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1 ~ ~ ~~ • • <br />shrubland (Artemisla tridentata), and patchy grassland inclusions, <br />Apart from the White River south of the mine location, open water Is <br />scarce in the vicinity of the study area, The only permanent or <br />semi-permanent bodies of water are occasional livestock reservoirs, <br />Rimrock is a common feature at the east end of the corridor and near <br />1 the mine area, but the topography tends to flatten and decrease <br />gradually In elevation toward the west (grading from approximately <br />1 5700 to 5000 feet). The west end of the railroad corridor Is a much <br />more and and sparsely vegetated environment consisting primarily of <br />dry grassland and sagebrush ( ri a canescens), For details of <br />vegetation and soils see Olgelrson (1981) and Sommers (1981). <br />Domestic sheep are grazed throughout most of the corridor and mine <br />area. No irrigated agricultural lands are present. <br />] Fran a regional perspective, the environment of the study area <br />is rather typical of nearby areas of similar elevation, Canmon big <br />game species include pronghorn antelope (Antelocapra americans) and <br />mule deer (Odocolleus hemionus). Raptorial birds commonly seen <br />include red-tailed hawks ( uteo iamaicensis), Ferruginous hawks <br />( uteo e a Is), and golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). Sage grouse <br />3 (Centrocercus yroohaslanus) are occasionally encountered at the east <br />end of the corridor and near the mine area where big sagebrush Is <br />more abundant, Common nongame species Include white-tailed prairie <br />dogs ( nom s eucurus) and coyotes ( an s latrans), Songbirds tend <br />r not to be numerous or diverse due to arld conditions and the absence <br />of well developed riparian habitat, <br />p <br />