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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE <br />• Soil Conservation Service, Colorado <br />Technical Guide <br />Section II E <br />RANGE SITE H0. 245 <br />Field Office <br />February 1976 <br />RANGE SITE DESCRIPTION <br />for <br />MOUNTAIN SWALE <br />Land Resource Area: Wasatch and Uinta Mountains (47) <br />Southern Rocky Mountains (48) <br />A. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS <br />Physiographic Features <br />This site occurs in the swales, valleys, and other low laying areas <br />which receive runoff from adjacent uplands. Elevation ranges from <br />6000 to 9000 feet. <br />2. Climatic Features <br />• The average annual precipitation is 12 to 20 inches with most of the <br />effective moisture falling as snow. However, due to its position, <br />the site receives beneficial moisture from run in water and overflow <br />water. The optimum growing season for native vegetation is May 15 <br />to July 15. <br />3. Native (potential) Vegetation <br />This is a grassland site with minor amounts of fortis and shrubs. <br />Dominant grasses are basin wildrye, slender wheatgrass, western <br />wheatgrass, Letterman needlegrass, Columbia needlegrass, sedges, and <br />rushes. Fortis include fleabane, geranium, herbaceous cinquefoil, <br />American bistort, and yarrow. Snowberry, chokecherry, rose, dogwood, <br />serviceberry, and willows are the major shrubs. <br />Big sagebrush and tall rabbitbrush are very minor species until the <br />site begins to deteriorate, at which time they may became a solid <br />stand. <br />Small wet areas occur in the stream bottoms growing principally <br />sedges, rushes, willows, and an occasional narrowleaf cottonwood. <br />Optimum ground cover is 50 percent. <br />• <br />4 <br />