A^ <gc/4K

HE LOOK

OF OUR LAND

I __ r,., r,„.PHOTO ATLAS

OF^m RURAL UNIIlD STAT

Trsnnr

National Agricultural Library

Received

The Plains and Prairies

Procurement Section

Current Serial Records

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK NO.419
ABSTRACT

Airphotos illustrate land use patterns and terrain in five land resource

regions near the 100th meridian. Portions of small-scale airphoto index

sheets and a stereopair of airphotos accompany the description of each area

that is reproduced from U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook 296, "Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of the

United States."

Key Words: Land resources, Land use patterns, Airphotos, Land resource regions. Land resource areas. Plains and Prairie States.

Studies in the series on The Look of Our Land- An Airphoto Atlas of the Rural United States

include:

A. Northwestern Forest, Forage, and Specialty Crop Region

B. Northwestern Wheat and Range Region

C. California Subtropical Fruit, Truck, and Specialty Crop Region

D. Western Range and Irrigated Region

E. Rocky Mountain Range and Forest Region

F. Northern Great Plains Spring Wheat Region

G. Western Great Plains Range and Irrigated Region

H. Central Great Plains Winter Wheat and Range Regions

I. Southwestern Plateaus and Plains Range and Cotton Region

J. Southwestern Prairies Cotton and Forage Region

K. Northern Lake States Forest and Forage Region

L. Lake States Fruit, Truck, and Dairy Region

M. Central Feed Grains and Livestock Region

N. East and Central General Farming and Forest Region

O. Mississippi Delta Cotton and Feed Grains Region

P. South Atlantic and Gulf Slope Cash Crop, Forest, and Livestock Region

Q. Northeastern Forage and Forest Region

S. Northern Atlantic Slope Truck, Fruit, and Poultry Region

T. Atlantic and Gulf Coast Lowlands Forest and Truck Crop Region

U. Florida Subtropical Fruit, Truck Crop, and Range Region

This handbook, subtitled, "The Plains and Prairies," includes regions F, G, H, I, and J.

Washington, D.C. 20250 October 1971

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office

Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price $1

Stock Number 0100-1473
The Look of Our Land—

An Airphoto Atlas of the Rural United States:

THE PLAINS AND PRAIRIES

Compiled by

SIMON BAKER and

HENRY W. DILL, JR.^

BACKGROUND

The Economic Research Service has been conducting

studies on present and potential uses of land in the

United States. In connection with this activity, USDA

Agriculture Handbook 153 ''Land Use and Its Patterns

in the United States," by F. J. Marschner, was published

in 1959. This landmark publication contained a color

map scaled at 1 : 5,000,000, entitled "Major Land Uses

in the United States." An unusual feature of the Handbook was 168 aerial photographs showing land use

patterns across the 48 contiguous States. The map,

text, and photos together showed the ways that our

land is used. This bulletin updates Agriculture HandJDook 153, which is out of print and may be found only

in major libraries.

In 1965, another landmark publication appeared:

"Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource

Areas of the United States," USDA Agriculture Handbook 296, for sale by the Superintendent of Documents,

U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.'

20402. Morris E. Austin and many others in the Soil

Conservation Service compiled this classification and

systematic description of U.S. resource regions. Twenty

land resource regions were delineated, which were further subdivided into 156 land resource areas, with information on land use, elevation and topography,

climate, water, and soils for each.

^ Simon Baker, formerly with the Economic Research Service,

is now with Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geography, Boca Raton. Henry W. Dill, Jr., is a Physical Science

Analyst, ERS, Natural Resource Economics Division, Land

Resources Branch.

This atlas then brings together the text of Agriculture Handbook 296 with photos to show land use and

related information according to an established regional and area classification of U.S. land resources.

The airphotos in this handbook were selected to

show characteristics and land use in 36 resource areas

in 11 States in the area along the 100th meridian.

Accompanying the photos of each area is a brief description of land use, climate, soils, and topography

for that area.

The ways we use our land are usually described

verbally or quantitatively, or are depicted on maps.

These presentations are informative but limited. There

is no substitute for seeing, and an aerial view is unsurpassed for observing certain phenomena on the surface of the earth. Aerial photographs, used with maps

and descriptions, provide a comprehensive idea of how

land is used. Such richly detailed photos can be viewed

stereoscopically for three-dimensional study of relationships between items on the earth's surface and man's

activities.

USE OF THE AIRPHOTO ATLAS

Two facing pages are devoted to each land resource

area. A stereopair, usually at a scale of 1: 20,000, shares

each right-hand page with a description of the area that

is reproduced from Agriculture Handbook 296. To locate and orient the terrain shown in the stereopair, the

reader should refer to the number^ on the photo index

sheet (described below) on the left-hand page. He will

note that the compass orientations of the stereopairs

vary, but the index sheet clarifies the orientation.

The area shown on a stereopair overlaps two points

on a flight line showing the same portion of the earth's

surface. When viewed through a simple pocket stereoscope the scene appears three-dimensional. Any text

on aerial photographic interpretation or photogrammetry describes how such photos are made and how to

use the stereoscope.

Each left-hand page shows an aerial photographic

index sheet that includes the area of the facing stereopair. Each index sheet was selected to match the land

use description for the given area. An index sheet is

an uncontrolled mosaic made up of many individual

airphotos. The photos are assembled with their identification numbers showing, matched by eye, and mounted

on a board. The group is rephotographed, reduced in

scale, and printed for use as a reference for locating

specific photographs. Most of the index sheets in this

bulletin are reproduced at their original scale of

1: 63,360. A caution about using the index sheets : Since

many individual photos were fitted together by eye, the

fit is not always precise, so measurements of distance

or area on index sheets are only approximate.

Each index sheet is oriented with north at the top.

In some cases, flight lines of the individual photos were

other than north-south, so the page must be rotated to

read the number. To aid identification, the bottom label

of each index sheet gives the following identification:

Land resource area number, county, State, year and

month of photography, index sheet number and scale,

and agency for which the photography was flown. The

letter "P" on the label indicates only partial coverage

of the county.

Abbreviated sources shown on the photo index

sheets are: ASCS, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service; SCS, Soil Conservation Service; and

USES, Forest Service, of USDA.
NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS SPRING WHEAT REGION

52 Brown Glaciated Plain

53 Dark Brown Glaciated Plain

54 Rolling Soft Shale Plain

55 Black Glaciated Plains

56 Red River Valley of the North

57 Western Minnesota Forest - Prairie Transition
F—NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS SPRING WHEAT REGION

131,100 square miles

The fertile soils and the dominantly smooth topography of this region are favorable for agriculture, but the low

rainfall and short growing season severely restrict the crops that can be grown. The annual precipitation

ranges^from 10 to 24 inches, and a large part of it occurs during the growing season. Average annual temperatures

are 40 to 45 ]^. over most of the region. The freeze-free season ranges from 100 to 145 days, increasing in length

trom north to south. ^

Chernozems and Chestnut soils are dominant in most of the region, but Brown soils cover the western part

Other important soils are Lithosols on steep slopes, Solonetz soils, Solonchak soils, and Humic Gley soils on terraces

and in depressions, and narrow bands of Alluvial soils along the major streams.

The production of spring wheat by dryfarming methods dominates the agriculture of the region. Other spring

^/^ o^'i ^^' ^"""^ 1. ^ ^""^ ^^^"^ ^'''''^"- Potatoes are grown in many places, and sugar beets and corn are important in

the Ked Kiver valley in the east.

52—Brown Glaciated Plain

Montana

19,700 square miles

Land Use: Nearly all the land is in farms and

ranches. Level areas, mostly in the west and amounting to almost one-half of the total area, are cropped.

Spring wheat is the major cash crop, but feed grains

and hay are also grown on most farms. In the east,

most of the land is in range although the gentle slopes

are dryfarmed to wheat. Narrow discontinuous strips

along the Missouri River are irrigated. Feed grains

(including corn), hay, and tame pasture occupy much

of the irrigated land, and sugar beets are an

important cash crop.

Elevation and Topography: 2,000 to 4,000 feet,

increasing from east to west and with distance from

the Missouri River. This glaciated plain is nearly

level to gently rolling, but belts of steep slopes border

some of the larger rivers. The Missouri River has

extensive flood plains, but along other streams flood

plains are narrow and discontinuous.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—10 to 15

inches; highest from midspring to midautumn; winter precipitation is snow. Average annual temperature—40° to 44° F. Average freeze-free period—

100 to 120 days.

Water : Most of the area depends on rainfall for water

for both range and crops. The Missouri River provides irrigation water to its flood plains and immediately adjacent areas. In the uplands water,

mainly for livestock, is stored in small reservoirs.

The glacial drift yields a moderate amount of ground

water that is hard but otherwise of good quality.

Soil: Brown soils fScobey and Joplin) on gentle

slopes and Regosols (Zahl) on more sloping areas,

both underlain by calcareous glacial till, are the major

soils. Associated with them in many small areas are

Solonetz soils (Phillips). Lithosols (Lismas) and

rough broken land are extensive on the more sloping

areas underlain by calcareous shales. Chestnut soils

(Cavour, Cresbard, and Hoven) on gently sloping

uplands, and Humic Gley soils (Parnell and Lamoure) on some of the wetter flood plains.

53—Dark Brown Glaciated Plain

North Dakota, Montana, and South Dakota

29,100 square miles

Land Use: Nearly all this area is in farms and

ranches, and slightly more than half is cropland.

Spring wheat is the most important crop, and feed

grains and forage are grown on a large acreage.

Flax is grown on some farms, and some sugar beets

are grown on irrigated land in the west. About twofifths of the area, the more sloping land, is in range

of native grasses.

Elevation and Topography: 1,500 to 3,000 feet,

increasing gradually from southeast to northwest.

This gently rolling glaciated plain includes some areas

of kames and moraines that have irregular topography. Steep slopes and badlands border the major

valleys.

Qimate: Average annual precipitation—15 to 18

inches ; highest in the growing season ; winter precipitation is snow. Average annual temperature—40° to

46° F. Average freeze-free period—105 to 140 days.

Water : Because rainfall is low and somewhat erratic,

conservation of moisture is essential. The only dependable source of water for irrigation is the Missouri River, and irrigated cropland is confined to a

narrow band along its valley. Water for livestock is

stored locally in small reservoirs in the uplands.

Small to moderate amounts of ground water are

available.

Soil: Chestnut soils (Williams) on gentle slopes and

Regosols (Zahl) on steeper slopes, all derived from

calcareous glacial till, are the principal soils. Less

extensive are other Chestnut soils (Farland on loessmantled areas ih the southeast and Lihen in sandy

outwash an^ on terraces throughout), Solonetz soils

occur where there is a little more rainfall, mainly

along the southwestern and western borders, and

Alluvial soils (Lohmiller, Bowdoin, and Havre) on

the flood plains of the Missouri River and a few of its

major tributaries.
^ 05-JJÍ-AZ» ^!r

i.:^

Jtei

1

1

, 1 ^ *

p

u*»

U' m^t

m é

li äiii

\Kt ^==6 Wi. ^dl

Il L^

—: !f

.... •"*'

=riv= j

t6-jj£:iîs>~l8r_iii

f ••••

El f

B ' I

1 1'

^t^, 4 .**9^.

rj>Ti'

W

^s:

.¿'^ 1

n

E[w>k I- ^'"V'IBBS^^BI^^L IS

.àm-j^ii^ fci ^.>»- '

•n ^ mT' -^ ^j

S 1

. 4 il ^^ V.-v.

¿0J-JJ1-A2

a 1 nuiimr]

WM

¡QH

'^^^^a^^^u~"'30ir^!rflm0S^^5B

SrJT^IsnL»^l^^ad n--^'ii:^^91 PSSiii^^

^^wH¡ H^^p

ps

11

^

^

¡|iH

' ^^^^^^i I'lra nr^y

lfl-«v m¿

1

f. WA

E

--'^^^AL

* crrndt

«J="

'At

?jlt.

