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[~ <br />of both the common and scientific names the plant species observed <br />or collected on the project site (nomenclature follows Weber, William <br />A., 1976 Rocky Mountain Flora, Colorado Associated University Press). <br />The following sections give a general description of each vegetation <br />' type, dominant species, and plant species cover based on field plots <br />measured on the site. Within each vegetation type, eight to ten plots <br />(10 by 10 meters) were delineated and used to quantify plant cover <br />{visual estimate by species). In addition, all plant species both <br />within the plots and in the vicinity of the plots were recorded. <br />J.2 Vegetation Tvpes <br />' J.2.1 Riparian Vegetation Complex <br />' Rit <br />h <br />h <br />l <br />i <br />i <br />i <br />l <br />S <br /> o <br />e floodp <br />a <br />n r <br />par <br />an zone a <br />ong <br />eco <br />T <br />e vegetation in t <br /> is a mosaic of subtypes depending on substrate and water conditions. <br />' The upper moist benches are dominated by willow, alder, and <br /> cottonwood stumps left from beaver cutting. The marshy zones along <br /> the creek and around the edges of the beaver ponds support rushes, <br /> reeds, and grasses growing interspersed with alder and some willows. <br /> The upper dry benches are dominated by big sagebrush and currant with <br />' widely spaced juniper trees. The riparian area, just below the mine <br />' pit area and just upstream of the incised section of the Rito Seco, <br />d <br />t <br />f <br />f <br />tt <br />i <br />h <br />thi <br />k <br />h <br />b <br />l <br /> onwoo <br />w <br />o <br />s <br />has a grove of large narrow- <br />ea <br />co <br />t <br />a <br />c <br />e <br />ru <br />s <br /> and vines as the understory. Common shrubs and vines in the riparian <br /> zone are rubber rabbitbrush, wild rose, common gooseberry, angelica, <br /> willow, clematis, virginia creeper, and wild hops. Since disturbance <br />' of this riparian zone is not anticipated, the zone was not <br /> quantitatively sampled. A general reconnaissance was considered <br /> adequate for descriptive purposes. <br />' J.2.2 Sagebrush Shrub <br /> Big sagebrush is dominant over most of the alluvial valleys <br />' and flats on the project site. It is the common vegetation type in <br /> the area of the proposed mill, leach pad, southern waste rock <br />1 <br /> J-6 <br /> <br />