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(Madia glomerata) in the study area. <br />Average herbaceous basal cover measured in the haul road study area was approximately 13 <br />percent and 16 percent in the reference area (Tables 6^33 and 6-34). Meadow barley, <br />Nuttall atkaligra ss, and western wheatgrass were the dominant grass species in both areas. <br />No forb species contributed important cover percentages. Western ragweed and tarweed were <br />the most frequent forb species in the reference and haul road study areas, respectively, <br />Estimated average herbaceous production was 156 glmz (1,394 ibJacre) on the haul road <br />study area and 93 gJmz (834 lblac re) on the reference area (Tables 6-35 and 6-36). Three <br />grass species (western wheatgrass, meadow barley, and Nuttall alkaligrass) together <br />provided 87 percent of all production on the haul road study area. No single forb species <br />contributed an important fraction of the productivity in either area. <br />Wheat Cropland. The Wheat Cropland vegetation type is the largest type (124.2 acres) in <br />the corridor permit area. A realignment of the haul road in 1989 resulted in a slight <br />adjustment to the permit area (see revised Exhibit 10-2 and Table 10-2). Because of <br />~~ agricultural practices, wheat (Tri ti cum aestivum) is obviously the dominant species. This <br />plant provided 21 and 19 percent cover, and produced 1,366 lbs/acre and 1,838 lbs/acre in <br />the study and reference areas, respectively (Tables 7^37, 7-38, 7-39, and 7-40 ), <br />Production included the total plant instead of just grain production. The same three <br />species of fortis (textile onion, wild lettuce (Lactuca ludoviciana), and knotweed <br />(Pot ygonum engelmannii )) provided about equal cover and productivity both in the study <br />and reference areas (0.3 and 0.4 percent cover, 45 and 36 g/mz, respectively). A portion <br />of this type in the central part of the corridor was fallow at the time of sampling. <br />Summer fallowing is a method of conserving soil moisture for the next year's crop by <br />eliminating or controlling plant growth during the fallow season. ' Thus, cover and <br />production data could not be taken on this portion of cropland. Records from the <br />Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) Office in Steamboat Springs <br />shov+s a 7 year county average dryland wheat yield of 23.8 bushels/acre (7976-1984), <br />Greasewood. The Cre asewood type occurs in a small area (11.3 acres) on the western end of <br />the haul road corridor. The dominant shrubs are black greasewood, alkali sagebrush, <br />rubber rabbi thrush (Chrwsothamnus nauseos us ), and Douglas rabbitbrush (Chrv sothamnus <br />viscidiflorus), Grass species ore urring on the area included western r+h ea tq Ya ss, prairie <br />junegras5, Kentucky 111 ueq ra ss, Nevada bl ucgrass (Poa nev adensis), Nuttall alkali nra ss, <br />~7 <br />