IP/^^s»-i^S M

Wm\i' b^ rt.

.^ViMHlli

B|is*-i!;-i.-" ^iHi"^

*i

.1

ill-iJT-AZ
54—Rolling Soft Shale Plain

North Dakota and South Dakota

21,700 square miles

Land Use : Nearly all the land is in farms and ranches.

In most of the area agriculture isa combination of

livestock production and cash-grain farming. About

three-fifths of the area is in native grasses and shrubs

used for range. The less sloping land, amounting to

about one-third of the total area, is dryfarmed.

Spring wheat, feed grains, some flax, and hay are

the principal crops. Small areas on the bottom land

along the Missouri River anda few of its large tributaries are irrigated. Wheat, feed grains, hay, and

pasture are the principal crops. Cottonwood and elm

trees grow on the narrow bands of wet soils along the

large rivers.

Elevation and Topography: 1,800 feet in the east

to 3,100 feet in the west. This moderately dissected

rolling plain is underlain mainly by calcareous shales

and sandstones. Strongly dissected areas of sharp

local relief, steep slopes, or badland topography border the major stream valleys in some places. The

northern and eastern fringes have glacially modified

topography and are covered by thin layers of glacial

drift. Maximum local relief is about 300 feet but

relief is considerably less in most of the area.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—13 to 19

inches, increasing from west to east; highest from

late spring to midsummer and very low during the

rest of the year; winter precipitation is snow. Average annual temperature—40° to 45° F. Average

freeze-free period—110 to 135 days.

Water: Farming methods that make the most efficient

use of moisture are required in this semiarid area.

Water for irrigation is available in quantity from only

the Missouri River and one or two of its larger tributaries. Water for livestock is stored in small reservoirs

in the uplands. Sands and gravels of small areal

extent yield moderate amounts of ground water, but

ground water is scarce or lacking in parts underlain

by shales.

Soil: Chestnuts soils (Morton) on gentle slopes and

Lithosols (Bainville and Flasher) on more sloping

areas are the major soils. Less extensive are other

Chestnut soils (Vebar from sandstone and Williams

from thin calcareous glacial till). Solonetz soils

(Rhoades) on very gently undulating plains and terraces and Alluvial soils (Havre) on flood plains occupy a small total acreage but are conspicuous locally.

'•^^

^

5' 'i4Í

/^-v

55—Black Glaciated Plains

North Dakota and South Dakota

41,400 square miles

Land Use : Nearly all the area is in farms and ranches,

and nearly three-fourths is cropland. Cash-grain

wheat production is the principal enterprise on many

farms. Other small grains, feed grains, and hay for

livestock also occupy moderate acreages. Flax is

another important cash crop, and seed potatoes are

grown where soils and moisture supplies are favorable. The more sloping thinner soils, amounting to

about one-fourth of the area, are in range of native

grasses. Narrow bands of wet soils on flood plains

are in woodland.

Elevation and Topography: 1,100 to 2,000 feet,

increasing from east to west. This nearly level glacial plain is bordered by rolling morainic hills along

the western edge. Local relief is low in most of the

area, but relief of 50 to 100 feet is typical of the

morainic hills.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—14 to 20

inches, fluctuating widely from year to year; highest

from late spring to early autumn; winter precipitation

is snow. Average annual temperature—40° to 48°

F. Average freeze-free period—100 to 145 days,

increasing from north to south.

Water: The low and erratic rainfall is the principal

source of water for agriculture. Perennial streams

are few and widely spaced and are little used for

irrigation. Water for livestock is stored in small

reservoirs on individual farms or ranches. Ground

water is plentiful in glacial drift but the water is hard.

The sandstones underlying part of the area yield large

amounts of highly mineralized artesian water, but

the shales yield very little water.

Soil: Chernozems (Barnes, Svea, and Houdek from

glacial till and Renshaw, Fordville, and Embden from

outwash) are the major soils throughout the area.

Regosols (Buse on more sloping areas of till and

Hecla from outwash) are also fairly extensive.

Others are Solonetz soils (Cavour and Aberdeen) on

nearly level plains throughout the area, Solonchak

soils (Hamerly) in the northeast, Humic Gley soils

(Parnell) in wet depressions, and Gray Wooded

soils (Kelvin and Rolla) in the Turtle Mountains in

the north.

11

56—Red River Valley of the North

North Dakota and Minnesota

15,700 square miles

Land Use: Nearly all the area is in farms and ranches,

and about three-fourths is cropland. Important cash

crops are spring wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, and

corn. I^egume seeds are locally important in the

northeast. On some farms feed grains and forage for

dairy cattle are the principal crops. Nearly 10 percent of the area, mostly the poorer soils in the northeast, is wooded. The more sloping land in the west,

amounting to about 10 percent of the area, is in range.

Elevation and Topography: 1,100 feet, decreasing

gradually to 800 feet in the north. This nearly level

glacial lake plain is bordered on the east by outwash,

gravelly beach ridges, and dunes.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—19 to 22

inches; highest from late spring to early autumn;

winter precipitation is snow. Average annual temperature—35° to 42° F., decreasing from south to

north. Average freeze-free period—105 to 135 days,

decreasing from south to north.

Water: Water management isa major problem in the

agriculture of this area. In normal years rainfall

provides enough moisture for the crops commonly

grown, but the wide fluctuations from year to year

make the supply uncertain. Even though rainfall is

not high, drainage is required in many of the flatter

parts. Drainage systems need to be designed to

remove excess water rapidly in the spring so that

farming operations can be started as soon as temperatures are favorable.

Soil: Grumusols (Fargo) and Solonchak soils (Bearden, Glyndon, and Hegne) in medium- to fine-textured lacustrine sediments are the dominant soils.

Humic Gley soils (Perella, Dimmick, and Tanberg)

occupy the wetter parts of the lake plain. Chernozems

(Embden) the gentle slopes and Solonchaks (Ulen)

the nearly level slopes of the sandy deltas and lake

plains, and Regosols (Sioux and Valentine) the gravelly old beach ridges and sand dunes.

13

57—Western Minnesota Forest-Prairie

Transition

Minnesota

3,500 square miles

Land Use: Most of the land is in farms and ranches,

but much of one county is an Indian reservation.

Cash-grain farming is the principal agricultural enterprise, and livestock production is important.

Spring wheat is the major crop; oats, barley, alfalfa,

and other hay crops are grown also. The more sloping

soils and the wet soils in the east are forested.

Elevation and Topography: 1,000 to 1,100 feet.

This glaciated plain is nearly level to gently rolling,

but small areas on moraines and outwash terraces

have fairly steep slopes. Local relief is commonly

ina few feet toa few tens of feet.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—22 to 24

inches; highest from midspring to midautumn; winter precipitation is snow. Average annual temperature—About 40° F. Average freeze-free period—

120 to 140 days.

Water: Precipitation is usually adequate for the crops

grown, but in the frequent dry years crop yields are

reduced. Drainage is necessary for successful crop

production on the fine-textured soils of the lowlands.

Ground water is abundant but water from deep

sources is highly mineralized, especially in the west.

Soil: Chernozems (Waukon, Barnes, and Aastad) in

calcareous glacial till and Solonchak soils in silty deposits are the major soils. Brunizems (Wadena and

Hubbard) in calcareous outwash and Gray Woodea

soils (Nebish and Rockwood) in calcareous stony gla

cial till are other important soils in the east. Humic

Glej soils (Parnell) are conspicuous locally but ol

small total extent.

15
WESTERN GREAT PLAINS RANGE AND

IRRIGATED REGION

Northern Rolling High Plains

Northern Smooth High Plains

Pierre Shale Plains and Badlands

Black Hills Foot Slopes

Black Hills

Rolling Pierre Shale Plains

Mixed Sandy and Silty Tableland

Nebraska Sand Hills

Dakota - Nebraska Eroded Tableland

Central High Plains

Irrigated Upper Platte River Valley

Upper Arkansas Valley Rolling Plains

Pecos - Canadian Plains and Valleys

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70
G—WESTERN GREAT PLAINS RANGE AND IRRIGATED REGION

217,600 square miles

In this section of the Great Plains unfavorable soils, strong slopes, or low moisture supplies make success at

drytarmmg very uncertam. The annual precipitation ranges from 11 to 24 inches but fluctuates widely from

year to year Average annual temperatures are 45° F. in much of the region, but they range from 40° F in

the nortn to 60 F. m the south. The freeze-free season ranges from 100 days in the north to 200 days in the south.

Chestnut soils are dominant over much of the region, but Brown soils are important in the west. Lithosols on

the more sloping parts of the dissected areas, Regosols in sands, and Alluvial soils on flood plains are also extensive. Less extensive, but important locally, are Grumusols in heavy clays and Solonetz soils in depressions and on

terraces.

A large part of the region is in range; some wheat is produced by dryfarming methods, mainly along the

eastern margin. Irrigation agriculture is practiced along some of the major rivers. Forage and grain for Hvestock

are the principal crops on irrigated land; potatoes, sugar beets, and vegetable crops are important locally

17

58—Northern Rolling High Plains

Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, and North Dakota

66,400 square miles

Land Use: More than four-fifths of the land is in

ranches ; most of the remainder is owned by the Federal Government. Nearly three-fourths of the area

is in native grasses and shrubs grazed by cattle and

sheep. Gently sloping deep soils, amounting to4 or

5 percent of the area, are dryfarmed to wheat. Narrow strips of land along the Yellowstone River and

one or two of its tributaries are irrigated. Sugar

beets, potatoes, vegetables, alfalfa, other hay crops,

and feed grains are the principal crops; some of the

land is in tame pasture. The upper slopes and tops

of some of the higher buttes are in open woodland of

western red cedar.

Elevation and Topography: 3,000 to 6,000 feet,

rising gradually from east to west and from north to

south. This dissected plain is underlain by shales

and sandstones. Slopes are mostly rolling to steep,

and wide belts of steeply sloping badlands bordera

few of the larger river valleys. Local relief is mainly

in several tens toa few hundreds of feet. In places

flat-topped steep-sided buttes rise sharply above the

general level of the plain.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—12 to 16

inches, fluctuating widely from year to year; highest

in spring and early autumn; winter precipitation is

snow. Average annual temperature—40° to 45° F.

Average freeze-free period—120 to 140 days.

Water: The low and erratic rainfall is the principal

source of water for agriculture. Water for livestock

is stored in small reservoirs but supplies are too small

for any significant amount of irrigation. Irrigation

water in quantity is available only along the Yellowstone River and one or two of its larger tributaries.

Ground water is scarce in most of the area, but locally

sand and gravel deposits and coal beds yield small

to moderate amounts.

Soil: Lithosols (Lismas, Bainville, Midway, and

Flasher) are the major soils in much of the area.

Chestnut soils (Morton, Chama, Vebar, and Regent)

in the east and Brown soils (Cushman, Renohill,

Terry, and Treasure) in the west are on the smoother

upland slopes. Locally conspicuous but of small total

extent are Gray Wooded soils on the higher butte tops

and Solonetz soils (Rhoades, Winnett, and Arvada)

on nearly level to gentle slopes. Alluvial soils (Havre,

Lohmiller, and Banks) in narrow bands along the

major rivers are intensively farmed in many places.

About one-eighth of the area is rough broken land

or badlands having little or no soil cover.

