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I ,,",ll' ti';j '; 't' l: If _ .... ........ . those that exist are not always reliable water sources. There are some reservoirs within this area primarily used for livestock operations. There is a potential for sub-surface water. The Gunnison River, as it traverses through the Gunnison Gorge, flows perennially and is controlled by three reservoirs upstream: Crystal, Morrow Point, and Blue Mesa. The average daily flow is 1,050 cfs. Water quality is considered to be good. Vegetation This area, which is in an ecological transition zone between the Rocky Mountain Forest and Colorado Plateau Province, is predominantly vegetated with pinyon-juniper and desert shrub types. On the private lands adjacent to the GGRA, there are some irrigated farmlands which produce fruit, corn, alfalfa hay and other crops. Along the river grow some isolated ponderosa pine, grasses, poison ivy, single leaf ash, box elder, and a very few cottonwood. Most of the Gunnison Gorge and eastern uplands are vegetated with pinyon-juniper, scrub oak, mountain mahogany, grasses, and occasional cactus. The western portion of the study area is very sparsely vegetated with desert shrubs such as Mormon tea, buckwheat, and four-wing saltbush. The endangered clay-loving buckwheat (Eriogonum pelinophiJum) has been discovered within the GGRA boundary. One threatened plant species, the Uinta Basin hookless cactus (Sclerocactus glaucus), is known to occur within the study area, Penstemon retrorsus and Delta lomatium (Lomatium concinnum), candidate species, occur on shale slopes within the GGRA boundary. Barneby's columbine (AquiJegia barnebyi), a sensitive species, can be found within the gorge on steep shale talus slopes. Terrestrial Wildlife A wide variety of terrestrial wildlife species is found within the study area. This area includes winter habitat for both mule deer and elk. A small population of deer are year- round residents within the Gunnison Gorge. The Gunnison Gorge is historic bighorn sheep range and bighorn sheep have been reintroduced into the gorge by the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW). The area is habitat for mountain lion, coyote, and black bear. A herd of feral goats was observed (1984) in the gorge, in the vicinity of the Chukar and Red Rock Canyons. In 1977, the DOW reintroduced the river otter into the Gunnison River within the Gunnison Gorge. The river otter is on Colorado's State endangered wildlife list. The current status of the river otter population is unknown, A wide variety of birds is found within the GGRA. The most numerous game bird species is the mourning dove, which nests in trees, bushes, and on cliff ledges. Introduced by 11