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and recorded separately as a second "hit".Incases where vegetation was not contacted, either <br />bare ground (soil), litter, or rock hits were recorded. Each hit represented one percent cover <br />for a transect. For example, a plant species that was contacted 15 times on a transect had an <br />estimated cover of 15 percent for that particular transect ((15/100) x 100). Since the points <br />were situated systematically along the randomly-located transects, each transect (i.e., 100 data <br />points) represented an observation in the sample. Therefore, the estimated mean cover for a <br />particular species in the vegetation type as a whole was derived by summing the percent cover <br />measured on each transect and dividing by the total number of transects sampled. <br />The point-intercept technique was also used to collect vegetation cover data in the irrigated <br />pasture type, although the sampling design was modified to accommodate the inherently <br />greater cover found in the type as compared to that encountered in the sagebrush. The <br />samples were collected on July 13 through 20, 1999. The sampling design consisted of 10 <br />points, sampled at 10 ft. intervals along a 100 ft. transect to achieve 100 points per transect. A <br />minimum of 30 transects, distributed throughout the type, were sampled. The 10 points were <br />spaced 10 cm. apart perpendicular to the transect. At each point, the first contact of a plant <br />species was recorded as a "hit". Secondary hits of perennial vegetation was not collected as <br />• moving the vegetation disturbed the next adjacent "hit" and would have biased the outcome of <br />first "hit" measurements. In cases where vegetation was not contacted, either bare ground <br />(soil), litter, or rock hits were recorded. Percent cover by plant species, or soil, litter, or rock <br />was calculated by dividing the number of hits on each by the total number of points sampled <br />per transect and expressing the result as a percentage. The estimated mean cover for a <br />particular constituent in the vegetation type as a whole was derived by summing the percent <br />cover measured on each transect and dividing by the total number of transects sampled. <br />Vegetation cover data was collected in the graminoid and forb component of the <br />Swale/drainage type using plots and ocular estimates (Cox 1976). The graminoid component <br />comprises approximately 95 percent of the Swale/drainage type in the study area and consists <br />of extensive tracts of hydrophytic graminoids. Cattails comprise 3 percent of the <br />Swale/drainage type and occur adjacent to stock ponds and in waste ditches and range from <br />less than 0.1 acres to approximately 0.5 acres in size. The data was collected on July 13 <br />through 20, 1999. In keeping with 1987 procedures, a single 50 x 50cm plot (0.25m~) was used <br />for estimating cover at randomly-located sample point. A total of 30 plots were sampled. <br />• (REVISED 9/99) 2.04.10 - 21 <br />