19
m fl^

JW~ ,_ . Mr

i

£!>. . X btWa ^

5^ »

i

M' -'HB

w

<^f^^'JÊtL ' 'f'^Musril

J9-«» .r

tov^ #;. UK 7;' •>" ^

1»^/^

^Kl Í '' 1 J

^

il- '^^r.iij^Ä

": 99-ij'9 Híjí^ .«'T

0<)-iJ9-NZr

^:C~

351-'JJ9-SZï; b

Mi^^B'¥.iMMi

fr i^, --J

* ¿¿6*I^49-»IZ^^-. _Í4

»:

nJ .» J

Zil-'fjS

W"'^h 1

»*.

{¿THiifNZ«

iPl^'

.i»*,V..

tel^

Laiiil Hesuuice Area 59

McCone Co., Mont. September 1965.

Index Sheet 7 of 10. P. ASCS. 1:63,360.

^^H

^^M

k'w»

vv^ r^T^M^y.'V. '^ -. J,^ / •

V

^^^i 7 7'

m>^.^V >^ J i,u /

-' 1 WJ3Í -HZ» ./

>¥5 '. i< s

MK'' ^ ^> r^^ i '^'Jl^

^ 1 fci^Jj

^^->

-

5¿T-JJ5-NZV-59-9I

»-JJ9-NZV-59-Í-6

^/'w

/ Ni! .-JJ9-NZV

—

-

F <L J fe <

1 r V _£

-—?

iSki J«

«1

Éi^-

-^ 11wm

mi

1

Mtt^!

wlSá^l^'^

»^•j

ira

ijiri

iljjr^iy3|

VJ,} v**A

-ÍTT-J^í-Ní» íí-JJÍ-MÍ»
59

—Northern Smooth High Plains

Montana

9,000 square miles

Land Use: Much of the land is in farms and ranches;

about one-fifth is owned by the Federal Government.

About three-fifths of the area is grazed by cattle and

sheep. Most of the grazing land is native range, but

small areas are irrigated and in tame pasture. Nearly

one-fifth of the area is dryfarmed. Wheat is the

main cash crop, and feed grains and hay are also

important.

Elevation and Topography: 3,000 to 3,500 feet.

The upland divides on these moderately dissected

shale plains are fairly broad and the valley walls are

steep. The bottom lands in the few stream valleys

are narrow. Local relief ranges froma few tens of

feet to one or two hundred feet.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—12 to 16

inches; highest from late spring to early autumn;

winter precipitation is snow. Average annual temperature—40° to 42° F. Average freeze-free period

—120 days.

Water: Agriculture depends almost wholly on the

relatively low and erratic rainfall. There are few

perennial streams and little water is available for

irrigation. Ground water is also scarce.

Soil: Brown spils (Cushman and Scobey) are dominant on the gentler slopes with deeper soil cover and

Chestnut soils (Chama) on the moister parts at higher

elevations, especially in the east. The most extensive

soils are Lithosols iBainville and Flasher) on hilly

and steep slopes. Regos.ols (Zahl) occur in small

areas of glacial till in the east and Solonetz soils

(Winnett and Gilt Edge) on nearly level to gentle

slopes throughout.

21
>¿^'\.
60—Pierre Shale Plains and Badlands

South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana

13,500 square miles

Land Use: Much of the land is in farms and ranches,

and about one-fifth is owned by the Federal Government. Nearly three-fourths of the area is in range

of native grasses and shrubs grazed by cattle and

sheep. Many ranches have small areas of irrigated

or tame pasture. Between5 and 10 percent of the

land, mostly gently sloping deep soils in the east, is

dryfarmed. Wheat is the main cash crop, but feed

grains and hay are grown as well.

Elevation and Topography: 2,500 to 5,000 feet,

increasing from east to west. This dissected shale

plain has undulating to gently rolling narrow divides

and hilly to steep valley walls. Bands of badland

topography border most of the larger stream valleys.

Local relief is in several tens toa few hundreds of

feet.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—11 to 16

inches; highest from midspring to early autumn;

winter precipitation is snow. Average annual temperature—About 45° F. Average freeze-free period

—115 to 140 days.

Water: Water is scarce throughout the area. The

low rainfall limits agriculture to grazing. Ground

water is scarce and of poor quality.

Soil: Chestnut soils (Pierre and Rosebud) are the

major soils on gentle slopes, but Lithosols (Lismas

and Midway) on steeper slopes are more extensive.

Large areas of badlands or of rough broken land

having little or no soil cover border some of the valleys. Solonetz soils (Rhoades and Arvada) occupy

level to gentle slopes and Brown soils (Cushman.

Renohill, and Briggsdale) gentle slopes in the driest

parts in the west.

^ ^íT!®'—"r.'i^'mf

^> *i»

23
ni: ü-,
** 61—Black Hills Foot Slopes

South Dakota and Wyoming

5,200 square miles

Land Use : Two-thirds or more of the area is in tarm?,

ranches, or other private holdings; the remainder is

owned by the Federal Government. Half or more of

the area is in range of native grasses or shrubs grazed

by cattle and sheep. The higher hills, amounting to

less than 10 percent of the area, are in open woodland

that hasa grass ground cover. This woodland produces some timber and is also used for grazing. Between 5 and 10 percent of the area is dryfarmed, and

small areas in some valleys are irrigated.

Elevation and Topography : 2,700 feet to more

than 5,000 feet. Slopes of these dissected mountain

foothills are mostly hilly to steep, but on the narrow

ridgetops and in the narrow valleys slopes are gentle.

The area is crossed by many streams flowing out of

the Black Hills ina radial pattern. Local relief is in

several tens of feet toa few hundreds of feet.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—16 to 18

inches; highest from midspring to early autumn; winter precipitation is snow. Average annual temperature—About 45° F. Average freeze-free period—

115 to 140 days.

Water: The area depends mainly on the relatively

low rainfall for water. Streamflow provides water for

livestock and reservoirs ona few of the major rivers

water for irrigation. Ground water is scarce and of

poor quality.

Soil: Detailed information is lacking for much of the

area. Chestnut soils (Pierre, Promise, Grail, Vale,

and Fergus) are the principal soils. Lithosols (Lismas and Spearfish) occupy the steep slopes bordering

many of the valleys and rough stony land, some of the

steeper slopes.

25

62—Black Hills

South Dakota and Wyoming

2,200 square miles

Land Use: Most of the area is in forest used for

recreation and timber production. Small areas of

open woodland havinga grass ground cover provide

a small amount of grazing.

Elevation and Topography: 4,000 feet to more

than 7,000 feet. The central mountain core of metamorphic and igneous rocks is surrounded by a dissected plateau that is mostly limestone. Slopes are

mainly steep and hilly but those of the plateau remnants are rolling. The radial drainage is considered a classic example of this pattern. Local relief is in

several hundreds of feet.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—16 to 24

inches; highest from midspring to early autumn.

Average annual temperature—40° to 45° F. Average freeze-free period—100 to 120 days.

Water: The moderate rainfall is the principal source

of water. Some of the larger perennial streams provide water for livestock and for recreation. Ground

water is scarce.

Soil: Detailed information is lacking. Rough stony

land and Lithosols (Spearfish and Laporte) are dominant on the more rugged mountain slopes and Gray

Wooded soils (Edloe) on forested slopes. Chernozems and Chestnut soils are tlie principal soils on the

lower slopes in open woods.

27

63—Rolling Pierre Shale Plains

South Dakota and Nebraska

13,700 square miles

Land Use: Most of the area is in farms and ranches

but between5 and 10 percent is owned by the Federal

Government. About three-fourths of the area is in

native range grazed by cattle and sheep. About onefifth of the land is dryfarmed. Winter wheat is the

main crop; feed grains and forage for livestock are

grown also.

Elevation and Topography: 1,800 to 3,000 feet,

rising gradually from east to west. Ridgetops on

this dissected shale and clay plain are undulating and

relatively narrow; side slopes are hilly to steep. The

steep-walled valleys have very narrow flood plains.

Local relief ranges from several tens of feet to one

or two hundred feet or more.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—15 to 20

inches; highest from midspring to midautumn; winter precipitation is low and falls as snow. Average

annual temperature—40° to 50° F. Average freezefree period—140 to 160 days.

Water: The area depends almost entirely on the relatively low and somewhat erratic rainfall. The few

perennial streams have very wide seasonal fluctuations in flow. Ground water is scarce and of poor

quality.

Soil: Chestnut soils (Pierre and Promise) are most

extensive but there are some Chernozems (Boyd)

on moister sites and Lithosols (Lismas) on the more

sloping parts.

29
Í5Z7991-^V5

r¿fB.

>* i / !

J

1

ill 'Sfr ^: ¿f-99i-r* '

9DI-)IÏ3

i,ii-33I-MïD,_jù^1—*L-j V:'" L35. ''^^'

M *# •>« »_il ** .*, --'^

Â/JItPU' I. á^^^^^ I^Ei^' «IHMí ^'"^'^ ^

H.'

W^'*fjí'*\ w .

: ir: :n¿«n»

1 Hí ^BrM^ " 1

1 ^y^" ' '^^

1

"fimv

1 -»w^- » 1 ^'/. W*«^. j

¡JU •:.* P

I*X""*WBÍA :.^« mr.

'".' r- «r v^

' *" ' IL '- **' ^'-"i

2-9Dl->l«5

0tl-99l-X»Q

.W.

¡y:

r^ S^/ r y

1

S"

^^1ít\ÍSí^% íri I^^H' BSn^^fl^^K

mm BMMg HRMf Hfli^

j^^M"n« SPI TjKß^

^^BIE«*^

1

HH•

L£L: WlÉ^tk

1 ll»C:>'

¿¿-99Í-TÍ

' 1

1 ^^^' , III ^111

J

0'

M

'JTIM

iX^^

íTíí^ví'^^ ;<•-'- P^Ä"i

^^^in*^ \ te ¡e_

'J 'i^ «

è

^aUl 1

ÉÏM^''ï'- g

_j_

^M« t.«n-.

ÇT ..-'I*'X*

1^>-g^

«ÍV^Jfc* ^

Land Resource Area 64

Box Butte Co., Nebr. July 1966.

Index Sheet 4 of I. ASCS. 1:63,360.

'„;-LLi-yv3-99-9;-¿

5i-S5€-MV0-99-St-8

" 3

ikii
64—Mixed Sandy and Silty Tableland

South Dakota and Nebraska

5,700 square miles

Land Use : Nearly all the land is in farms and ranches.

About one-half of the area is in native grasses grazed

by cattle and sheep. Nearly one-third is cropland.

In the southwest cash-grain farming, principally winter wheat, is the major enterprise; elsewhere feed and

forage for livestock are the main crops.

Elevation and Topography: 3,000 to 4,000 feet,

increasing gradually from east to west. This level

to gently sloping tableland is cut by narrow steepwalled valleys. Along the southern edge, deep sands

have irregular rolling to hilly dune topography.

Local relief is mainly ina few feet toa few tens of

feet but is greater along the valleys.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—15 to 18

inches; highest in the freeze-free period; winter precipitation is snow. Average annual temperature—

45° to 48° F. Average freeze-free period—About

140 days.

Water: Most of the area depends on the rather low

and erratic rainfall for water. Ground water is

scarce and of poor quality in most of the area; locally

sands and gravels yield moderate to large amounts of

good water.

Soil: Chestnut soils (Keith, Rosebud, and Anselmo)

from silty or fine sandy materials are dominant.

Bands of Lithosols (Epping and Canyon), rough

broken land, and badlands border the major drainageways. Regosols (Valentine) in deep sands and Alluvial soils (Havre) on flood plains are locally conspicuous but of small total extent.

31

CA1-4B.B-111

65—Nebraska Sand Hills

Nebraska

20,000 square miles

Land Use: Nearly all the land is in large ranches,

and most of it is in native grass grazed by livestock.

Small areas along the streams are used to grow hay

and other feed crops.

