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well --known site in .iefTerson County. If present during the survey, the orchid would have been in <br />bloom, and should have been noticeable. No orchids were found during the survey, <br />The extreme southern portion of the property is an upland area away from the floodplain, and is <br />far too dry to constitute orchid habitat. No irrigation is available for this portion of the property. <br />Geologically, this area is very sandy, and is probably of aeolian origin (wind-blown sand). Plants <br />noted included sand sage (Artenrrsru filrfuliu), prickly poppy (Arl emone polvanthemos, and <br />blazing star Mentrelra nuilu), all common plants of sandy areas on the plains. <br />The northern potion of the property is at lower elevation than the extreme southern portion. <br />Although the channel of St. Vrain creek is nearly a mile to the northwest of the northwest corner <br />of the property, this portion of the tract appears to be part of the floodplain. Nearly all ofthis area <br />has been intensively used for agricultural production. Large areas both east and west of the <br />farmhouse are currently planted in corn. Irrigation water is present, as a ditch crosses the southern <br />potion of the property and another follows the west boundary of the property. Numerous feeders <br />and laterals have been developed in this portion of the tract. Some of these ditches are concrete - <br />lined, and it is obvious that the area has long been used for irrigated agriculture. The unlined <br />ditches are typical of irrigation ditches, and show steep banks, with no areas of overbank flooding <br />or wetlands immediately adjacent to the ditches. The banks of the ditches are covered with a <br />luxuriant growth of reed canarygrass (Phulurts urtuuhnaceu), with some scattered patches of <br />showv milkweed (Asclepiav s1wciosu). There is no habitat for orchids in this area, either in the <br />irrigated cornfields or along the ditches and laterals. Windbreaks have been developed at several <br />locations on the property, but these areas are planted in trees and shrubs and are generally dense in <br />revegetation grasses. There is no habitat for orchids in these areas. <br />There are two areas on the Bearson property that were potential orchid habitat. In the northeast <br />corner of the property, there is a cattail marsh that appears to be natural, and is a few feet lower <br />than the surrounding area. Similarly, south of the house is a linear feature (east -west) that could <br />he the remnant of an old stream channel. Both areas were examined closely, but no orchids were <br />found. <br />The marsh at the northeast corner of the property is composed largely of cattails (l inha lutifidtu) <br />in the lowest part of the marsh, surrounded by a zone composed mostly of three -square <br />Scht)enoplectuv Pun ,IOLVY The wettest portions of the marsh are too densely vegetated with <br />cattails or are too wet for orchids to occur. The southern portion of the marsh was surveyed <br />closely. Then the north and east sides were checked. The only potential habitat is on the south <br />side of the marsh, generally near a patch of swamp milkweed (Asclepius mcarnotu), where the <br />ground water table appears to be maintained at a high level. similar to other areas where the <br />orchids occur. However, no orchids were found. <br />The old stream channel south of the farmhouse is very low compared to the surrounding area. <br />There are areas of cattails and standing water, apparently stagnant. There was a luxuriant growth <br />of duckweed (l.cnrnu species) on the standing water. There was evidence of ground water <br />evaporation in the form ofalkaline salt encrustation on some plants None of the common