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Reve etahon <br />Following a walkover of the reclaimed <br />area, a Trimble GPS unit was used to <br />lay out transect starting points on a 25 <br />meter grid. These points were flagged <br />and numbered. Cover data was <br />collected using a optical 10-point bar <br />on randomly-oriented 10-meter long <br />transects, collecting 10 hits every one <br />meter for a total of 100 cover hits per <br />transect. A minimum of 15 cover <br />transects were collected Data were <br />recorded on field sheets for latter office <br />analysis. (see photo at right) <br />Production data was collected by <br />clipping grasses, forts. and sub- <br />shrubs within a '/: meter rectangular <br />area at the starting point of each cover <br />transect. Harvested vegetation was <br />bagged in paper bags and labeled by <br />IocaUOn. A mirnmum of thirty <br />production plots were collected. <br />Generally, the site is dominated by ~ ~ ° •;,' ~ .:.' ~ •` •;: • ~ <br />rabbit brush, broom snakeweed, small ~~~ ~ ~' r "' <br />r <br />~ ' y <br />' <br />wheat grasses, and an occasional ~ <br />~'~', ::Cl,;~; <br />~ <br />~ <br /> <br />penstomen. As of April 2006, this area ` <br />.r. ~;~'C ;~ ,w <br />" <br />, ~,t, -. <br />of Colorado was identified by the ~ <br />National Oceanic and Atmospheric <br />Administration jNOAA) as under <br />extreme drought, the most severe <br />category Conditions have not <br />improved since April and abnormally <br />high temperatures have further worsened the already extreme conditions. <br />Some evidence of cattle grazing this season was observed, However. discussions with the <br />lessee indicated that the cattle were fed at the gate near the county road over the winter and <br />rarely did the cattle venture into the surrounding rangeland areas. This feeding continued <br />into the spring due to the lack of any substantial growth this season. <br />