Elevation and Topography: 2,000 to 4,000 feet,

rising gradually from east to west. Most of the area

consists of stabilized old sand dunes having rolling to

steep irregular slopes. There are many scattered

small level depressions. Streams are few, but there

are many ponds, small lakes, and marshes in the

deeper depressions. Local relief is in several tens

of feet to about 150 feet.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—17 to 23

inches; about three-fourths falls from midspring to

midautumn; winter precipitation is snow. Average

annual temperature—47° to 50° F. Average freezefree period—140 to 160 days.

Water: Rangeland depends on rainfall for water.

The many small lakes and ponds provide water for

livestock. Ground water is abundant and of good

quality; it meets domestic requirements and part of

the livestock and other needs.

Soil: Stabilized dunes that have little evidence of

soil formation except a slight darkening of the upper

2 or 3 inches occupy nearly one-third of the area.

Much of the remaining area consists of Regosols

(Valentine) that have a thicker and darker surface

layer. Humic Gley soils (Gannett and Loup) are in

depressions among the dunes and along flood plains

of the larger streams.

33

ROL- ÍÜD-139IB

66—Dakota-Nebraska Eroded Tableland

South Dakota and Nebraska

4,700 square miles

Land Use : Nearly all the land is in farms and ranches,

and more than three-fourths of it is in range of native

grasses. Beef cattle are the principal livestock, but

sheep are raised in the west. Between 10 and 20 percent of the area is cropland. Forage and feed grains

are the major crops, and some wheat is grown for

sale.

Elevation and Topography: 2,000 to 3,000 feet,

increasing gradually from east to west. These undulating to rolling uplands are underlain by calcareous sandstones. Steep slopes border the valleys of

most streams. Local relief is from a few tens of feet

to 100 feet or more.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—18 to 24

inches; highest from midspring to midautumn; winter precipitation is snow. Average annual temperature—47° to 50° F. Average freeze-free period—

140 to 160 days.

Water: Crops and range depend mainly on rainfall

for water. Ground water is scarce and of poor quality. But along the southern fringe, windblown sands

yield an abundance of ground water and the high

water table supplies moisture for crops. In these

areas wells supply water for livestock.

Soil: Sandy and silty Chernozems (Holt and Moody)

occupy most of the gentle slopes and clayey Chernozems (Boyd) the rolling hills. Brunizems (Thurman) are in sandy areas with better moisture supplies

and Regosols (Valentine) on the more sloping sandy

areas.

nv«: - 9^ »i

is

35

67—Central High Plains

Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska

33,100 square miles

Land Use: Nearly all the land is in farms and ranches.

About three-fifths is in range of native short and mid

grasses grazed by cattle and sheep. About one-fourth

of the area is dryfarmed. Wheat is the major crop;

sorghum, broomcorn, dry beans, corn, feed grains,

and hay are grown on large acreages. About5

percent of the area is irrigated. Corn, alfalfa, sugar

beets, and vegetables are the major irrigated crops.

Wet areas on flood plains are in meadows used for

hay or pasture.

Elevation and Topography: 3,500 to 6,000 feet,

increasing gradually from east to west. These undulating to rolling plains have been moderately dissected by streams. Steep slopes border the valleys of

the larger streams and also the edges of isolated

mesas. The dunes bordering some of the valleys

have rolling to hilly irregular topography. Local

relief is mainly ina few tens of feet to 100 or 200

feet.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—13 to 17

inches; highest in midspring and late autumn. Average annual temperature—45° to 50° F. in most of

the area, increasing to 55° F. in the extreme south.

Average freeze-free period—120 to 160 days in most

of the area but as long as 180 days in the extreme

south.

Water: Rangeland and cropland depend largely on

the low and erratic rainfall for water. Over much

of the area sands and gravels yield adequate supplies

of ground water for livestock and for domestic and

other uses. Where shalp bedrock is near the surface,

ground water is scarce and commonly of poor quality.

Irrigation water is obtained mostly from the larger

rivers; locally wells provide some irrigation water.

Soil: Brown soils (Stoneham, Baca, Vona, and Fort

Collins) are dominant on smooth slopes over most of

the area and Chestnut soils (Rosebud, Altvan, Weld,

Plainer, and Keith) on smooth slopes where moisture

supplies are more favorable, mainly in the north and

east. Lithosols (Canyon, Epping, Lismas, an-d Midway] are dominant on steep slopes bordering stream

valleys and along the edges of mesas. Regosols

(Dwyer, Valentine, and Colby) are in deep sands

and silts with hilly to steep topography and Alluvial

soils (Bridgeport, Lohmiller, Havre, and Banks) on

narrow flood plains of the larger streams.

37
-#-7^

iJif"

-iîîiyt*

»M

ÍM '«^ffl

Sír».h-,

•3 Öl

i.ca.,

'^^.'

^3i!

tliA¿í-^.-l

w%^ßmA\ ■■

aÈfeâ--"^"
B^JÉD-b9

68—Irrigated Upper Platte River Valley

Colorado

3,000 square miles

Land Use: Most of the land is in farms and ranches,

but more and more areas near Denver and other cities

along the western edge are being diverted to urban

use. More than half of the area is cropped. Corn,

sugar beets, potatoes, melons, and vegetables for canning are grown under intensive management on much

of the irrigated land, buta large acreage is in grass,

hay, and pasture. Unirrigated cropland is dryfarmed

to wheat and other grains. The more sloping and

shallow soils, amounting to one-third or more of the

area, are in grass and brush used for grazing.

Elevation and Topography : 4,500 to 5,300 feet,

increasing gradually from east to west. Several broad

valleys cross this undulating to gently rolling silt- and

outwash-mantled plain. Steep slopes are confined to

relatively narrow bands alonga few large valleys.

Local relief is mainly ina few tens of feet.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—13 to 15

inches, fluctuating widely from year to year. Average annual temperature~^-A5)° F. Average freeze-free

period—120 to 160 days.

Water: Water for irrigation is obtained mainly from

the South Platte River anda few of its larger tributaries but the supply is supplemented by water

diverted from the western slopes of the Rockies.

Dryfarming areas depend on the low and erratic

rainfall. Ground water is abundant in deep sands

and gravels and is adequate for domestic, livestock,

and municipal use and for some irrigation. Where

shale bedrock is near the surface, ground water is

scarce and of poor quality.

Soil: Brown soils (Fort Collins, Terry, and Greeley)

and Chestnut soils (Weld, Platner, and Nunn) are the

principal soils on the smooth silt-mantled uplands,

fans, and tewaces and Lithosols (Lismas) on the more

sloping areas. Alluvial soils (Havre, Las, and Wann)

on flood plains and younger fans are among the more

important soils for crops. Regosols (Valentine and

Colby) are in deposits of windblown sands and silts

on steep slopes.

39

69—Upper Arkansas Valley Rolling Plains

Colorado

12,200 square miles

Land Use : Nearly all the land is in farms and ranches.

Almost three-fourths of the area is in native short

grasses used for grazing. Flood plains and terraces

along the Arkansas River,5 to 10 percent of the

area, are irrigated. Alfalfa, sugar beets, grain sorghum, melons, seed crops, corn, small grains, onions,

and other vegetables are the more extensive crops.

Land that is flooded frequently and soils that are

strongly affected by salts are used for grazing. Between 5 and 10 percent of the area is dryfarmed.

Winter wheat, dry beans, and grain sorghum are the

main crops.

Elevation and Topography: 3,500 to 6,200 feet,

increasing gradually from east to west. These undulating to rolling shale plains are mantled by loess or

windblown sand, alluvium, and outwash in many

places. Wide bands of steep slopes border several

of the larger tributaries of the Arkansas River. I^cal

relief is mostly less than 50 feet but is as much as one

or two hundred feet in some of the rougher parts.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—10 to 15

inches; fluctuates widely from year to year; highest

from midspring through late autumn. Average annual temperature—About 50° F. Average freezefree period—140 to 160 days.

Water : Rangeland depends on the low and erratic rainfall. The Arkansas River and one or two of its

larger tributaries provide water for irrigation along

their valleys. Ground water in the deeper sands and

gravels provides water for livestock and domestic and

other uses over much of the area and locally some

water for irrigation. Ground water is scarce in the

large areas where shale bedrock is near the surface.

Soil: Regospls (Minnequa and Manvel) are the dominant soils on the silt-mantled uplands and terraces

and Brown soils (Vona and Baca) in areas where

precipitation is slightly higher. Other Regosols (Tivoli and Dwyer) occupy the sloping to roUing sandy

areas and Alluvial soils (Las Animas and Havre) the

flood plains, terraces, and younger alluvial fans;

these Alluvial soils are affected by salts in many

places. Lithosols (Penrose, Travessilla, and Lismas)

and rough broken land occur on the fairly wide

bands of steep slopes bordering the valleys of several

tributaries of the Arkansas River.

41
Land Resource Area 70

Torrance Co., N. Mex. June 1966.

Index Sheet 6 of 9. P. ASCS. 1:63,360.
70—Pecos-Canadian Plains and Valleys

New Mexico and Colorado

28,900 square miles

Land Use: Most of the land is in farms, ranches, or

other private holdings; about 10 percent is owned

by the Federal Government. More than three-fourths

of the area is in range, and cattle and sheep grazing

is the principal enterprise. Range at lower elevations

consists of short and mid grasses and brush and at

higher elevations of open pinyon-juniper woodland

that has a grass understory. Some of the northern

and eastern slopes of the high mesas in the north are

covered by forest, but the total forested area is small.

About 3 percent of the area is cropland. Where

moisture supplies are more favorable, mainly in the

west and north, the deeper soils are dryfarmed.

Beans, small grains, and grain sorghum are the principal crops; some hay is grown and some land is in

pasture. Small tracts in some of the valleys and on

the uplands are irrigated, partly from wells and partly

from reservoirs. Sugar beets, forage, and feed grains

are the principal crops.

Elevation and Topography: 4,000 to 6,500 feet,

increasing gradually from southeast to northwest, a

few mesas and mountains 8,000 feet or more. Most

of the slopes of this dissected high plain are gentle

to rolling, but bands of steep slopes and fough broken

land border the stream valleys. A few isolated mountains, mesas, and canyon walls have steep to very

steep slopes. Valley floors are mostly narrow and

much cut by stream channels. Local relief is mainly

in a few tens of feet but is as much as several hundred

feet in some of the rougher parts.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—12 to 16

inches, fluctuating widely from year to year; highest

from late spring to late autumn. Average annual

temperature—50° to 60° F. Average freeze-free

period—160 to 200 days, decreasing from southeast

to northwest.

Water: Because of the low and erratic rainfall and

the few perennial streams, water is scarce throughout

the area. Ground water in deep sands and gravels

in the north and from limestone in the southern twothirds of the area provides water for domestic use

and livestock and locally for irrigation. Where shale

and sandstone are near the surface, ground water is

scarce.

Soil: Shallow soils and soils having weakly expressed

profiles are widespread—Lithosols (Apache, Penrose,

Potter, Laporte, and Travessilla), rough broken land,

and rockland on gentle to moderate slopes of uplands,

and Regosols (Tivoli and Preston) in deep sands.

Reddish-Brown soils (Carnero, Witt, and Alamo) are

on the smoother uplands throughout most of the area,

but Reddish Chestnut soils and Chestnut soils (La

Brier and Paiso) are in the deeper materials in the

north. Calcisols (Quay and Harvey) are of small

total extent but are important locally.

