Significance of frost action and surface soil characteristics to wind erosion at Rocky Flats, Colorado. Second progress report, October 1, 1975--May 30, 1976
This report summarizes information on soil frost effects collected on Rocky Flats during the 1975-1976 winter. On a broad scale, work on soil textures at and just below the ground surface corroborates the conclusion reached earlier that the general frost susceptibility of the Rocky Flats soils is quite well keyed to topography. This is incorporated into a mapping procedure for potential soil frost activity which is applied to the northwestern part of the Rocky Flats area. On a site scale, instrumental records of weather conditions and soil responses have been maintained from October, 1975, to May, 1976, at the Lindsay Ranch study site, northwest of the Rocky Flats Plant. During that period, 33 needle ice events have been observed and recorded and are described in this report. A preliminary examination of wind data for the same period suggests that the soil in areas of natural vegetation on the site are not exposed to wind action. If, however, they were exposed, winds capable of eroding them are common.