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<br /> <br />(\0071~ <br /> <br />Aridiliollal iI1CrPii!'-t~.. of 1 Imh or mfJff~ fIlii\' be <br />possible by lrappin!o: blowing sno\\' Iwhind s'no\\" <br />fenct!s lfig 12) in areas whew the winlN SIlOW <br />water equi\:alcn! is alll!ilSl H indws (Tablt.t 1\175). <br /> <br />Pinynn-Junil,er <br /> <br />The pill\"Oll.junipt~r ecosystem is Iht~ most exlen- <br />si\'{! forest type in the Colorado Ri.....er Basin. oc- <br />cupying sonw 32 million ,Iews. Pinyon-juniper <br />lands atc "lOst I\' UndtJf ft.dl'Tal administration: <br />roughly ]:!% Ilu'ff.au of Land \larHlRemtml. :?ll% <br />USDA Fotl'sl ServiLe, 19'~<o Indian trust. ilnd 2Y% <br />ulhN, including slate and priviltl""! holdings. Prin- <br />cipal sped!',; aT" L!tah. Ruck\' \lountain, Illw-sl'cd. <br />and alligator junipers. and C;lloradll and sing I!! leaf <br />pinyon pilll~s. The type is lIIo!'.1 cummonly ell- <br />coUnlt!fed inllw foothills, low mountains, and lo\\' <br />plateaus hl'twt!1'1l -UJOll and 7,500 fl~l!t elevation. <br />Though nOrJllilllv COllsidered low in commNcial <br />\'alue,tlw pinvnri-juniJll"r type has b",~n Hlld still is <br />an imporl,lIl1 SOllrCl~ of forage for Iive~tOlk food <br />and co\'pr for wildlife, ilnd variuus prudlU:ls such <br /> <br />- <br />-~ '"." <br />.... -..,.--....~ <br />_____I _ <br />I <br /> <br />-. <br /> <br />, -~. <br /> <br />IT <br /> <br />as fence posts, firewood, pin~'()1l nuts. aod Christ- <br />lIlas Irem.. Extensi\'t! pin~'nn-illniper control pro- <br />grams hd\'(' linen cnnduclt,!d in the Southwest (fig. <br />23). <br />Precipitation aVNagcs 1210 18 indws, with local <br />areas receiving up 10 20 indll!s. Summer mins ac. <br />count for half or more of the precipitation in tht' <br />Lower Basin, whil,! winlt!r rains and sno\\' pro\'ide <br />Ihf! bulk of the moisture in the Upper Basin. \Vater <br />yield is generally It'ss than 1 inch, although some <br />of the beller watered sill'S ma\-" approach 3 inches. <br />The potential fur inueasing water yield in the <br />pinyon-junipl!r tYPl' is negligible on most sites, <br />although small increases (less than 0.5 inch) may <br />h,> possiblt! by tY1l1" COllversion on the wt~lIest sites <br />(Clary el al. lY74)_ O\"l~rall.the potenli;!1 should he <br />considered IlOor. <br /> <br />Upstream Riparian Areas <br /> <br />Upstream riparian areas lfig. 2-IJ cunsist of ripa- <br />rian vegetation alollR rdilti\"t'h. slllall streams that <br />drain 10 the Colorado Ri\'er <lnu ils major <br /> <br />'II <br /> <br />...,;; <br /> <br />Figure 23.-Pin'fon-juniper con"ersion r.meins contro".rsial ILarlO.r 1977): howev.r, when <br />trellted Ireas Ire kepi small and litled 10 the natural landscape, Ihe visuallmplct is greatly <br />reduced, wildlite h,bitat is Impro...ed, and lorlge prOduClion is Increased (Hursl 19761, <br />Wat.' yi.ld i. liW. atl.cl.d by con....llion. <br /> <br />18 <br />