43
CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS WINTER WHEAT

AND RANGE REGION

Central Nebraska Loess Hills

Central High Tableland

Rolling Plains and Breaks

Central Kansas Sandstone Hills

Central Loess Plains

Bluestem Hills

Southern High Plains

Central Rolling Red Plains

Great Bend Sand Plains

Central Rolling Red Prairies
H—CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS WINTER WHEAT AND RANGE REGION

219,900 square miles

Soils, topography, and climate are more favorable for agriculture in this region than in the Great Plains

to the north and west. The longer freeze-free season permits a greater variety of crops to be grown than in the

northern Great Plains. The average annual precipitation is 20 to 30 inches over much of the region but ranges

from 15 to 35 inches, increasing from northwest to southeast. More rain falls during summer than in the rest

of the year. Average annual temperatures are 50° to 65° F., increasing from north to south. The freeze-free

season is 170 to 180 days in most of the region but ranges from 150 to 240 days, increasing in length from north to

south.

The important soils in the north are in the Chernozem and Chestnut groups. Reddish Prairie soils and Reddish

Chestnut soils are extensive in the south. Lithosols on steep slopes, Regosols in deep sands, and Alluvial soils on

flood plains are common throughout the region.

Cash-grain farming with wheat as the principal crop is the major agricultural enterprise on most of the better

soils. Grain sorghum is grown in many of the drier areas. In the south where the freeze-free period exceeds

200 days, cotton is grown extensively under irrigation from wells. The steeply sloping shallow and sandy soils

are used for range.

45
-1^

i

iñ

Ùs. IHI

^

. ''i^irBS?^-

í

' J

^äp

lí?-334-ili,s i'^

-^HV, . r -'•O' ,

ËM^1 ■■

t?^

IT2-3H--«ia_

.•*4 <ííZ-33V' "~ SU-33Í-ÜPIB

ÎI

1^

fcíC'rí

S6I-Í<i.->

l^í^r-f

-if V

.^r-í«-^]

MW

Z*Z-335-aill8

'/

ai

!^Ä^/í7^ >j

♦♦2-335Íill(8 t

9<r2-33*-ai(fl

/M-^*^.—^

<!'í?-33'!-ilwa

Land Resource Area 71

Custer Co., Nebr. September 1964.

Index Sheet 6 of 9. P. ASCS. 1:63,360.

i

""mM

j. í ^J33í-i,||^

,, . 8^-33-7-11112

f'^ibfiä*^--^^r.41^^=^'"^--^- ^'^^/<.., ,:.

-333-ÍIA6-fS-82-b |

oI-BB^-MWe-fS-H-b
71—Central Nebraska Loess Hills

Nebraska

8,000 square miles

Land Use: Nearly all the land is in farms and ranches

and almost two-fifths of it is dryfarmed. Winter

wheat is the major cash crop, but corn, grain sorghum, other feed grains, and hay occupy large acreages. Between 5 and 10 percent of the total area, consisting of flood plains and terraces along the Platte

River and its larger tributaries, is irrigated. Corn

and forage are the principal crops, and some sugar

beets, seed crops, and potatoes are grown. About

one-half of the area is in native grasses used for

grazing.

Elevation and Topography: 1,500 to 2,500 feet,

increasing from east to west. Undulating to gently

rolling loess-mantled narrow ridgetops are separated

by steep slopes bordering drainageways. The large

streams have wide level flood plains and adjoining

terraces. Local relief is in several tens of feet to one

or two hundred feet.

Oimate: Average annual precipitation—20 to 25

inches; highest from spring through autumn with

the maximum in late spring to early summer. Average annual temperature—About 50° F. Average

freeze-free period—150 to 160 days, increasing from

west to east.

Water: Over most of the area both crops and pasture

depend on the low and erratic rainfall. The larger

rivers provide water for irrigation along their valleys.

Over much of the area ground water is abundant and

of good quality; it meets domestic and livestock needs

and is used locally for irrigation.

Soil: Chernozems (Holdrege, Hastings, Hall, and

Hord) are dominant on gentle slopes of uplands and

terraces and Regosols (Colby) on steep slopes. Solonetz soils (Exline) occupy small nearly level areas on

terraces; their total area is small but they are conspicuous and afl^ect the use and management of adjacent soils.

47
Kiiini .• "k.. .1 ^^ 1 »

j-'i-j PI y. . '-^

L -. ^7~„ ,^ -. ro - r r JÊn

1 . i

' ''^' Il

f.^

\-XaU . «ai.:.

M^

WMr-

-*? 'i •J^^'l

C^^ îJ

nii

4 1 HI

O*

1 Ml î

rt]

1

1 1 1

lë'^.

r^'

csi'^J

Lt¿^^^

If^^'^^^^AM mXM

:iy>^«m:

.1

£ 1 "¿Im 'm

|i%£iH^lt<l

I

ÎTi -r' ■■ u. *

CJ 1 1 i1

k- -fc

Land Resource Area 72

Wichita Co., Kans. July 1%5.

Index Sheet lof 4. ASCS. 1:63,360.

G' ''"IHIL SL^

r

o

1.

EMJL
72—Central High Tableland

Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado

33,900 square miles

Land Use: Nearly all the land is in farms and ranches

and three-fifths or more is cropland. This isa major

dryfarming area. Winter wheat is the main cash

crop, but other small grains, grain sorghum, some

corn, and alfalfa and other hay crops occupy large

acreages. Many kinds of crops are grown on the

narrow bands of irrigated land along the Platte, Republican, and Arkansas Rivers. One-third or more

of the area, consisting of hilly and steep slopes bordering drainageways, is in native grasses and shrubs

used for grazing.

Elevation and Topography: 2,000 to 4,000 feet,

increasing from east to west. On this smooth loessmantled tableland slopes are mostly undulating to

gently rolling, but the major valleys are bordered by

steep slopes. The Arkansas and Platte Rivers anda

few of their larger tributaries have broad level flood

plains and terraces. Local relief in the uplands is in a few feet to a few tens of feet, but valleys are 100

feet or more below the general level of the upland.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—16 to 21

inches, fluctuating widely from year to year; highest

from late spring through early autumn; winter precipitation is snow. Average annual temperature—

50° to 57° F. Average freeze-free period—170 to

185 days, increasing .from northwest to southeast.

Water: Crops and pastures on uplands depend on the

low and erratic rainfall. Irrigation water obtained

from the Arkansas, Republican, and Platte Rivers is

used along their valleys. Over most of the area

ground water of good quality is adequate for domestic and livestock needs and is used locally for irrigation. Where shales are near the surface, ground

water is scarce.

Soil: Chestnut soils (Keith, Rosebud, Richfield, and

Anselmo) on the smoother loess-mantled uplands and

terraces occupy half or more of the area. Regosols'

(Colby on steep loess-mantled slopes and Tivoli and

Valentine in deep sands) are also important. Lithosols (Canyon and Potter) are on steep slopes bordering the large streams.

49
j-^ vw^sv r ¡

Hi

fi

^m¡-

i^^f^ *

v:

^"^-

• A

fym\i0.

fi m

f*

,#r;;*.'^:

Ml '

.1 :1* \

x|^

v

0 D MiIk.

mi= , ii;-. -S â

Î '-^

läüLMf^

l^l^^^K^^^^H^

' "^

f'i

^

aP^M

^^^^Hke^ HMI^IíV^Í^

Land Resource Area 73

Russell Co., Kans. October 1965.

Index Sheet 3 of 4. ASCS. 1:63,360.

'^«^^KB, ^*y'JPJ

ñ Ï

fi

i:^'

w-
73—Rolling Plains and Breaks

Kansas and Nebraska

17,700 square miles

Land Use: Nearly all the area is in farms and about

three-fifths is dryfarmed cropland. Winter wheat

and grain sorghum are the major crops over much

of the area, and corn is important in the north. Feed

grains and hay are other major crops. About2 percent of the area, mostly in narrow bands of bottom

land and terraces along the Republican and Platte

Rivers and their major tributaries, is irrigated.

Corn, alfalfa, small grains, and hay occupy much

of the irrigated land, and some potatoes and vegetables are grown. One-third or more of the area is

in native grasses used for grazing.

Elevation and Topography: 1,500 to 3,000 feet,

increasing from east to west. These dissected plains

have broad undulating to rolling ridgetops and hilly

to steeply sloping valley sides. Valleys are generally

narrow, but the Republican River and its larger

tributaries have broad flood plains and terraces. Local relief is in a few tens of feet to one or two hundred

feet.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—20 to 25

inches; highest from midspringto early autumn; winter precipitation is snow. Average annual temperature—50° to 55° F. Average freeze-free period—

150 to 180 days, increasing from northwest to southeast.

Water: In most of the area crops and pastures depend on the moderate and erratic rainfall. The

Republican and Platte Rivers and their larger tributaries provide water for irrigation along their valleys.

Abundant ground water for irrigation and other

uses is obtained from deep wells in the north, but

ground water is scarce in the south where shale and

limestone are near the surface.

Soil: Chernozems (Holdrege, Hastings, and Crete)

in moderate to deep loess cover much of the area.

Regosols (Colby) are on the steep slopes bordering

many of the vafleys and Alluvial soils (Humbarger,

Carr, Hobbs, and Leshara) on flood plains of the

larger streams.

51

-Central Kansas Sandstone Hills

Kansas

4,700 square miles

Land Use : Most of the land is in farms and more than

one-half is cropland. Winter wheat is the principal

crop; grain sorghum, hay, small grains, and corn

are other important crops. Recently some land along

the large rivers has been irrigated. Crops are about

the same as in the unirrigated areas although more

corn is grown and less wheat. About one-third of

the area is in range of native grasses grazed by cattle.

Elevation and Topography: 1,300 to 1,800 feet,

increasing from east to west. Local relief on this

undulating to hilly dissected plain is in several tens

of feet toa few hundred feet. The larger rivers have

wide flood plains and terraces, but the small streams

have narrow bottom lands.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—25 to 28

inches; highest from spring through autumn with the

maximum in midsummer. Average annual temperature—54° to 56° F. Average freeze-free period—

170 to 180 days.

Water: The moderate rainfall is generally adequate

for crops and pasture if moisture is carefully conserved. The larger streams can supply water for

irrigation but most of them have not been so used.

Ground-water supplies meet domestic and livestock

needs in most of the area and are used locally for

irrigation. In the areas in the east where shales are

near the surface, ground water is scarce.

Soil: Brunizems (Lancaster) are the dominant soils

on gentle slopes of the sandsone uplands and Lithosols (Hedville and Cloud) on hilly and steep slopes

of ridges and valley sides. Chernozems (Ebenezer

and Berg) are on silt-mantled ridgetops and foot

slopes, mainly in the east, and Alluvial soils (Hobbs

and Humbarger) on flood plains of the larger rivers.

53

-2CC 4»

75—Central Loess Plains

Nebraska and Kansas

13,700 square miles

Land Use: Nearly all the land is in farms and about

two-thirds is cropland. Hard winter wheat and

grain sorghum are the main cash crops but other

small grains and hay occupy large acreages. Corn

isa major crop in the north. Corn and other feed

grains are grown ona narrow band of irrigated land

along the Platte River in the northwest. About onefourth of the land is in range or pasture grazed by

beef cattle.

Elevation and Topography: 1,500 to 2,000 feet,

increasing from east to west. This nearly level to

gently rolling plain is mantled by loess except in the

part south of central Kansas, which is underlain by

unconsolidated sediments and soft sandstones and

shales. Stream valleys are mostly narrow and are not

deeply incised. Relief is ina few feet toa few tens

of feet.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—25 to 30

inches; highest from midspring to midautumn; the

low winter precipitation is snow. Average annual

temperature—50° to 58° F., increasing from north

to south. Average freeze-free period—160 to 190

days.

Water: Grain crops and pasture depend on the moderate but somewhat erratic rainfall for moisture. In

the northwest, the Platte River furnishes some water

for irrigation. Ground water that is hard but otherwise of good quality is abundant in the sands and

gravels underlying much of the area. Where shales

and clays are near the surface, ground water is scarce.

