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defined to be the peat - producing region of the state. Because <br />the relative frequency of peat occurrence in each of these three <br />areas is not known they were combined into one common unit for <br />estimating peatland area. Additionally, the portions of MLRA 48a <br />that extend into Wyoming and New Mexico were subtracted from the <br />total area of MLRA 48a. Other MLRA's in Colorado pertain to the <br />eastern plains region, and the semi -arid basin region in the far <br />western part of the state; both are areas where peat is known not <br />to occur. <br />Second, the area of known peaty soils in the peat - producing <br />region was identified. The completed soil surveys from the peat- <br />producing region were used as a sample set, while a computerized <br />soil survey database maintained by the SCS was used to identify <br />the soils within that set that met a peaty -soil criteria. The • <br />criteria used to define peaty soils and extract only that <br />information from the database required: 1) an organic matter <br />content of at least 12 percent; or, 2) a textural classification <br />of either fibric, sapric, hemic, peat, or muck. <br />Third, the total area of peatland found in the soil surveys <br />was calculated as a percentage of the total area in the surveys. <br />Table I lists the completed soil surveys from the peat - producing <br />region, the area covered by each survey, and the area of peaty <br />soil found therein. The sample area percentage of peatland was <br />then applied to the area of the peat - producing region to obtain <br />the estimated acres of peat in the region. <br />