|
<br />'.
<br />
<br />OQr'.'ll'
<br />,..,,~
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />sources on the southern parcels are favorable for agriculture, and
<br />wildlife uses. The major source is the Purgatoire River which Elmls
<br />through the pro- perty' s eastern half. Additionally, the
<br />Consolidated Extention irri- gation canal also crosses the site from
<br />a northwest to easterly direction, and the western portion of the
<br />area has numerous sandy bottomed ponds which fill naturally from high
<br />ground "aters. The soils of this property are primarily limy sands
<br />and clay loams. Most are alluvial deposits with moderate to good
<br />productivity. IHnd and water erosion potentials are moderate in the
<br />riverbottom areas, but to the west where the soil make up is mostly
<br />sand the water erosion potential is high if natural vegetation is
<br />removed. The elevation of the area ranges from 3,900 to 4,000 feet.
<br />
<br />B. Biological Description
<br />
<br />1. Setchfield Property
<br />
<br />The vegatative habitat of the Setchfield property is typical of the
<br />shortgrass-plains designation interspersed with some pinyon-juniper
<br />type. Typical examples of vegetative species present are: sand sage-
<br />brush, cholla cae tus, blue grama, western ,.,hea tgrass, buffalograss,
<br />side-oats grama, etc. The sandstone ridge tops and upper draws sup-
<br />port a moderate covering of rocky mountain juniper. During certain
<br />years when raiofall is more frequent, the Muddy Creek drainage sup-
<br />ports some aquatic vegetation such as rooted aquatics and cattails in
<br />the old reservoir bottom. Wildlife species found on the site are
<br />sparse in number. Generally, a small herd of antelope, plus some
<br />scaled quail and cottontail rabbits make up the game species found
<br />there. Nongame species are represented by small rodents, reptiles,
<br />such as lizards and snakes, roadrunners, jack rabbits, coyotes, and
<br />an occasional golden eagle. There are no permanent nest sites for
<br />eagles or falcons on the property. Since the reservoir dam was
<br />breecl1ed in 1965, there exists no suitable aquatic habitat that will
<br />support fish species.
<br />
<br />2. Ed Dean Property
<br />
<br />The vegative habitat of this property is diverse ranging from the
<br />lowland raparian type associated with the Purgatoire River and the
<br />numerous ponds and marshes found on the property to the sandy prairie
<br />grass and shrubs located on the western boarder. Typical of the spe-
<br />cies on site are cottonwood, tamarisk, willow, sand sagebrush, cat-
<br />tail, bullrush, other rooted aquatics, crested and intermediate
<br />wheatgrass, little bluestem, switchgrass, western wheatgrass, side-
<br />oats grama, e tc. Addi tionally, because the ri verbot tom is suitable
<br />to agricultural practices and irrigation water has been available,
<br />much of the eastern portions of the property has been farmed. Be-
<br />cause of the diversity of the vegetative types, the property sustains
<br />a wide variety of wildlife. Frequently found on the site are: white-
<br />tail and mule deer, wild turkey, bobwhite and scaled quail, pheasant,
<br />a wide varie ty of ducks and an occasional goose, co t tontail rabbi t,
<br />and fox spuirrels. Nongame species abound ranging from those small
<br />mammals, reptiles and amp hi bians, marsh and shore birds, and predi-
<br />tors normally found in wetland/agricultural environments, to many of
<br />the same species found in the prairie habitat of Setchfield. Fish
<br />
|