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<br />Chapter Two <br /> <br />MANAGEMENT UNIT 5 <br /> <br />24,177 Acres of Public Surface; 5 percent of the <br />Planning Area <br /> <br />Management Unit 5, totalling 24,177 acres, <br />consists of Mancos shale hills commonly known <br />as the "adobes". These highly erodible solis, <br />comblnsd with a lack of protective vegetation, <br />can produce sediment loads In local watersheds <br />that are high In salinity. High precipitation runoff <br />rates from the adobes contribute to overall <br />salinity levels In the Upper Colorado River Basin. <br />Salinity ylslds are Increassd within locallzsd <br />areas due to Increased erosion from surface <br />disturbing activities Including ORV use and live- <br />stock grazing. <br /> <br />.~~./l. <br />. .... '0'. <br /> <br />Management Decisions <br /> <br />The managsment unit will be managsd to <br />reduce salinity loads In the Upper Colorado River <br />Basin. In-channel structures and land treatment <br />projects designed to reduce runoff, erosion, and <br />sedimentation will be developed, and surface <br />protection measures will be Implemented. <br />Forage utilization will be managed to achieve the <br />basal ground cover objectives Identified In Table <br />3. Surface-dlsturblng activities will be curtallsd <br />from March 1 through May 31 when saturated <br />solis are most vulnerable to damage. Activities <br />and other land usss which are consistent with <br />maintaining the soli and vegetative conditions <br />necessary to reducs erosion and salt contribu- <br />tions to the river basin will be permitted. <br /> <br />Table 3 <br />OBJECTIVES FOR PERCENT GROUND COVER WITHIN <br />MANAGEMENT UNIT 5 <br /> <br />RANGE SITE <br /> <br />lOCATION <br /> <br />Stony saltdesert <br />Clayey saltdesert <br />Saltllats <br />Clayey saltdesert <br /> <br />PERCENT BASAL <br />GROUND COVER <br /> <br />North of Delta <br />South of Hotchkiss <br />South of Hotchkiss <br />Bone Mesa <br /> <br />10 <br />10 <br />7 <br />10 <br /> <br />011 and Gas. Federal 011 and gas estate will bs <br />open to leasIng. A seasonal stipulation on seis- <br />mic and drilling activities will be In effect from <br />March 1 through May 31 to protect erodible and <br />saline solis on 24.177 acres of federal surface <br />and 4,155 acres of spilt-estate. Variances to this <br />seasonal stipulation may be granted (see Appen- <br />dIxA). <br /> <br />Minerai Materials. Federal minerai estate will <br />be open to minerai material activities except from <br />March 1 through May 31 If necessary to protect <br />wet solis. <br /> <br />livestock Grazing. livestock grazing will be <br />allowsd except from March 20 to range readi- <br />ness to protect plant species during the spring <br /> <br />growth period, and to prevent soil disturbance <br />when saturated solis are most vulnerable to <br />damage. If the basal ground cover Is less than <br />ths objectives Identified In Table 3 livestock <br />forage utilization will be managed at 35 percent <br />of key forage species to Increase basal ground <br />covsr. <br /> <br />Oil-Road Vehicles. To protect highly saline <br />solis, vehicle use In the entire management unit <br />will be limited to designated roads and trails <br />yearlong. <br /> <br />Major Utilities. The management unit will be <br />open to development of major utility facilities but <br />no surface-dlsturblng activities will be permlttsd <br /> <br />18 <br /> <br />I <br />