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ERC Collette Property Borrow Site <br /> Description of Vegetation <br /> and thread (Hesperostipa comata). Annual grasses and forbs are seasonally present. Stands occupy the <br /> lower slope positions of the foothill and lower montane zones. Elevations range from 4,900 to 8,900 feet <br /> in elevation.Stands may occur on level to steep slopes,cliffs,escarpments,rimrock slopes, rocky outcrops, <br /> and scree slopes. Soils are typically well-drained (NatureServe 2023). <br /> Based on aerial imagery, vegetation throughout the project area contains big sagebrush (Artemisia <br /> tridentato), alderleaf mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus montonus), rocky mountain juniper trees <br /> (Juniperus scopulorum) and gambel oak(Quercus gambehi).The herbaceous understory mixed within the <br /> shrubs in the project area likely consists of bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegnerio spicoto), prairie <br /> junegrass(Koeleria macrantha), blue grama,thickspike wheatgrass, needle and thread and comprises 30- <br /> 60% ground cover, which is typical vegetation species composition in the region and of the vegetative <br /> community. The captured photo below shows the existing features and vegetation community found <br /> within the project area. The lower elevations are dominated by sagebrush and slowly transition to <br /> mountain mahogany as elevations rise. Along the eastern edge of the property the topography continues <br /> to rise and the vegetation becomes dominated by overstory trees consisting of Rocky Mountain Juniper. <br /> 5.0 Summary <br /> ERC has completed this memo to provide site-specific vegetation community descriptions for the 33-acre <br /> project area north of Rifle, in Rio Blanco County, Colorado to satisfy DRMS Rule 6 Section 3.2(a) —Site <br /> Description of Vegetation.One vegetative covertype exists within the 33-acre project area and is classified <br /> as the Southern Rocky Mountain Montane Shrubland.This vegetative community within the project area <br /> is dominated by big sagebrush, alderleaf mountain mahogany and Rocky Mountain Juniper with the <br /> herbaceous understory consisting of upland grass species including bluebunch wheatgrass, prairie <br /> junegrass, blue grama,thickspike wheatgrass, needle and thread with 30-60%ground cover. The project <br /> area, based on the latest aerial imagery, is relatively natural and lacks significant disturbance or <br /> fragmentation. <br /> 3 <br />