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• Wetlands and Waters of the United States <br />A wetlands and waters of the U.S. survey of the Oxbow project area was completed on May 14, <br />2003. The survey consisted of a field evaluation of potential access road crossings of <br />ephemeral drainages as well as the proposed coal refuse pile location within an ephemeral <br />drainage. As indicated on 1 inch to 200-foot scale project maps (see Drawing No: 2.05-M1), <br />three ephemeral drainages would be crossed by the proposed upper and lower access roads, <br />and one ephemeral drainage would be filled by the coal refuse facility. Only the coal refuse <br />ephemeral drainage shows as a blue-line drainage on the USGS 7 1/2'.topographic map <br />(Somerset, Colorado) of the area. <br />The Oxbow project area is located on south-facing slopes at elevations between apprdximately <br />6,300 feet and 6,020 feet. Vegetation communities supported within the Oxbow project area are <br />comprised almost entirely of juniper woodland dominated by an overstory of Utah juniper <br />(Sabina utahenis)' and lesser amounts of Rocky mountain juniper (Sabina scopulorum). <br />Dominant shrub species supported in the understory of this community include big sagebrush <br />• {Seriphidium trideniatum), skunkbush sumac (Rhus trilobata), squaw-apple (Peraphyllum <br />ramosissimumj, Gambel's oak (Quercus gambelir), bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata), and <br />snowberry (Symphoricarpos rotundifolius). Mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus) is <br />also present on the lower elevation slopes. Weedy annuals including cheatgrass (Anisthaniha <br />tectorum), flixweed {Descurainia Sophia), western stickseed (Lappula redowskil), filaree <br />(Erodium cicutarium), and yellow alyssum (Alyssum parviflorum) are the dominant herbaceous <br />understory species in this community. Lesser amounts of western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum <br />smiihil), Indian ricegrass (Achinaiherum hymenoides), Letterman needlegrass (Achinatherum <br />lettermanil), giant wild rye (Leymus cinereus), longleaf phlox (Phlox longifolia), and Louisiana <br />sagewort (Artemisia ludoviciana) were also noted in the understory. All of these vegetation <br />species are upland associated species, and no evidence of wetlands or seeps or springs was <br />encountered within any of the proposed disturbance areas. <br />Within the ephemeral drainages there is increased dominance by shrub species such as <br />snowberry, Gambel's oak, squaw-apple, and Saskatoon serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia), <br />• 'Scientific nomenclature follows: Weber, W. A, and R. C. Wittmann. 1996. Colorado Flora Western Slope, revised <br />edition. University Press of Colorado, Niwoi, Colorado. 496 pp. <br />