2018-08-30_PERMIT FILE - C1982057 (2)

Home Browse Search

• (Madia glomerata) in the study area. Average herbaceous basal cover measured in the haul road study area was approximately 13 percent and 16 percent in the reference area (Tables 6-33 and 6-34). Meadow barley, Nuttall alkaligrass, and western wheatg rass were the dominant grass species in both areas. No forb species contributed important cover percentages. Western ragweed and tarweed were the most frequent forb species in the reference and haul road study areas, respectively. Estimated average herbaceous production was 156 g/mz (1,394 16/acre) on the haul road study area and 93 g/mz (834 lb/acre) on the reference area (Tables 6-35 and 6-36). Three grass species (western whea tg rass, meadow barley, and Nuttall alkaligrass) together provided 87 percent of all production on the haul road study area. No single forb species contributed an important fraction of the productivity in either area. Wheat Cropland. The Wheat Cropland vegetation type is the largest type (124.2 acres) in the corridor permit area. A realignment of the haul road in 1989 resulted in a slight adjustment to the permit area (see revised Exhibit 10-2 and Table 10-2). Because of • agricultural practices, wheat (Tri ticum aes ti vum) is obviously the dominant species. This plant provided 21 and 19 percent cover, and produced 1,366 lbs/acre and 1,838 lbs/acre in the study and reference areas, respectively (Tables 7-37, 7-38, 7-39, and 7-40). Production included the total plant instead of just grain production. The same three species of fortis (textile onion, wild lettuce (Lactuca ludoviciana), and knotweed (Polygonum engelmannii)) provided about equal cover and productivity both in the study and reference areas (0.3 and 0.4 percent cover, 45 and 36 g/mz, respectively). A portion of this type in the central part of the corridor was fallow at the time of sampling. Summer fallowing is a method of conserving soil moisture for the next year's crop by eliminating or controlling plant growth during the fallow season. Thus, cover and production data could not be taken on this portion of cropland. Records from the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ABCs) Office in Steamboat Springs shows a 7 year county average dryland wheat yield of 23.8 bushels/acre (1978-1984). Creasewood. The Creasewood type occurs in a small area (11.3 acres) on the western end of the haul road corridor. The dominant shrubs are black greasewood, alkali sagebrush, rubber ra bbi thrush (Chrysot hamnus nauseosus), and Douglas ra bbitbrush (Chrysot hamnus • viscidiflorus). Grass species occurring on the area included western wheatgrass, prairie junegra ss, Kentucky bluegrass, Nevada bluegrass (Poo nevaden si s), Nuttall alkaligrass, 27