Soil: Chernozems (Crete, Hastings, Nuckolls, and

Kipp) are dominant on gentle to rolling slopes of the

loess-mantled uplands and terraces; Planosols (Butler, Goessel, and Fillmore) are on the associated level

areas. In the south Brunizems (Irwin and Ladysmith) are on nearly level and gently sloping uplands.

Regosols (Colby) are on strongly sloping valley sides

and Alluvial soils (Humbarger, Hobbs, Carr, and

Volin) on flood plains.

Mm

55
>íB:*^- .J.< p H 't,

^írr-

(^\^'>^-¿^4

áW* {

.l^-^^ivlk^'^

^llUí^

^ ; '^^

^yr»if>«r;

a^*^ f .r

' ^>

¡íí^l^

Land Resource Area 76

Chase Co., Kans. June 1963.

I n,l,x Slu-et 4 of 4. ASCS. 1: 63,360.

^^--x..

SÄV
76—Bluestem Hills

Kansas and Oklahoma

10^00 square miles

Land Use : Nearly all the land is in farms and ranches

and about three-fifths is in native grasses grazed by

beef cattle. Nearly one-fifth of the area, mainly the

deeper soils in valleys and on some of the uplands, is

cropland. Although some winter wheat is grown asa

cash crop, other small grains, grain sorghum, alfalfa,

and other hay are the major crops. The same crops

are grown on small irrigated areas along the Arkansas

River.

Elevation and Topography: 1,000 to 1,500 feet.

These' dissected limestone and shale uplands have

narrow divides and narrow steep-sided valleys. Only a few large streams have any significant area of flood

plains. Local relief is commonly in several tens of

feet to two or three hundred feet.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—30 to 35

inches; highest from midspring through 'early autumn. Average annual temperature—54° to 60° F.

Average freeze-free period—Mainly 170 to 190 days

but slightly more than 200 days in the south.

Water: The moderate rainfall provides water for

pastures and crops. Much of the water for livestock

is stored in small reservoirs and ponds. Shallow wells

yield moderate amounts of good-quality water in the

limestone areas but very little in areas underlain by

shales. Water from deep wells is highly mineralized.

Soil: /.tZÄo5o/5 (Sogn) are very extensive. Brunizems

(Florence, Summit, Irwin, and Ladysmith) and Planosols (Dwight) are in the more deeply weathered

clays, shales, and limestones of nearly level and

gently sloping uplands. Alluvial soils (Osage) are on

flood plains of the larger streams.

^m

57
Ú1

MH

ms>f,

J.

L-Ùjj MLM

SIJ

.0 CO#

- ^...i 11 il

I

i WBBBm.m

I^H| Land Resource Area 77

^H HaleCo.,Tex. November 1963.

1^1 Index Sheet2 of 4. ASCS. 1:63,360.

««^l'i 'üLü. ,

B^ ^!l

Jl

lé [»-jjHif

im
77—Southern High Plains

Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas

50,300 square miles

Land Use : Almost all the land is in farms and ranches.

More than two-fifths of the area, consisting of breaks

along the Canadian and Cimarrón Rivers and their

larger tributaries and areas of sandy soils in the

southwest, is in range of native grasses and shrubs

grazed by beef cattle. About one-third of the area,

the smooth uplands, is dryfarmed to winter wheat and

grain sorghum. Nearly one-fifth of the area, mostly

south of the Canadian River, is irrigated. Cotton and

grain sorghum are the major crops.

Elevation and Topography: 2,500 to 5,000 feet,

increasing gradually from east to west. These smooth

high plains have gentle slopes except for the very

steeply sloping breaks along the major rivers. The

deep sands in the southwest have irregular dune

topography. Local relief is ina few feet toa few

tens of feet, but the major valleys are one to several

hundred feet below the general level.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—15 to 23

inches; fluctuates widely from year to year; highest

from late spring through autumn; the low winter

precipitation is mainly snow. Average annual temperature—55° to 60° F. Average freeze-free period

—180 to 220 days, increasing from north to south

and from west to east.

Water: Dryfarmed crops and range depend on the

moderately low and erratic rainfall. Perennial

streams are few; they fluctuate widely in flow from

year to year and have been little used for irrigation.

Sands and gravels throughout the area yield an

abundance of ground water. Irrigation water is

obtained from wells in the southern part, but withdrawals now exceed recharge and the water table is

being gradually lowered.

Soil: Chestnut soils and Reddish Chestnut soils

(Amarillo, Dalhart, Olton, and Pullman) in loamy

mantles are the principal soils of the uplands. Calcisols (Mansker and Portales) are dominant on the

more sloping parts and in shallow valleys, Lithosols

(Canyon, Kimbrough, Potter, and Travessilla) on the

steeper slopes and breaks, and Regosols (Tivoli) and

Reddish-Brown soils (Brownfield) in the deep sands

in the southwest.

59
Á^^-^. ''

• r

1

*•-

. .. /^;

1^-

li?^ i

ir

IIM''Îi<-^tV" ^ ^ «

7 h -^í'í^w^^

M V

' Í 1

l \^ \i \

' E

|^«á|^*fiM¿«^>^ l

1 H8^r '-^'^

%

¿fc- - ^'

"W K

Í

.. * *

1,^ '

À^iv.

lUJ 1

k?,^;!

m

r

L

)^: .

r

,

f

L 1 -.:.

[

^KIV<>A:.¡^ O

M—

Ul

,<M

* » _J ' '^ |\ -1

° / -.,' i

1 UJ

<

- . ,

*

Land Hesource Area 78

Scurry Co., Tex. December 1963.

Index Sheet 2 of 4. ASCS. 1:63,360.

•

.,

h,~

'' -J': È?Ü

-'4Â---W-

' j.
78—Central Rolling Red Plains

Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas

51,800 square miles

Land Use: Nearly all the land is in farms and ranches.

About half the area, mainly the more sloping parts, is

in range or pasture of native grasses grazed by beef

cattle. The largest areas of range are in the west but

there is some throughout the area. The smooth uplands, nearly two-fifths of the area, are cropped. Winter wheat is the major crop throughout the area;

cotton is also important south of the Cimarrón River.

Grain sorghum and alfalfa occupy large acreages, and

sweet potatoes and peanuts are important locally on

some of the sandy soils. The same crops are grown

on the small irrigated areas south of the Red River

and in southwestern Oklahoma.

Elevation and Topography: 1,500 to 3,000 feet,

increasing gradually from east to west. On this dissected plain, the broad divides are nearly level to

gently sloping and the valleys have short but steep

slopes. In places the valleys are bordered by rolling

to steep irregular dune topography. Local relief is

mainly in onlya few tens of feet, buta few of the

larger valleys are 100 feet or more below the general

level of the plain.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—20 to 30

inches; highest from late spring through autumn.

Average annual temperature—57° to 65° F. Average

freeze-free period—185 to 230 days.

Water: Over most of the area both crops and range

depend on the moderate but somewhat erratic rainfall. The larger rivers are potential sources of water

for irrigation but are very little used at present. The

deep sands and gravels in valleys yield some ground

water. In areas of deep soils on uplands, shallow

wells provide water for domestic and livestock needfe.

In the sloping areas where the underlying sandstones

and shales are near the surface, ground water is

scarce.

Soil: Reddish Chestnut soils and Chestnut soils (Tillman, Foard, Mansic, Carey, Miles, and Abilene)

occupy most of«the smoother uplands except those in

the northeast on which Reddish Prairie soils (Albion

and Grant) occur. In about one-half of the area, consisting of the more sloping parts, the soils are thin or

have weakly expressed profiles—Regosols (Quinlan,

Tivoli, and Enterprise) in deep sandy materials,

Lithosols (Vernon and Potter) on slopes underlain by

consolidated rocks, and Calcisols (Mansker) in areas

witha strong caliche horizon. Less extensive but

locally important are Alluvial soils (Yahola and Miller) on flood plains.

61
^mr^ iäsr, >

É

-

^•. »« m

VL1

f 1

^-•j

ffv

wil

* ,»

' ' 1

1 £3

-<ii^

#.'^

r _ rv»

'Ai *' TX^JKJFI

m

'•**ÎB ' — \,

i-^^'- " „ ' " '.

*yji

fc-^. ,1^- ,r^

JW •j* ^ - s,*»*» - ^^ ..

D

'K ^9W4'JH

g

r:_^

^ . . . er «

m%

l'ëf^*

î*^-

iili»»i _ 1

-' -f'

tQ<< î

^H^ 1

l

{

'L

Land Resource Area 79

Pratt Co., Kans. July 196;í.

Index Sheet 4 of 4. ASCS. 1:68,360.

j

-^iJiaiV
79—Great Bend Sand Plains

Kansas

4,200 square miles

Land Use : Nearly all the land is in farms and ranches

and more than two-thirds is cropland. Cash-grain

farming is the principal enterprise. Hard winter

wheat is the major crop, and grain sorghum and

alfalfa are grown also. About one-fifth of the area,

consisting of sandy soils and steeply sloping areas, is

in range of native grasses grazed by beef cattle.

Elevation and Topography: 1,500 to 2,500 feet.

These undulating to rolling plains havea deep mantle

of windblown sand and sandy outwash materials.

Local relief is mainly ina few tens of feet.

Climate: Average annual -precipitation—21 to 28

inches; highest from late spring through early

autumn. Average annual temperature—55° to 57° F.

Average freeze-free period—180 to 190 days.

Water: Crops and pasture depend on the moderate

but somewhat erratic rainfall. Along the northern

edge, the Arkansas River isa potential source of irrigation water but is little used at present. Deep sands

yield an abundance of good ground water for domestic use, livestock, and other uses.

Soil: Reddish Chestnut soils (Pratt) and Brurdzems

(Shellabarger and Farnum) occupy the gentle slopes.

Regosols (Tivoli) are on areas of dunelike topography and Alluvial soils (Wann, Leshara, and Canadian) on flood plains of the Arkansas River.

m

K

<i

63
1

¿üi^^'^——^JBJP''

'few «k^'^^K'l LJPli

^

?tÎ^^^H^^a^^ *^ iT

^.-O'.' ^ ^^ ' B^^ liÜg?"Ka jpj

Land Resource Area 80

Kingfisher Co., Okla. June 1964.

Index Sheet ?, of 4. ASCS. 1: 63,360.

iiS :Ji

, ,.Sr

Jr

li.^

|59l

"'^^^^^^^^^^w

^IÄ."^"i

'f

i¿K.
'H.5EÉ-96

80—Central Rolling Red Prairies

Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas

25,400 square miles

Land Use : Nearly all the land is in farms and ranches.

Slightly less than one-half of the area is cropland,

and onlya few small areas are irrigated. The proportion of cropland is somewhat less and that of range

somewhat higher in the southern third of the area.

Winter wheat is the main ca^h crop ; cotton and some

truck crops are grown in southern Oklahoma and

northern Texas. Other crops are small grains, grain

sorghum, alfalfa, and hay.A little more than twofifths of the area is in range or pasture of native

grasses and shrubs. Beef cattle are the principal livestock, and locally there are some dairy cattle.

Elevation and Topography: 1,000 to 1,500 feet.

On this dissected plain the divides are undulating to

gently rolling and the valley sides hilly and steep.

Flood plains of large streams are wide and level and

much less cut by stream channels than those in areas

to the west. Local relief is mainly ina few feet to

several tens of feet.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—23 to 35

inches; highest in spring and summer and lowest in

midwinter. Average annual temperature—57° to

65° F'. Average freeze-free period—190 to 240 days.

Water: Crops and pastures depend on the moderate

but somewhat erratic rainfall. Several large rivers

that cross the area from west to east are potential

sources of irrigation water but are not much used at

present. Shallow wells provide moderate amounts of

water for domestic use and for livestock in areas of

deep soils, but ground water is scarce where the

underlying shales and sandstones are close to the surface. Ground water from deep wells is generally

highly mineralized.

