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systea. Therefore, by the end of the sixth year the legumes are <br />saaewhat reduced in numbers, the grasses greatly advanced and at least <br />• 50% well established with another 39% moderately well established. The <br />legumes tend to maintain their presence far into the future while the <br />grass development continues to progress far many years. <br />Occassional wet years tend to favor the legumes and can create what <br />appears to 6e a pure stand of legume, but this is very deceiving in that <br />the visual emphasis of the tall legumes hides the grass growth under the <br />legume canopy. Such wet years also help to provide a general surplus of <br />moisture which translates into moist surface conditions that are also <br />kept coal by the shade. The grasses flourish under such situations and <br />in the next year when the moisture is usually more normal (6elew <br />average) the grasses receive great benefit from the legume nitrogen as <br />well as the natural mulch produced by the death of the rich leguminous <br />• topgrowth. Such years, which in the Colorado Springs area occur once <br />or twice every ten to thirteen years, provide great benefit to the grass <br />development. Such a condition could be simulated through irrigation, <br />however, irrigation during those initial two years can actually harm the <br />cycle that occurs under natural conditions. If irrigation is applied in <br />order to simulate this process, it should actually be delayed to the <br />third or fourth years. However, by then it is not really needed. <br />Therefore, if this process of revegetation through coabining legumes and <br />grasses is used, irrigation should not be used as it will tend to <br />disrupt the natural sequence and can actually result in a development of <br />• <br />F'AGE 1~~ OF 14 - EXHIBIT E <br />