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5.0 Vegetation Baseline Sampling Results and Discussion -1987 <br />In 2008, NRCS designated certain soils as prime farmland soils. This led to the redesignation <br />of Irrigated Pasture Hayland (IH) on the Morgan property being redesignated as Cropland - <br />Irrigated Hay (IC). Additionally, as of Permit Revision 06, an area of 25.06 acres north of Pond <br />007 have been redesignated as Cropland - Small Grain (ICSG) based on determinations made <br />by DBMS. <br />5.1 Vegetation Distribution and Floristics - 1987 Vegetation types were determined on the <br />basis of plant composition and land use. Six vegetation types were recognized in the New <br />Horizon 2 baseline vegetation studies: sagebrush, swale/drainage, irrigated pasture, irrigated <br />hayland, irrigated cropland, and miscellaneous types. Farmsteads, facilities (corrals, <br />stockyards, haystacks), orchards, ponds, roads and other (abandoned cropland, abandoned <br />buildings, etc.), were included in the miscellaneous category. The distribution of each type is <br />shown on Map 2.04.10. The total acreage of each type in the study area and proposed permit <br />area is shown in Table 2.04.10-4. <br />The plant list resulting from the floristic surveys conducted with the study area is presented in <br />Attachment 2.04.10-5 (formerly Peabody Appendix 10-1). The list is arranged in alphabetical <br />order by plant morphological class. Species are identified according to scientific name, <br />common name, occurrence in the various vegetation types, and native or introduced. The list <br />includes 208 species of vascular plants. The morphological classes represented by the most <br />species in Attachment 2.04.10-5 (formerly Peabody Appendix 10-1) include perennial forbs <br />(65), perennial graminoids (46) and annual forbs (37). <br />The search of the Colorado Natural Areas Inventory data base indicated that no data are <br />available for the locality in which the study area occurs. However, both the Colorado <br />Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service indicated that Lupinus <br />crassus (Payson lupine) could possible occur on the site. Payson lupine is a U.S. Fish and <br />Wildlife Service category 2 species. Category 2 species are candidates for listing as <br />endangered or threatened for which additional data are needed before listing can proceed. <br />Thorough searches of the study area, including searches of likely microhabitats, failed to <br />produce any specimens of Payson lupine. The searches also failed to produce any other plant <br />February 2015 (TR -66) 2.04.10-26 <br />