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• UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE <br />Soil Conservation Service, Colorado <br />Technical Guide RANGE SITE N0. 228 <br />Section II E Field Office <br />August 1975 <br />RANGE SITE DESCRIPTION <br />for <br />MOUNTAIN LOAM <br />Land Resource Area: Southern Rocky Mountains (48) <br />A. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS <br />I. Physlographic Features <br />Topography is mainly alluvial-colluvlal slopes, terraces, fans <br />or valley positions. Slopes average between 5 to 10$ but can <br />reach 30 to 40$. Elevation ranges from 7000 feet to 9500 feet. <br />2. Climatic Features <br />• Average annual precipitation is 15 to 20 inches, of which about <br />50$ falls as snow. <br />Optimum growing season for native plants is early spring through <br />summer. The frost-free period ranges from 30 to 100 days. Mean <br />annual temperature ranges from 7Q°js to (-) 40°'s F. This s(te <br />normally has deep snow cover through the winter. <br />3. Native (potential) Vegetation <br />Grass, In ssaoclatioa with minor anaunts of woody plants such as <br />sagebrush and snowberry and- several (orbs, accounts for most of <br />the vegetalt;[ve cover. This site is treeless; however, trees are <br />often In nisi general vicinity. Dominant grasses are Idaho and/or <br />Arizona fescue, slender wheatgrass, bearded wheatgrass, native <br />bluegrasses, nodding brume, mountain brans, Letterman's needle- _ <br />grass and pine needlegrass. Mountain muhly and Parry oatgrass <br />era important to same locations. Lupins, geranium, groundsel and <br />bluebells are tM principal forba. Mith range depletion, sage- <br />brush often becomes dominant: <br />Optimum ground cover is 35$. The following species are most likely <br />to Invade this site: cheatgrass, sllmstam muhly, three-awn, blue <br />grams, rubberweed, broom snakeweed, tall rabbitbrush, phlox, and <br />nailwort. <br />• <br />s ~ <br />