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ATTACHMENT D <br /> dock (Rumex crispus). Intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) and the noxious <br /> weed Canada thistle are common at the margins. <br /> 6.3.2 Ecological Condition and Land Use History <br /> Wetlands C and D are not a part of the active river system and they are surrounded by <br /> aggressive, introduced grasses and noxious weeds. There is no early sera) habitat. <br /> 6.3.3 Results <br /> Wetlands C and D are on subirrigated alluvial soils, and they occur in depressions. However, <br /> the commonly associated plants are not present, and instead there are aggressive species <br /> that are known to preclude the presence of these two rare plants. Wetlands C and D are not <br /> suitable habitat for Ute ladies' tresses orchid or the Colorado butterfly plant. <br /> 6.4 Wetland E <br /> 6.4.1 Location, Vegetation and Hydrology <br /> Wetland E is located near the Big Thompson River on an overbank deposit from the 2013 flood <br /> (Photo 11). Wetland E measures approximately 844 square feet (0.02 acre) (Photo 12). <br /> Wetland E has an overstory of plains cottonwood and peachleaf willow (Salix amygdaloides) <br /> trees with a few sandbar willows (Salix exigua) in the shrub layer. The understory is dominated <br /> by reed canarygrass (Phalaris orundinacea) growing with meadow fescue (Festuco pratensis), <br /> Emory sedge, curly dock, teasel (Dipsocus fullonum), American yellowrocket (Barbareo <br /> orthocereas), and cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). Wetland E is adjacent to the Big Thompson <br /> River and is influenced by the seasonally high groundwater associated with the river. <br /> 6.4.2 Ecological Condition and Land Use History <br /> As described above, the area near Wetland E has been affected by overbank deposits from <br /> the 2013 floods. <br /> 6.4.3 Results <br /> The gravelly deposits near Wetland E are not suitable habitat and the area within Wetland E is <br /> dominated by reed canarygrass, an aggressive competitor that excludes these two rare <br /> plants. Therefore, Wetland E is not suitable habitat for the Colorado butterfly plant or Ute <br /> ladies' tresses orchid. <br /> 6.5 Wetland F <br /> 6.5.1 Location, Vegetation and Hydrology <br /> Wetland F (0.26 acre) is located in the south-central portion of the project site in a slough that <br /> is an abandoned channel of the Big Thompson River (Photo 13). It is dominated by Nebraska <br /> sedge (Carex nebraskensis) in the wettest areas, with saltmeadow rush, saltgrass, Baltic rush <br /> (Juncus arcticus ssp. ater), and clustered field sedge (Carex praegrocilis) in the drier areas. <br /> Other common species at the margins include quackgrass, teasel, intermediate wheatgrass, <br /> and prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola). This slough is seasonally saturated by the high <br /> groundwater table associated with the alluvial aquifer of the Big Thompson River. There was <br /> shallow standing water at the time of the delineation due to recent heavy rains. <br /> 6.5.2 Ecological Condition and Land Use History <br /> Wetland F is not a part of the active river system but it does have gravelly, alluvial soils which <br /> are seasonally saturated and could provide a suitable hydrology for these two species. <br /> 5 <br />