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• iii iiiiiiiiiiiu iii • <br />999 <br />• EXHIBIT J <br />VEGETATION INFORMATION <br />(Please refer to Exhibit J-I, <br />Premining Land Use and Vegetation) <br />The area proposed for extension of the Mesa Gravel Pit is comprised of <br />gently rolling topography with drainage generally to the northeast and <br />northwest. The soils on the area are fairly deep and possess qualities of <br />texture, water holding capacity, and organic matter desirable for plant <br />growth. For This reason, the area is used quite extensively for small grain <br />production where topograr~hy does not limit operations. <br />The native plant community existing on the site prior to cultivation was a <br />grassland type community with big sagebrush and snowberry also occurring in <br />varying densities. This native plant community is best described by the Soil <br />Conservation Service (SCS) range site description for the Mountain Loam <br />type (Range Site No. 228). In surtounding areas that are not cultivated, the <br />• Mountain Loam range site has deteriorated to a sagebrush dominated com- <br />munity due to historical heavy livestock grazing. This brief description of <br />the potential native plant community is provided as historical perspective <br />and does not indicate plans to restore the existing farm area to a native <br />plant community. <br />Like much of the surrounding lands, the proposed site has been used for small <br />grain production for some time now. Agricultural activities in general have <br />been ongoing in The Yampa Valley since the late 1800's, with crop production <br />gaining emphasis in the early part of this century. In order to insure ade- <br />quate yields, summer fallow has been used to conserve soil moisture and <br />control weedy species. Small grains are grown every other year with the <br />intervening year used for moisture conservation basically by controlling <br />plant growth. Tillage operations done periodically during the growing season <br />kill weedy species and thus increase available moisture. However, the <br />surface is susceptible to wind and water erosion with the ground cover <br />removed. Evidence of erosion is visible in drainages on the site where gravel <br />. seams are exposed. Tillage operations have also increased the amount and <br />spread of Canadian thistle (Cirsium arvense) occurring on the site. <br />J-I <br />