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Climate <br />Climatic data for the proposed area was published in the Final Impact Statement, <br />Northwest Colorado Coal (BLM, 1976). The following information is taken from <br />that report. <br />Air Movements: Cool air moves down the canyons in the early mornings and <br />evenings and warmer air moves up the canyons during afternoon. <br />Average Wind Speed: 10 mph during the afternoons, 4 mph during the evenings. <br />Stronger winds occur approximately 3% of the time, mostly during winter and <br />spring. <br />Precipitation: 16-18 inches per yeaz, primarily as winter snows. <br />Average Temperatures: Average summer temperatures in July range from 44 to 86 <br />degrees F. Winter temperatures during January range from 5 to 34 degrees F. <br />Growing Season: The growing season is about 90 days. <br />9. Vegetation <br />There are two major plant communities present in the proposed area: Sagebrush and <br />Mountain Shrub. There are no cleaz breaks from one plant community to the next, <br />however, at higher elevations, the Mountain Shrub community is prominent, at mid <br />level elevations there is roughly an equal mix, and at lower elevations the Sagebrush <br />community is prominent. <br />The sagebrush species and other plant species associated with them in the proposed <br />azea include big sagebrush, snowberry, rabbit brush, western wheatgrass and <br />mountain brome. <br />Common shrubs present in the Mountain Shrub communities are servicebeny, oak, <br />mountain mahogany, bitter brush, chokecherry, snowberry, and wood's rose. The <br />understory is comprised of western wheatgrass, bluegrass and mountain brome as <br />dominants. <br />At the highest elevations, on moist North facing slopes and in drainages, small stands <br />of aspens may be present. <br />Noxious weeds are continually sprayed property wide by Colowyo every summer for <br />the last 5 years with the plan to continue this practice well into the future. Less than <br />0.02 percent of all the plants present aze selenium indicators. Importantly, no rare or <br />endangered plants have ever been found in the proposed drilling area. <br />N:\CCC_ENGWAN\DMG\NOI DOC\07NOI\07 N01 Tcxt.doc <br />IO/26/06 <br />