Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 04/10/1997

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droughtiness. These limitations make this area poorly suited to rcm and soybeans, although it is moderately suited to alfalfa, pasture, and woodlands. The non-native woodland that currently occurs on this soil appears to be doing qu/te well, however. Urban development only has slight limitations on th/s soil due to its highly erosive potential if tef~ unvegetated. For recreational development the lim/tations are moderate if used as camp sites, picnic sites, or playgrounds. Severe hrn/tations exist for paths and trails due to the sandy and gravely tex~-ure. Dickman Sandy Loam This series is comprised of nearly level to gently sloping (0-2% slopes) softs and is somewhat excessively drained. The soft series is located in a strip along the midsection &the park;s mainland. They have moderately rapid permeability in the upper layers and rapid permeabil/ty in the lower layers. The Dickraan series formed in outwash sands, but/ts upper layer is fairly loamy. The available water capacity is Iow and the organic matter content is moderate. Natural fertil/ty is generally low on this soil, although the phosphorus content is medium. The main hmitations of this soft are its low available water capacity and the hazard of droughtiness~ although this is more a limitation for farming than urban development. Limitations for urban development are shght since this series has slopes of less than 6%. All recreational uses have shght limitations for the series located within the 0-2% slope range, where all of these uses are still shght for the area containing the 2-6% slopes, except playgrounds which are rated moderate. Gravel Pit The gravel pit is located west of Traprock Street and has some fiat bottom areas, but generally is steeply sloping (0-20%). The soils are excessively drained and have rapid permeability. The gravel pit formed in outwash sands and contained large amounts of gravel that was mined in the late 1940's. The soft now is sandy with some loamy sediments at the surface. It appears that a Mollic horizon is beL:dnuing to form, .but is not deep enough or dark enough yet to classify this area as mothsols. The natural fertility is low here, since this area was in the Hubbard series before it was mined. The major hmitations of the soil at this site are the low available water capacity and the resulting erosion that can occur from soil blowing. This soft has severe lirn/tations for fanning crops such as rcm and soybeans, but is moderate in its ability to contain pasture or woodlands. Severe limitations ex/st for urban development and all recreational uses on this site, due to the steep slopes and the hazard of erosion. Any paths, trails, or picnic sites that may be scheduled to be placed on this soil should control for erosion in their design. Erosion controls could include laying woodchips on trails and laying gravel on picrfic sites. 10