes
Background: Uracca-Morval complex, 5 to 40 percent slopes
The Uracca series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in fan sediments from mixed rocks, colluvium over residuum derived from granite, gneiss, and mica schist. These soils are on alluvial fans, fan remnants, valley side slopes, and mountain slopes. Slopes range from 3 to 65 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 12 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 41 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Calcidic Argiustolls
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as native pastureland. Occasionally they are used for forestry. They yield small amounts of firewood or fence posts. They are also important for wildlife. Principal native vegetation is twoneedle pinyon, Rocky Mountain juniper, winter fat, mountain muhly, blue grams, junegrass, mutton grass, oatgrass, and needleandthread.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Colorado, MRLA 51, LRR E. The series is of moderate extent.
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/U/URACCA.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#uracca
The Morval series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in medium and moderately fine textured mixed alluvium from shale, sandstone, and metamorphosed acidic rocks and fine-loamy slope alluvium over residuum weathered from granite, gneiss, and mica schist. Morval soils are on alluvial fans, fan remnants in wide mountain valleys, and mountain slopes. Slopes range from 3 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 12 to 18 inches and the mean annual air temperature is 37 to 44 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Calcidic Argiustolls
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland. Soils are cropped to small grains. Blue grama, mountain muhly, squirreltail, Kentucky bluegrass and western wheatgrass are the principal native plants.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, LRR E, MLRA 51. This series is of moderate extent.
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/M/MORVAL.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#morval
________________________________
For additional information about soil classification using Soil Taxonomy, visit:
sites.google.com/site/dinpuithai/Home
For more information about describing soils using the USDA-Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_052523...
For more information about describing soils using the USDA-Soil Survey Manual, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/ref/?cid=n...p
Soilscape in Fort Garland area, Colorado
Hayland (foreground) is a water-intensive crop that faces a major challenge when irrigation restrictions are in place. However, understanding when alfalfa or other grasses need moisture the most can greatly help you schedule applications to maximize limited amounts of water.
Colorado farmers and ranchers expect to harvest 710,000 acres of alfalfa hay this year, down 20,000 acres from 2019. They also expect to harvest 700,000 acres of other hay in 2020, down 30,000 acres from last year. Alfalfa production is forecast at 2.13 million tons, down 21 percent from the 2.70 million tons produced in 2019.
The soils (foreground) are predominantly the Fuertes series. The Fuertes series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in fine-loamy alluvium derived from derived from granite, gneiss, and mica schist. Fuertes soils are on stream terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 10 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 41 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Oxyaquic Argiustolls
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as native pastureland and for irrigated meadows. Occasionally, some areas are used for small grains. Principal native plants are sedges, rushes, saltgrass, and other water-tolerant grasses and plants.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: High intermountain valleys of south central Colorado, LLR E, MLRA 51. The series is of minor extent.
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/F/FUERTES.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#fuertes
Background: Uracca-Morval complex, 5 to 40 percent slopes
The Uracca series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in fan sediments from mixed rocks, colluvium over residuum derived from granite, gneiss, and mica schist. These soils are on alluvial fans, fan remnants, valley side slopes, and mountain slopes. Slopes range from 3 to 65 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 12 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 41 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Calcidic Argiustolls
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as native pastureland. Occasionally they are used for forestry. They yield small amounts of firewood or fence posts. They are also important for wildlife. Principal native vegetation is twoneedle pinyon, Rocky Mountain juniper, winter fat, mountain muhly, blue grams, junegrass, mutton grass, oatgrass, and needleandthread.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Colorado, MRLA 51, LRR E. The series is of moderate extent.
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/U/URACCA.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#uracca
The Morval series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in medium and moderately fine textured mixed alluvium from shale, sandstone, and metamorphosed acidic rocks and fine-loamy slope alluvium over residuum weathered from granite, gneiss, and mica schist. Morval soils are on alluvial fans, fan remnants in wide mountain valleys, and mountain slopes. Slopes range from 3 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 12 to 18 inches and the mean annual air temperature is 37 to 44 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Calcidic Argiustolls
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland. Soils are cropped to small grains. Blue grama, mountain muhly, squirreltail, Kentucky bluegrass and western wheatgrass are the principal native plants.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, LRR E, MLRA 51. This series is of moderate extent.
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/M/MORVAL.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#morval
________________________________
For additional information about soil classification using Soil Taxonomy, visit:
sites.google.com/site/dinpuithai/Home
For more information about describing soils using the USDA-Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_052523...
For more information about describing soils using the USDA-Soil Survey Manual, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/ref/?cid=n...p