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WATER <br />There are no perennial surface waters associated with the subject <br />• lease area. <br />Within the lease area the lower Menefee formation is saturated and <br />is probably hydrologically connected to the underlying Point Lookout <br />Sandstone. Well data suggests that the ground water moves upward <br />from the sandstone zone to the more permeable coal unit. The upper <br />Menefee contains only isolated lenses of ground water. Recharge to <br />these formations occurs north of the lease area from precipitation <br />on outcrops, from ground water infiltrating downward from overlying <br />formations, and possibly by leakage from the overlying alluvial <br />aquifer in Hay Gulch. <br />Discharge from these aquifers occurs south of the lease area at <br />lower altitudes. There is no evidence of discharge into the local <br />surface water systems (i.e. Hay and Pine Gulch). <br />VEGETATION <br />The general area consists primarily of pasture and mountain shrub <br />type vegetation along with pinon-juniper. The most prominent shrubs <br />include Gambels oak (Ouercus aambelii), Mountain mahogany <br />(Cerocarnus montanus), and Utah serviceberry (Amelanchier <br />utahensis). Other important shrubs include Antelope bitterbrush <br />(Purshia tridentata), Squaw-apple (Peraohvllum ramosissimum), and <br />Green ephedra (Enhedra viridis). Scattered pinon pine (Pinus <br />du is) and Utah juniper (Juniperus utahensis) occur on the more <br />xeric sites, while scattered ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and <br />• Douglas fir (PSeudotsuaa menziesii) occur on the more mesic sites. <br />Important species in the understory include bluegrass (Pod SDD.), <br />western wheatgrass (~aroovron smithii), bottlebrush squirreltail <br />(Sitanion hvstrix), yucca (Yucca baccata), and milkvetch (Astraaalus <br />SDD•) <br />The mesa top area has undergone various vegetation treatments <br />including chaining, burning, and herbicide application. A grassland <br />meadow dominated by wildrye ( 1 us SDD.) has been established <br />through seeding on a portion of the mesa top. <br />There are no known endangered or threatened plant species in this <br />area. <br />WILDLIFE <br />The application area is diverse in wildlife habitats. Although the <br />proposed lease area is primarily composed of the mountain shrub type <br />vegetative community, significant portions are also covered by <br />pinon-juniper and pasture types as well. The occurrence of this <br />relatively diverse vegetative structure provides habitats for a rich <br />and abundant faunal component. <br />The proposed lease area is located in important winter range for <br />deer and elk as evidenced by the observed hedging on browse species. <br />10 <br />