2006-11-22_REVISION - M2005012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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EXHIBIT J -Vegetation Information I. Narrative Description (a) Description of present vegetation types: The current types of vegetation established across the proposed area of operations consist of low brush, pinion pine, cedar (juniper), and mixed grass types. Vegetation height ranges from low ground cover short grasses to low shrubs less than 20 inches in height to low pine and cedar up [0 3 meters. The majority of pinion on this site is infected and is either dead or dying. An inventory was conducted by the Shavano Soil Conservation District Types of vegetation identified at the site as follows: • Grasses - Muttongrass, Indian Ricegrass, Nevada bluegrass, Chea[grass, Bottlebrush Squirreltail, Big Bluegrass, Pine dropseed • Forbs - Scarlet Globemallow, Wooley Mullen, Dailey Fleabane, Wallflower, Bedstraw, Long leaf phlox, Low larkspur, Annual mustards • Shrubs -Wyoming Big Sagebrush, Gamble Oakbrush, Service berry, Cliff fendler bush, Prickly pear cactus • Trees - Pinion Pine, Utah Juniper (cedar) (b) Relationship of present types of vegetation [o soil types. The present vegetation is homogeneous across the site. Pinions, Sagebrush, Oakbrush and junipers grow generally on [he ridges with low brush and grasses throughout [he proposed area of operations. Ridge soils are generally more gravelly with pinion and more loamy soils generally support small brush and grasses in addition to [he pinion on lower slopes and bottoms. A wetland area lies in [he south portion of the permit area with associated grasses and low hrush. This wetland will be separated from the active area of the site by silt fencing. The undisturbed wetlands area is approximately 6 acres in volume. Average topsoil depths range from 6 [0 10 inches in depth. Due to limited site topsoil amounts, all possible topsoil will be salvaged for reclamation. (c) Carrying capacity for range lands on or in the vicinity of the affected land. • The possible carrying capacity ranges for [his soil type for its normal characteristic vegetation in Ibs/ac are as follows: I) Favorable year - 700Ibs/ac, 2) Normal year - 500 Ibs/ac, 3) Unfavorable year - 300 Ibs/ac. 2. "fhe overall topography al [he proposed site is steep [o very steep (> I S%) and elevation ranges from (920 to 7120 ft AMSL. The proposed permit area is a series of small gravel ridges sparsely covered by cedar pinion and sagebrush. As stated in I (b) above, [he site vegetation is homogeneous across the proposed area of operations and on adjacent areas with no particular affect due to topographic elevation or soil type. Tree and brush cleared from [he affected area will be piled along buffer atvas to provide wildlife habitat.