Soil: Reddish Prairie soils (Renfrow, Grant, Kirkland, and Zaneis) occupy the smoother upland slopes

in most of the area but Reddish Chestnut soils (Pond

Creek and Pratt) are most extensive on those in the

southwest and Chernozems (Idana) on those in Kansas and northern Oklahoma. Lithosols (Lucien, Vernon, and Kipson) are dominant on steep slopes and

Regosols (Tivoli) in deep sands. Alluvial soils

(Yahola, Gowen, Port, and Reinach) are on flood

plains and low terraces along the larger streams.

Ii%'

m

"'^t

65
SOUTHWESTERN PLATEAUS AND PLAINS RANGE

AND COTTON REGION

81 Edwards Plateau

82 Texas Central Basin

83 Rio Grande Plain
I—SOUTHWESTERN PLATEAUS AND PLAINS RANGE AND COTTON REGION

68,000 square miles

This region consists of the warmer part of the southern Great Plains. The moderate precipitation is accompanied by high temperatures so that precipitation effectiveness is low. The average annual precipitation is 20 to

30 inches over most of the region but it ranges from 15 to 35 inches; usually much of it falls in spring and autumn.

Average annual temperatures are 60° to 70°F., and the freeze-free season ranges from 220 to 320 days, increasing

in length from north to south.

The soils in the deeper coarse- and medium-textured materials are mostly in the Reddish Chestnut and Reddish

Prairie great soil groups. Grumusols from limestones and marls and Lithosols and Calcisols in all kinds of parent

material on hilly to steep slopes are also fairly extensive.

Range is the dominant land use over most of the region, but some wheat, other small grains, and grain sorghum

are grown where soils, topography, and moisture supplies are favorable. In the southeast, cotton grown under

irrigation is important. Citrus fruits and winter vegetables are grown along the lower Rio Grande Valley.

67
i:^

'l^"

' 'Â^Sfeil 'S£¿

'^

m1 -'" ' •"!>

> ''-Í

i

Lamí litxuiKf Alca : . . •

I dwards Co.. Tex. February 1966.

,1, . vi , : ,,rT(i. .\c;r'< i ^ (' •. ',r,(i. ¿cK

; ■■ '^^ ■■^5^#-fe'

.f

.¿^
EPV-3G&-119

81—Edwards Plateau

Texas

33,100 square miles

Land Use : Nearly all the land is in farms and ranches.

About four-fifths is in range grazed by beef cattle,

sheep, and goats. In the west the cover consists of

short grasses and shrubs; in the east the range is

open woodland of scrub oak and cedar that has a grass

ground cover. Deciduous forests grow on steep valley

walls and on flood plains in the east and south. Only

1 or 2 percent of the area, the smoother uplands and

the valleys in the east, is cropland. Winter wheat,

grain sorghum, and hay are the main crops and there

is some pasture. There are many pecan orchards on

flood plains in the east, and cotton is grown in a small

area in the north. Small areas along the San Saba

River are irrigated.

Elevation and Topography: 1,000 to 4,000 feet,

increasing gradually from east to west. This broad

dissected limestone plateau has gently undulating

divides and broad valleys. Valley sides are steeply

sloping to rolling or hilly. Relief is in several tens

of feet to one or two hundred feet; near the margins,

the valleys are several hundred feet below the plateau

top.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—15 to 35

inches; highest in late spring and early autumn and

least in midsummer and midwinter. Average annual

temperature—60° to 70° F. Average freeze-free

period—Mainly 220 to 240 days but 260 days along

the southern margin.

Water: The low to moderate rainfall is adequate for

range grasses but is marginal for dryfarming. All

major streams are perennial but their flow fluctuates.

Many of the small streams flow only during rainy

periods. Along the margins of the plateau large

springs flowing from the limestones provide abundant

water. Wells in the limestones provide water for livestock and for domestic needs on the plateau and

locally for some irrigation.

Soil: ShaWow Lithosols (Tarrant, Brackett, and Ector)

underlain by limestone occupy the more sloping

parts. Grumusols (San Saba, Tobosa, and Valera) are

in valleys and on nearly level uplands, Calcisols

(Uvalde) on better drained level to gentle slopes

where soil materials are less clayey, and Alluvial soils

(Frio and Blanco) on narrow flood plains.

.V: »i;^ •.-■■. ...■■'--' 'if.''--' *^

^^

G')

82—Texas Central Basin

Texas

3,000 square miles

Land Use; Nearly all the land is in farms and ranches.

More than four-fifths of the area is in range of shrubs

and grasses, and an additional 10 percent is open

oak-juniper woodland that has a ground cover of tall

and short grasses. All this land is grazed by cattle

and sheep. About 5 percent of the area is cropland.

Peanuts, winter wheat, and peaches are the principal

cash crops, and grain sorghum and small grains are

grown for livestock feed.

Elevation and Topography : 800 to 1,300 feet. The

rolling to hilly uplands are crossed by a few smooth

valleys and many steep hills and ridges. Lx)cal relief

is mainly in a few tens of feet but some ridges, especially those underlain by limestone, rise several hundred feet above the level of the valleys.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—25 to 30

inches; highest in spring and autumn. Average

annual temperature—About 65° F. Average freezefree period—About 240 days.

Water: The moderate rainfall is adequate for range

grasses but is marginal for crops because of high

summer temperatures and evaporation. Only a few

of the large streams flow throughout the year. They

are potential sources of irrigation water but are not

so used at present. Shallow wells provide water for

livestock and domestic needs.

Soil: Reddish Prairie soils (Tishomingo, Pedernales,

Pontotoc, and Harley) occupy the smoother slopes of

uplands and valleys, Lithosols (Darnell) the steep

hill slopes, and rough stony land the steepest slopes

and cliffs of limestone and the granite ridges.

1^ % -^^-.v. ,

^

1'- ^

DFZ-300-9

^^..~, '•15

5?' '-¿_

'.-••:<--.Äu/i

k'^l.*.*»-....^ >.: •ST"-»-«, i'

"^^'^^s^í^íi'

*>•»,

••''o

'^^ '\

^'

M—. -Ä-' *

71

DAR83—Rio Grande Piain

Texas

31,900 square miles

Land Use : Nearly all the land is in farms and ranches.

About four-fifths of it is in range of native shrubs

and grasses grazed by beef cattle. Nearly 10 percent

of the area, mainly along the Rio Grande and Nueces

Rivers, is irrigated. Cotton, seed corn, sweet corn,

citrus fruit, melons, and many kinds of vegetables

are grown. About the same amount of land in the

north and the east is used for crops without irrigation

or with only supplemental irrigation. Cotton, grain

sorghum, flax, and hay are the principal crops.

Elevation and Topography: Sea level in the southeast to 1,000 feet in the northwest. This plain is

nearly level to gently undulating. Valleys are few,

widely spaced, and shallow. Local relief is mainly

ina few feet toa few tens of feet.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—20 to 35

inches; highest in spring and autumn. Average

annual temperature—About 70° F. Average freezefree period—260 to 320 days.

Water: The high summer temperatures reduce the

effectiveness of the relatively low to moderate rainfall.

The Rio Grande and Nueces Rivers provide water for

irrigation, but the smaller streams havea small and

intermittent flow and are little used for irrigation.

Ground water is abundant throughout the area, and

wells provide water for livestock, domestic use, and

some irrigation.

Soil: Grumusols are extensive (Montell in calcareous

clays in the northern and central parts of the area

and Lomalta,a slightly saline soil, along the coast).

Reddish Chestnut soils (Duval, Miguel, and Willacy

in less clayey and somewhat less limy materials and

Goliad over caliche) are also extensive. Lithosols

(Zapata) are confined to the low narrow ridges and

low plateaulike areas. Sandy Regosols (Nueces, Galveston, and Eufaula) occur along the coast, along

the Rio Grande, and in the northeast anda clayey

Regosol (Maverick) in the west. Calcisols (Hidalgo

and Uvalde) are in sandy and silty old alluvium on

stream terraces and deltas in the south and west and

Alluvial soils (Frio, Harlingen, and Laredo) on narrow flood plains and deltas.

73
SOUTHWESTERN PRAIRIES COTTON AND

FORAGE REGION

84 Cross Timbers

85 Grand Prairie

86 Texas Blackland Prairie

87 Texas Claypan Area
J—SOUTHWESTERN PRAIRIES COTTON AND FORAGE REGION

63,300 square miles

This region consists of the prairies and timbered areas of eastern Texas and south-central Oklahoma. The

average annual precipitation ranges from 25 to 42 inches. Average annual temperatures are 60° to 70° F., and the

treeze-free season is 200 to 280 days long.

Grumusols Rendzinas, and Lithosols from limestone and chalks are the more extensive soils. Red-Yellow

Fodzolic soils, Flanosols, and Reddish Prairie soils are also important groups.

The region is intensively farmed. Cotton, grain sorghums, other feed grains, and hay are important crops.

Most oí the more sloping areas in the west are in open timberland, which is used for grazing.

75

81 Cross Timbers

Texas and Oklahoma

17,700 square miles

Land Use: Nearly all the land is in farms and ranches.

About one-half is in range of shrubs and grasses and

an additional one-fourth is open woodland that has a

grass understory. All this land is used for grazing.

About one-fifth of the area, consisting of deep gently

sloping soils both in valleys and on uplands, is cropland. Small grains, grain sorghum, alfalfa and other

hay, and cotton are the major crops over much of the

area. Peanuts, tree fruits, and vegetables occupy large

acreages in the south.

Elevation and Topography: 1,000 to 1,200 feet but

only 600 feet along the Red River. Ridgetops on

these rolling to hilly uplands are nearly level to

strongly rolling and narrow to moderately broad.

Stream valleys are narrow and have steep gradients.

Local relief is mostly in several tens of feet but the

large valleys are 200 feet or more below the adjacent

uplands.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—25 to 35

inches but as much as 45 inches in the east; highest

in spring and early summer. Average annual temperature—60° to 65° F. Average freeze-free period

—200 to 240 days.

Water: Pasture and crops depend mostly on the moderate and somewhat erratic rainfall. Large reservoirs

provide water for cities and towns and for recreation.

Farm ponds are a major source of water for livestock.

Shallow wells supply water for domestic use in most

of the area, but where sandstones and shales are near

the surface, ground water is scarce.

Soil: Red-Yellow Podzolic soils are dominant in much

of the area (Bowie, Boswell, and Kirvin in the humid

east and Stephenville, Windthorst, and Nimrod—less

acid and having darker surface layers than typical

for the group—in the drier western part) and Lithosols (Darnell) and rough stony land on hilly to steep

ridge slopes and valley sides. Brunizems (Dennis

and Bates) occur in small areas underlain by sandstones in the north, Planosols (Axtell and Tabor) on

flats underlain by heavy clays, and Alluvial soils

(Yohola, Miller, Gowen, and Frio) on narrow flood

plains of some larger streams.

II. vlfi;?^

:i_._..

«:^ V-"-i<-; :;:^îS?ii?a

^i^mJ,

" "flç^ i :• .'.«is . - -.V.-. ;'j!

;'^.'.._'^," ^û <v'9S^-?ï^f

1

• AOSï;.-.- - '

77
17 ii- IT 'ÎÎ-'*

I^^HRSHBnRl^i *. T J^^mkr-^iM■■' 'I.:ils

"^s^^S^

"1

»•MTS "^

L ä"^ , .7^* A çy —^^ j*^^^>-

^
85—Grand Prairie

Texas and Oklahoma

12,700 square miles

Land Use: The entire area is in farms and ranches.

More than half is in range consisting of short grasses,

bunch grasses, mesquite, scrub oak, juniper, and

cedar. Beef cattle are the principal livestock and

sheep are important in the southern part. The deeper

soils on gentle slopes, about one-third of the area, are

in cropland. Small grains, grain sorghum, cotton,

corn, and hay are the principal crops.

