2015-01-16_PERMIT FILE - M2015001

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PP° *-(4 CROSSFIRE AGGREGRATE EXHIBIT J SERVICES,LLC The proposed Bonds Gravel Pit is located 0.4 miles west of the Animas River.The vegetation types are comprised of an upland pinon-juniper woodland,treated and seeded big sagebrush communities,an untreated big sagebrush community,terrace slopes of scattered brush and pinon-juniper,and an alluvial farmland terrace.These vegetation types area depicted in the map enclosed in this section. The Colorado Plateau Pinon-Juniper Woodland is the major vegetation type, comprising approximately 60%of the proposed Bonds Gravel Pit area.This vegetation type encompasses the level mesa area as well as the terrace slopes.This woodland type consists of pinon pine(Pinus edulis), Utah juniper (Juniperus utahensis) and Rocky Mountain juniper(J.scopulorum)trees ranging from approximately 8 to 20 feet high with an estimated canopy cover of 45 to 50 percent. Shrub cover within the pinon-juniper woodland is estimated at 10 percent,with shrub height ranging from 3 to 4 feet.This vegetation type is associated with the Ustic Torriorthents-Ustollic Haplargids complex, 12 to 60 percent slope. Production of this vegetation type is very limited,even for rangeland (USDA NRCS 2014). Associated early successional shrub and understory species include big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata),antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata),snowberry(Symphoricarpos rotundifolius), Fendler bush (Fedlera rupicola),yucca (Yucca glauca), banana yucca (Yucca bacata), prickly pear(Oputnia polyacantha), brittle prickly pear(Opuntia fragilis), spinystar(Coryphantha vivpara), Oregon grape (Mahonia repens), goldenrod (Solidago sp.),American vetch (Vicia americana), hoary tansyaster(Machaeranthera canescens), pingue rubberweed (Hymenoxys richardsonii),Whipple's penstemon (Penstemon whippleanus), western yarrow(Achillea lanulosa), rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus sp.),curly-cup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa), red-root buckwheat(Eriogonum racemosum),winged buckwheat(Pterogonum alatum),western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), blue gramma (Chrondrosium gracile),June grass (Koeleria macrantha),foxtail barley(Hordeum jubatum), Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides), and galletta grass(Hilaria jamesii). Terrace slopes of scattered brush and pinon-juniper is also contained with the Colorado Plateau Pinon- Juniper Woodland.This vegetation type is associated with Nehar stony sandy loam soil. Non-irrigated production of this range vegetation type averages 1,200 pounds of dry weight per acre(USDA NRCS 2014). The Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub Steppe contains both treated and seeded, and untreated big sagebrush community.The treated and seeded big sagebrush community covers approximately 35% of the proposed Bonds Gravel Pit area.This vegetation type is associated with Witt loam soils. Non- irrigated production of this range vegetation type averages 1,100 pounds of dry weight per acre (USDA NRCS 2014).This artificial vegetation type is composed of areas where the big sagebrush has been roller-chopped and then seed with smooth brome (Bromus inermis)and crested wheatgrass(Agropyron cristatum).There are two parts within the treated big sagebrush area, an area recently treated and a historically treated sector. Other species within the treated and seeded big sagebrush community include scattered big sagebrush, rabbitbrush species,snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae),tumble mustard (Sisymbrium altissimum),groundsel (Senecio sp.), blue grama and galletta. Shrub height ranges from 2 to 3 feet. Estimated ground cover is 30-35 percent. Prepared by Tegre Corp. 1199 Main Ave., Suite 101 >.( 't Durango, CO 81301 (970)828-1811