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AY-. ., ~ .-.-~ .n< n .. - ~ .. <br />~~~ <br />UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE <br />Soil Conservation Service <br />Section II-E <br />RANGE SITE DESCRIPTION <br />G'IQIP.~iE -C~~C~/c___, COLORADO FIELD OFFICE <br /> <br />Site Name: Dry Shallow Loam i~232 <br />Site Number: 0488Y232C0 <br />MLRA: 488 <br />Date Approved: November, 1987 <br />PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS <br />I. Physiograohic Features <br />This site is on weathered ridges with shallow soils over <br />sandstone or volcanic tuff. These low lying ridges can be <br />oriented in any direction. Sldpes range from 3 to 20 per cent. <br />Elevation ranges from 8600 to 9600 feet. <br />2. Climatic Features <br />a. The climate is semi-arid with precipitation averaging 10 to 16 <br />inches. Total yearly snowfall is 47 to 111 inches. The average <br />monthly precipitation is as follows: <br />Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec <br />0.4 0.4 0.6 0.9 1.0 0.9 2.0 2.2 1.1 0.7 0.4 0.4 <br />b. The mean growing season averages approximately 55 to 85 days <br />from June to September. In average years, there is sufficient <br />snow melt moisture at the beginning of the growing season to <br />initiate growth in such cool-season grasses as western wheatgrass, <br />mountain muhly, Arizona fescue, needleandthread, bottlebrush <br />squirreltail, and Indian ricegrass. Optimum growth occurs. season <br />long as long as adequate moisture is available, however, moisture <br />is quickly depleted from shallow areas and plant growth ceases. <br />About 50 percent of the annual precipitation falls in the form of <br />rain during the frost free season. <br />The average annual temperature is 38 to 44 degrees F. <br />Temperatures fall below the freezing mark much of the time in <br />September through May. Frosts can occur from September 1 through <br />June 15. <br />c. Wind patterns during the winter redistribute snow resulting " - <br />in very arid, dry ridge tops and areas of snow accumulation. <br />Steeper southfacing slopes have high enough evaporation to reduce <br />effective moisture too low for Arizona fescue to thrive. <br />Vegetative variation due to aspect and moisture patterns should <br />not be confused with ecological retrogression. <br />