Elevation and Topography: 800 to 1,200 feet,

Arbuckle Mountains 1,350 feet. The low rugged

Arbuckle Mountains are in the north of this otherwise

rolling to hilly dissected plateau. Stream valleys are

shallow and narrow in their upper reaches but deepen

and broaden near the margins in the east. Broad

areas in central Texas are gently sloping but steep

slopes border valleys of the larger rivers and occupy

most of the Arbuckle Mountains. Relief is mainly in

tens of feet, but the large valleys are 100 feet or more

below the adjacent uplands. The Arbuckle Mountains rise several hundred feet above the adjoining

plain.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—30 to 35

inches; highest in spring and early summer. Average annual temperature—About 65° F. Average

freeze-free period—200 to 240 days.

Water: Crops, pasture, and range depend on the moderate but somewhat erratic rainfall. The large rivers

flow the year round and are a potential source of

water for irrigation but are little used at present.

Ground water is abundant and there are many springs

and wells throughout the area.

Soil: Grumusols (San Saba) and Brunizems (Denton) underlain by relatively soft limestones are the

dominant soils on most of the gentle slopes and

Lithosols (Tarrant and Brackett) on steeper slopes

of similar materials. Reddish Prairie soils (Durant

and Newtonia) are on smooth uplands underlain by

sandstones, shales, and limestone. Rough stony land

occupies the Arbuckle Mountains, walls of the more

deeply incised valleys, and the steepest hills. Alluvial

soils (Frio and Gowen) are on flood plains of the

larger streams.

.^•«r.»

'M' "m^- -*-m
^,
86—Texas Blackland Prairie

Texas, 19,700 square miles; Arkansas, 700 square miles

Land Use: Nearly all this area is in farms. In Texas,

two-thirds or more is cropland, about one-sixth is in

pasture, and the remainder is in abandoned fields or

narrow strips of woodland along streams. The small

outlier in Arkansas is about one-fourth cropland,

three-fifths pasture, and the remainder woodland.

Cotton is the major cash crop, but small grains, grain

sorghum, corn, and johnsongrass and other hay

occupy a larger total acreage. The present trend is

to a decrease in cropland and an increase in pasture

on the more sloping and eroded soils.

Elevation and Topography: 300 to 800 feet, increasing gradually from south to north and from east

to west. On these undulating to gently rolling dissected plains, gentle upland slopes merge into narrow

valleys with more sloping sides. The large rivers

that cross the area have broad but shallow valleys.

The only significant tracts of hilly land are along the

western margin in Texas. Relief is mainly in a few

feet to a few tens of feet.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—30 to 50

inches; highest in spring and lowest in summer and

fall. Average annual temperature—63° to 70° F.

Average freeze-free period—230 to 280 days.

Water: The moderate rainfall is adequate for crops

and pastures in many years, but summer droughts

that reduce crop yields are fairly common. The many

reservoirs that have been built recently on the larger

streams help control floods, furnish municipal water

supplies, and provide recreational facilities. Small

farm ponds on individual farms are an important

source of water for livestock. Ground water is scarce

throughout the area, but a little water is obtained

from wells in a few places.

Soil: Dark Grumusols (Houston Black, Houston, Hunt,

and Vaiden) on gently sloping to nearly level uplands

underlain by marls, soft limestones, and highly calcareous clays are dominant. Rendzinas (Austin,

Lewisville, and Binnsville) are on strongly sloping

areas of chalk. Planosols (Wilson) are in the less

calcareous clays along the eastern side of the main

body of this resource area and are the dominant soils

in the small outliers in southeast Texas and in Arkansas. Alluvial soils occur on flood plains (Miller, Norwood, and Trinity on those of rivers that flow into

the area from the west and Frio, Kaufman, and

Gowen on those along the larger streams originating

within the area).
^^,ns'

'h^ —^^1 %.-.

^ iafÊ^ÊU gj^^H

mm I^B^fl tel

^^fM w^WK^^*

m1m^^^^M*

<aBT ;^L ' H H ^E^^'
87—Texas Claypan Area

Texas

13,200 square miles

Land Use: Nearly all the land is in farms and about

half is in woodland. Open post oak savannas that

havea thin understory of bunch grasses and brush are

dominant over much of the area but there are some

pine-hardwood forests in the east. Hardwood forests

of oak, elm, pecan, and other species grow on some

of the wet bottom lands. About one-half of the area

has been cropped at some time but very little is now

cultivated. Cotton, grain sorghum, corn, alfalfa, and

other hay were grown formerly, but at present cropland is confined almost entirely to some of the sandier

soils in the north where truck crops, peanuts, and fruit

are grown. Most of the cleared land is now in pasture of native and volunteer grasses that have a low

carrying capacity. Clearing of woodland and abandoned cropland for improved pasture is the present

trend.

Elevation and Topography: 200 to 500 feet. On

this nearly level to gently sloping coastal plain, valleys are narrow and shallow in their upper reaches.

Valleys of large streams are shallow, and the wide

flood plains are bordered by nearly level terraces.

Lx)cal relief is mainly ina few feet toa few tens of

feet.

Climate: Average annual precipitation—34 to 42

inches; highest in winter and spring and lowest in

summer and autumn. Average annual temperature—

65° to 70° F. Average freeze-free period—240 to

280 days.

Water: Crops and pasture depend on the moderate

rainfall. Summer rainfall is erratic and yields are

reduced by lack of moisture in most years.A few

large reservoirs provide municipal water supplies and

also serve as recreational facilities. Over much of

the area water for livestock is obtained from small

ponds on individual farms. On many farms water

for domestic use comes from shallow wells, but in

some places deep wells are needed. The deep wells

provide large amounts of good-quality water.

Soil: Planosols in clay (Lufkin, Tabor, and Axtell)

are dominant over much of the area. Red-Yellow

Podzolic soils (Boswell, Cuthbert, Caddo, and Norfolk) are in the less clayey and more acid materials

along the eastern edge and Regosols (Lakeland) in

deep sands. Alluvial soils (Miller, Norwood, Gowen,

and Navasota) are on flood plains.

•"íftA?^- ^

83
SELECTED REFERENCES

American Society of Photogrammetry. 1960. Manual

of Photographic Interpretation. Washington.

American Society of Photogrammetry. 1956. Manual

of Photogrammetry. 2d Ed. Washington.

Austin, Morris E. 1965. Major Land Resource

Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of the

United States. U.S. Dept. Agr. Handbook No. 296.

Avery, T. E. 1962. Interpretation of Aerial Photographs ; an Introductory College Textbook and SelfInstruction Manual. Minneapolis: Burgess.

Bogue, Donald J., and Beale, Calvin L. 1961.

Economic Areas of the United States. (Scripps

Foundation for Research in Population Problems.

Studies in Population Distribution, No. 15) New

York: Free Press of Glencoe.

Clawson, Marion, and Held, Burnell. 1957. Federal

Lands: Their Use and Management. Baltimore:

Resources for the Future, by Johns Hopkins Press.

Clawson, Marion and others. 1960. Land for the

Future. Resources for the Future. Baltimore:

Johns Hopkins Press.

Clawson, Marion. 1963. Land and Water for Recreation: Opportunities, Problems, and Policies.

(Policy Background Series) Chicago: Rand

McNally.

Clawson, Marion, with Stewart, Charles L. 1965.

Land Use Information: A Critical Survey of U.S.

Statistics Including Possibilities for Greater Uniformity. Baltimore: Resources for the Future, by

Johns Hopkins Press.

Davis, Jeanne M. 1966. Uses of Airphotos for Rural

and Urban Planning. U.S. Dept. Agr. Handbook

No. 315.

Dill, Henry W., Jr. 1967. Worldwide Use of Airphotos in Agriculture. U.S. Dept. Agr. Handbook

No. 344.

Fenneman, Nevin M. 1931. Physiography of Western United States. McGraw-Hill, New York and

London. 534 pp.

Fenneman, Nevin M. 1938. Physiography of Eastern

United States. McGraw-Hill, New York and

London. 714 pp.

Flint, Richard F., and others. 1945. Glacial Map of

North America. Spec. Paper 60, Pt. 1, Glacial Map

(in color) ; Pt. 2, Bibliography and Explanatory

Notes. Geol. Soc. Amer. 37 pp.

Frey, H. Thomas. 1967. Agricultural Application of

Remote Sensing—The Potential From Space Platforms. U.S. Dept. Agr. Inf. Bui. No. 328.

Frey, H. Thomas, Krause, Orville E., and Dickason,

Clifford. 1968. Major Uses of Land and Water in

the United States with Special Reference to Agriculture, Summary for 1964. U.S. Dept. Agr. Econ.

Rept. No. 149.

Gwyer, Joseph A., and Waldon, Vincent G. 1956.

Photo Interpretation Techniques; a Bibliography.

Washington: U.S. Library of Congress, Technical Information Division.

Higbee, Edward C. 1957. The American Oasis: The

Land and its Uses. New York : Knopf.

Higbee, Edward C. 1958. American Agriculture:

Geography, Resources, Conservation. New York:

Wiley.

Krause, Orville E. 1969. Airphoto Use in Resource

Management—A Survey of Non-Federal Purchasers

of ASCS Airphotos. U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Inform.

Bui. 336. 26 pp.

Küchler, A. W. 1964. Potential Natural Vegetation

of the Conterminous United States (map and manual). Amer. Geog. Soc. Spec. Pub. 36. 116 pp.

Marschner, F. J. 1959. Land Use and Its Patterns

in the United States. U.S. Dept. Agr. Handbook No.

153. 277 pp.

Meinzer, Oscar E. 1948. Ground Water in the United

States, a Summary. U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply

Paper 836-D. 232 pp.

St. Joseph, J. K. S. 1966. The Uses of Air Photography: Nature and Man in a New Perspective.

London : John Baker.

Spurr, Stephen H. 1960. Photogrammetry and Photointerpretation ; With a Section on Application to

Forestry. 2d Ed. New York : Ronald Press.

Stose, George W., and Ljungstedt, O.A. 1932. Geologic Map of the United States, 1: 2,500,000. U.S.

Geol. Survey.

Thorp, James, and Smith, Guy D. 1949. Higher

Categories of Soil Classification: Order, Suborder,

and Great Soil Groups. Soil Sei. 67: 117-126.

Thorp, James, and Smith, H. T. U. 1952. Pleistocene

Eolian Deposits of the United States, Alaska, and

Parts of Canada, 1: 2,500,000. Geol. Soc. Amer.

U.S. Bureau of the Census. 1962. U.S. Census of Agriculture: 1959. Vol. V, Special Reports, Part 6,

Chapter 1, A Graphic Summary of Land Utilization.

U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1966. Aerial-Photo

Interpretation in Classifying and Mapping Soils.

Agriculture Handbook No. 294.

U.S. Department of Agricuture. 1%6. Forester's

Guide to Aerial Photo Interpretation. Agriculture

Handbook No. 308.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1965. Soil and Water Conservation Needs—A National Inventory.

Miscellaneous Publication No. 971.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1962. Basic Statistics of the National Inventory of Soil and Water

Conservation Needs. Statistical Bulletin No. 317.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1964. Identification

of Tree Species on Large-Scale Panchromatic and

Color Aerial Photographs. Agriculture Handbook

No. 261.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1938. Soils and

Men. U.S. Dept. Agr. Ybk.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1941. Climate and

Man. U.S. Dept. Agr. Ybk.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1957. Soil. U.S.

Dept. Agr. Ybk.

U.S. Weather Bureau. 1959. Climates of the States

(Climatography of the United States). No. 60-1

through No. 60-51.

Walker, Frank. 1953. .Geography from the Air.

New York: Dutton.