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<br /> <br />Mi:ed grassland vegetation is found within the remaining areas of the property. l.rrasses <br />and forts dominate this community. The dominant species are inland saltgrass (Distidrlis <br />spicata), red and als8ce clovers, and foxtarT Battey. <br />aydroragy <br />There are snc dis~ctive types of hydrologic features on the Croisse~ and Cn+aen <br />properties. The first feature is the Big Thompson River, a perennial drainage that flows <br />across the northeast comer of the Croissant property. The second type of hydrologic <br />feature includes two Surface water drainages that have been Somxxi along the south edge <br />of the Cro'~ssant property a>bd tvuo drainages that have been formed along the southeast <br />edge of the tsreen property from irrigation tarTwater. In:igation ta$vvater originates from <br />imgated farmland on the secondary terrace above the drainages. VJrthin the north half of <br />both properties is the third type of hydrologic featrrrc relict oxbows (meanders) or historic <br />channels of the Big Thompson River. The hydrology of some of the relict oxbows bas <br />been recently ahered byman-made drainage ditches that have been erocavated through the <br />oxbows. The embie~ hydrology of these features is effected by the irrigation taitavater <br />drarages above. Man-made irrigation and drainage ditches comprise the fourth type of <br />hydrologic feature. One large drainage ditch traverses the (item and Croissant properties <br />from west to east, ultimately draining into a relict oxbow. Several small arigation ditches <br />are present wrthin the properties. Some were found to contain water, white others <br />appeared abandoned The filth hydrologic feature includes seeps along the slope that <br />separates the primary and secondary terraces. Seeps occur at the tce of the slope as well <br />as high in the slope face. The source water of the seeps was not determined during our <br />investigation. The final hydrologic feature includes four farm ponds located along the <br />slope that separates the primary and secondary alluvial terraces. Water for the ponds <br />appears to be originating from pipes or ditches from the secondary terrace and from <br />groundwater sources. <br />Sails <br />Soils within the area of intet+est are representative of their genesis and topographic <br />position. The Natural Resout+ce Conservation Service (USDA, 1980) identifies five sort <br />map units within the properties. <br />The primary alluvial teaace adjacent to the Big Thompson River oo~sins Aquolls and <br />Aquents. Aquolls and Aquents develop along bottomlands and flood plains of major <br />streams. They are deep, poorly drained sorts formed in recent alluvium. Commonly the <br />Sorts have a loamy or clayey surfice layer and are underlain by sand and gravel within 48 <br />inches. The differences between these lolls are found in the color of their surface layers. <br />Aquoll and Aquent sons are defined as hydric by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers <br />(USAGE, 1987). <br />The southeast corner of the Croissant property contains Paoli loam. Paoli loam is a deep, <br />well-drained soil formed in alluvial deposits on terraces. Typically, the surface -layer is <br />-3- <br />