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<br />accumulations were deposited on portions of some study areas <br />in both forest-meadow and alpine-meadow locations. Prelimi- <br />nary results indicate that heavy or late-lying snow tends to <br />shift the growing season to a later date, but not to affect <br />its length. In delayed seasons, species were observed to <br />complete their growth cycles and set seed. In the alpine <br />setting, certain species subjected to artificial snowdrifts <br />produced seed of reduced germinability. It is tentatively <br />concluded that the Skywater experimental program of winter <br />snowpack augmentation will have no discernable impact on <br />herbaceous vegetation." [2, pp. 3-104, 3-105] <br /> <br />The Skywater Programmatic Statement concluded: <br /> <br />IINo significant impact on the overall productivity of the <br />herbaceous community is expected. The main reason for this <br />expectation is the finding that species composition is <br />determined principally by minimum soil moisture during the <br />growing season, and that productivity of different species <br />in different settings is influenced by a variety of factors, <br />including a slight delay in snow release data and a delay in <br />the date of exhaustion of winter moisture. <br /> <br />"Other outputs of the Skywater program such as instrument <br />and equipment installations, travel, and seeding agents, are <br />expected to have no significant impact on herbaceous vege- <br />tation." [2, p. 3-108] <br /> <br />30 <br />