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• inspection. Forage production was estimated to be between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds per acre in the <br />forested areas and 4,000 pounds per acre in the open wetlands area. Most of the production in the <br />forested areas is a result of forts and shrubs while grasses and grass-like species contribute the majority <br />of production in the open wetlands area. The effects of intensive grazing on understory vegetation in the <br />riparian /wetland community is readily apparent when comparing the photographs of the Sub-Units A, B <br />and C (see Plates 17 - 25). <br />3.5.4 Sub-Unit D <br />Sub-Unit D (12.89 acres) is located at the east end of the riparian /wetland complex and its <br />ownership is unknown. Approximately half of this sub-unit was open water while the other haft is <br />dominated by shallow water vegetation. A narrow strip of riparian tress and brush is observable around <br />most of the wetland perimeter. The shallow water vegetation was primarily composed of three-square <br />bulrush giving way to coyote willow and then to narrow-leaf cattail as water depth increases. Plant <br />composition of the shallow water area was estimated to be 50% cattail, 40% coyote willow and three- <br />square bulrush, and 10% other emergent plants (see Table V2). <br />• Three-quarters of the sub-unit D wetland perimeter exhibits a narrow transition from upland to <br />wetland owing to the steepness of the constructed fill slopes from the railroad or highway grades. This <br />narrow strip of vegetation surrounding the wetland is more lacustrine than riparian by definition. The <br />northern and western perimeter of the wetland was lush with coyote willow, young narrow-leaf cottonwood <br />trees, Indian hemp, skunkbush, and wood rose. In some locations the vegetation was nearly <br />impenetrable with overgrown dense stands of shrubs, downed trees and the introduced vine, bittersweet <br />nightshade (Solanum dulcamara). Several small tributaries (most likely canal leakage or irrigation <br />tailwaters) flow into the wetland along this edge and have formed deltas dense with riparian species into <br />the wetland. The overstory canopy in these perimeter areas is composed of 40 to 70 foot tall narrow-leaf <br />cottonwood and box-elder maple trees providing an average of 80% canopy cover. The average ground <br />cover was estimated at 50% live vegetation and 50% litter. Ground cover by understory species <br />increased with light availability and proximity to the water's edge. The south edge of Sub-Unit D parallels <br />Highway 133 and exhibits a very narrow strip of wetland vegetation along the fill slope. The eastern edge <br />of the wetland borders a pasture and the North Fork Gunnison River. A large rip-rap berm or levee has <br />been constructed between the river and Sub-Unit D to prevent the river channel from flowing directly into <br />the wetland. Coyote willow and yellow swestclover are the dominant plants on this berm which has been <br />constructed primadly of rock and boulders. The remaining portion of the eastern edge of the wetland is a <br />~~~ ~~ /~DC29C'0(~RRD, tNC. Page 24 Exhibit 5 -Bowie Baseline Vegetation Survey <br />