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<br />c. Impacts on Plant and Animal Communities <br />, <br /> <br />The impacts of snowpack augmentation on forest vegetation were studied <br />in the San Juan Ecology Project [10], the Medicine Bow Ecology Project [14], <br />and the Sierra Ecology Project [15]. In discussing the Medicine Bow <br />Study, the Project Skywater Programmatic Final Environmental Statement <br /> <br />states: <br /> <br />IIFew circumstances were found where snow accumul at ion <br /> <br />appeared to be a limiting factor in forest ecology. One of <br /> <br />these, it was suggested, was at. some locati ons near tree <br /> <br />line where ribbons of forest alternate with glades in which <br />snow accumulates. The depth of snow, and the adverse effect <br /> <br />of snow molds on survival of young trees, apparently serve <br />to stabilize the bound~ries of the glades. An increase in <br /> <br />average wintertime precipitation might lead to an extension <br />of the area where the glade-and-ribbon pattern prevails. On <br />the other hand, in a New Mexico setting, the growth of <br />spruce was found to be uniform in adjacent areas even though <br />the average snowpack differed by a factor of more than <br /> <br />ei ght. <br /> <br />liThe conclusion was reached that a higher mean snow accumul a- <br />tion probably would not affect primary productivity unless <br />the growing season was shortened." [2, p. 3-111] <br /> <br />San Juan Ecology Study results agree with the Medicine Bow findings and <br />state: <br /> <br />24 <br />