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Coulson Excavating Company, Inc. -Stroh Gravel Pit <br />Exhibit J-Vegetation Information <br />Existing Vegetation Types <br />Existing vegetation types occurring on the Stroh Pit permit area is 100% grassland. <br />Approximately 75% is an irrigated hayfield located within the south and west portions of <br />the permit area. The remaining 25% is an un-irrigated grass pasture (See Exhibit C). <br />Included within a small portion of both areas aze five small isolated wetlands, also <br />dominated by grass. These azeas encompass less than 0.1 acre and aze not regulated by <br />the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers (Corps) (see Corps letter in Exhibit M). <br />The irrigated hayfields aze grazed during the winter months. Dominant plant species <br />include a mixture of both smooth brome (Bromopsis inermis) and orchazdgrass (Dactylis <br />glomerata). Hayfields aze imgated three times per year in the spring, summer and fall, <br />and hay is cut in June. <br />The pasture is grazed on a year round basis. Cover in the pasture is sparse all year <br />because of the year-round grazing by approximately 100 head of cattle. Dominant plant <br />species include red fescue (Festuca rubra) and intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum <br />intermedium). <br />Wetland vegetation in the pasture is dominated by reed canarygrass (Phalaris <br />arundinacea), little barley (Hordeum jubatum), alkali muhly (Muhlenbergia asperifolia), <br />threesquare (Scirpus pungens), and inland saltgrass (Distichlis spicata). <br />Threatened and Endangered Plants <br />The Ute Ladies'-Tresses orchid (Spiranihes diluvialis) is a federally threatened plant <br />species. An assessment ofthe habitat within the permit azea concluded that potential <br />habitat for the orchid is poor for the following reasons: <br />^ The permit area is highly disturbed by agricultural activities; <br />• Dominant plant species of wetland areas include reed canarygrass (Phalaris <br />arundinacea) and inland saltgrass (Distichlis spicata). <br />A letter from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service supporting these conclusions is attached <br />in Exhibit M. <br />Potential Mining Effects <br />The proposed gravel mining is unlikely to have significant effects on vegetative resources <br />for the following reasons: <br />• The permit area is highly disturbed by agricultural activities; <br />• The wetland vegetation types are isolated and not regulated by the Department of <br />the Army, Corps of Engineers; and <br />H:\Stroh\word\DMG\Exhibit J.doc <br />