WSP05732

• File Number: 8507
• Description: Rio Grande Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Date: 8/1/1982
• Title: Sangre De Christo Wilderness Study Area Report - San Isabel & Rio Grande National Forests part 1
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

The WSA rates high in habitat diversity.

The WSA provides winter range for deer, elk, and
bighorn sheep, as shown in Table G and Figure 9.
Acreages may overlap as two Or all three species may
use the same range.

TABLE G

AREA OF DEER, ELK, AND BIGHORN SHEEP WINTER RANGE

Bureau
Total Area Pike and Rio of Land
Species (thousand acres) San Isabel Grande Management:
Deer 16.8 3.6 8.3 4.9
Elk 11.5 0.8 8.4 2.3
Bighorn Sheep 27.8 1.3 26.5 -0-

Approximately 3 miles of Cottonwood Creek have been
identified as potential habitat for the greenback
cutthroat trout, a Federally listed threatened
species.

The WSAs, administered by
Management include critical
range and yearlong range for
indicated in the Appendix.

the
deer
deer

Bureau of Land
and elk winter
and antelope, as

11. Visual Resource

The Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Study Area is a part
of the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Colorado Rocky
Mountains, running primarily northwest to southeast
in this area. The majority of the landscape is
rocky, steep, rugged, and inaccessible. This area
frequently serves as a middleground or background
view for other landscape types at lower elevations.
The highest elevations in this area are snow-capped
at least 9 months of the year. The dominant
overs tory of spruce-fir, aspen, mixed conifer, and
understory vegetation provide a high degree of
variety, patterns, and seasonal color.

56

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