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<br />UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE <br />Soil Conservation Service, Colorado <br />Technical Guide RANGE SITE N0. 298 <br />Section II E M:rl« ~ Field Office <br />August 1975 <br />RANGE SITE DESCRIPTION <br />for <br />ROLLING LOAM <br />Land Resource Area: Central Desertic Basins, Mountair~s, <br />and Plateaus (34) <br />Southern Rocky Mountains (48) <br />A. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS <br />Physiographic features <br />The landscape characteristics of this site is nearly level to <br />moderately steep. Degree of slope ranges from 0 to 65o with <br />the r'irection of slope not affecting the site. <br />Elevation ranges from 5500 to 7000 feet above sea level. <br />2. Climatic Features <br />Annual precipitation ranges between 12 to 15 inches, with about <br />50°6 coming as snow. <br />The optimum growing season for native plants is April 15 to <br />July 1. The average temperature of the growing season averages <br />around 55° to 60° F. Winters average around 20° to 25° F. <br />Moisture comes fairly uniform over the months except for November <br />through February which are slightly below that of the others. <br />3• Native (potential) Vegetation <br />An open stand of big sagebrush with an abundance of grasses <br />including western wheatgrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, needlegrasses, <br />squirrel tail, bluegrasses and Indian ricegrass. Shrubs, other <br />than big sage are gray horsebrush, low rabbitbrush, tall rabbit- <br />brush, and serviceberry. Principal (orbs are American vetch, <br />buckwheats, bluebells, balsamroot, globemallow, lupine, yarrow, <br />and fleabane. <br />