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<br />each of the Croissant and Green properties are within the prinrary alluvial teaace of the <br />Big Thompson River. A 25-30 foot high slope separates the Big Thompson prnrary <br />alluvial terrace mid the terrace above. This slope bega>s along the south edge of the <br />Croissant property mud wines through the Green property to County Road 13. the upper <br />terrace comprising the south half of the Green property is comprised of outwash deposits <br />from the Front Range as well as eolian deposits. <br />The primary alluvial terrace within the Croissant and Green properties contains relict <br />meanders of the Big Thompson Rives that eadribit distinct topography and vegetation. The <br />Green property contains four man-made farm ponds, three adjacent to the t+esideaoe on the <br />west side of the properly and one along the slope near the east boundmy of the property. <br />Several rtrigation and drainage ditches have bees excavated on the Cro'~ssant and Green <br />ProP~~ <br />Vegelatiox <br />Natural vegetation communities within the properties can be broadly categorized as <br />sedgelrash swales, wet meadow, and mixed grassland. the oommiinities form a mosaic <br />within the properly and intergtade together depending on microtopography, soils, and the <br />ambient hydrologic regime. Each community is briefly described below. <br />Sedge/rush Swale vegetation commumities are found within both properties surveyed. <br />SedgeJnish Swale vegetation communities are found in depressions formed by historic <br />alluvial deposition and meandering of the Big Thompson River on both properties aad <br />w-thia surface water drainages formed by irrigation tarlwater. On both properties <br />sedgelrush swales are also located on the slope between the primary alluvial terrace and <br />secondary terrace. These communities are generally restricted to topographic depressions. <br />They are localized and form a mosaic throughout the property. The dominant species are <br />sedges and rushes. The following species were commonly encountered within the <br />sedgeJru>sh swales; three square (Scirpor americaxus), Baltic nrsh (Juncos balticus), <br />foxta~l 6erley (Hordeum jubaJum), blue joint (Calamagrostis caxadexsis), and red and <br />sls~ce clovers (Trifolitan repexs and TY~ifolium pretense). The sedge mrd_rush species <br />often form a dense aronocuhra+e in these areas, and species may be segregated by slight <br />differences in the moisture regime caused by drying or microtopography within the Swale <br />or depression Sedgelrush swales intergrade with the following vegetation comnumity <br />throughout the properties. <br />Wet meadow vegetation communities are found along the toe of the slope that separates <br />the prmrary alluvial terrace and the secondary terrace within the Green property. Wet <br />meadow communities are also found above the large pond oa the Green property and <br />adjacent to the south boundary on both properties. The dominant species are sedges and <br />grasses including throe square (Scirpus americaxus), foxtaH barley (Hordeum jubafum), <br />and blue joint (Calamagrostis canadexsis). <br />-2- <br />