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• Saline/Alkaline Wet Meadow. This habitat occurs as a narrow stringer along the banks of <br />Dry Creek end surrounding two existing sediment ponds (Exhibit 11-1). It corresponds to the <br />alkaline meadow vegetation community described in Tab 70. The dominant soil is Spicerton <br />variant (0-5 percent slopes), which typically occurs on alluvial fans and scream bottoms <br />(see Tab 9). The range site classification within which the habitat falls is Claypan. <br />This habitat is structurally simple throughout much of the permit area and is limited in <br />cereal extent. However, moderately-incised cutbanks along some meanders of the stream <br />channel ere included in this type end provide enhanced topographic diversity offering good <br />escape and thermal cover. <br />Saline/Alkaline Shrubl ands. This habitat occurs on alluvial terraces, flats end upland <br />slopes adjacent to Dry Creek, end on slopes adjacent to the rail spur (Exhibit 71-1). <br />Vegetation communities represented in this habitat include a mixture of rabbitbrush/silver <br />sage, alkali sage/greasewood, alkali sage/western wheatgrass, big sagebrush, and minor <br />grassland inclusions (Tab 70). The dominant soil is Spi carton variant (0-5 percent <br />slopes), end the range site classification is Claypan (Tab 9). <br />• i <br />i l <br />l <br />d <br /> Th <br />s hab <br />tat is moderately complex, consisting of a ow to moderate <br />y steture <br />shrub <br /> overstory locally dominated by one or more salt tolerant shrub species (e.g., Chrvsothamnus <br />nauseosus, Artemisie cane, A, lonciloba, Sarcobetus vermiculetus), or big sage (A. <br />tridentate). The understory consists of a variety of fortis end graminoids including wheat <br />grasses (AOroovron spp.), bluegrasses (Poe spp.), yarrow (AChillea spp.), end en occasional <br />prickly peer (OOUntie spp.). The topography is gentle, consisting of rolling upland <br />slopes, flats, end terraces above and adjacent to the stream bottom. <br />Disturbed Areas. This habitat includes areas disturbed as a result of construction of the <br />loadout facility, abandoned cropland west of Dry Creek, and improved pasture in Section 10 <br />(Exhibit 11-1). Much of the old cropland area was redisturbed by rail/loadout <br />construction. Former crop areas were most likely used for wheat production or dryland <br />pasture. Prior to disturbance or redisturbance, low sagebrush, alkali sagebrush, and big <br />sagebrush probably occupied these sites. All dryland areas have been reseeded with <br />introduced cool season grasses, alfalfa (Medicaao sativa ), and sweetclover (Melilotus spp.) <br />Rubber rabbitbrush is invading some areas, although not to the extent of forming dense <br />• stands (Tab 70 ). The predominant predistur bance soil is the Morepos clay loam (10-15 <br />3 <br />