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~• ~~ <br />Inventory & Evaluation - Bear River Sand & Gravel 5-77 <br />r1 <br />U <br />n <br />U <br />AREA #1 <br />Soils and vegetative information found on proposed pit area: <br />A. Climate -- Precipitation averages 15 to 20 inches per year. Over <br />half occurs as snow. The frost free period is 50 to 90 days, Due <br />to the relative closeness of the water table, plants are able to <br />make use of the favorable conditions. <br />B. Elevation and Topography -- The proposed gravel pit occurs at an <br />elevation of approximately 6,500 feet. The natural slope is nearly <br />level. Several old excavations and coarse rock piles occur on the <br />property along with previous river meanders. The excavations and <br />meanders are waterfilled until midsummer in a normal year. <br />C. Soils -- The proposed pit area occurs on a broadly defined soil <br />mapping unit - fluvaquents (AW). The soils are undeveloped, that is <br />no distinct horizons have developed. Texture is sandy loam or <br />loam over gxsvel and sand. Depth of the soil material varies <br />widely, from a few inches to 3 feet. pH ranges from 6.6 to 7.3. <br />Conductivity is negligible (< 2 mmhos~cm at 25° C). <br />Permeability is high, but water holding capacity is low. <br />D. Plant Community -- Riverbottom-Presently, there is about a 60 <br />percent canopy cover on this area. Much of the native vegetation <br />is not present due to past disturbances. Domesticated grass species <br />have invaded. Ground cover averages 85 percent. Total annue.l <br />production (exclusive of tree species) is estimated to be 2500 <br />lbs. (air dry weight). Production is limited due to the low water <br />holding capacity of the gravel material. <br />Species occurring on the site are listed below. <br /> <br />Tree: Narrowleaf cottonwood <br />Shrub: Willow <br />Grasses: Smooth brome <br />Blue,joint reedgrass <br />Timothy <br />Kentucky bluegrass <br />Sedge <br />(Po ulus angustifolia)* <br />(Salix sp.) <br />(Bromus fnermis)* <br />(Calamagrostis canadensis) <br />{Phleum rap tennis <br />(Poa ratensis <br />(Carex spp. <br />Forbs: Bull thistle <br />Burdock <br />Waterleaf <br />Cow parsnip <br />False lupine <br />Pondweed <br />um vulgare) <br />um minus) <br />hP yllum capitatum) <br />leum lanatum <br />opsis montana) <br />ogeton sp~- <br />Other plants may be present on the site but were not evident at the <br />time the survey was made. <br />*Dominant vegetation <br />