PERMFILE109948

• Permit No: M2001005
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 1/23/2001
• Doc Name: APPLICATION FOR PERMIT GRISENTI FARMS GRAVEL PIT
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

that layer is often wet for as much as a foot due to capillary draw upward. Rooting typically extends to
about a foot to six inches above the water table (top of the gravel layer). Below that depth the soil is too
wet for most plants.
The SCS indicates that the potential vegetation of the site is composed of "western wheatgrass,
inland saltgrass, alkali sacaton, sand dropseed, little bluestem, sedges, big bluestem, willow, and scattered
cottonwood." In other words, the potential vegetation is a fairly typical riparian form. Some species found
in this potential vegetation are facultative wetland and a few are obligate wetland, but most species are
facultative to facultative upland.
Of course, as interesting as this potential vegetation description is, after such a long time of
agricultural use it is difficult to say what the site would return to if irrigation was not applied. Early in the
mining of the Blue Heron site, irrigation was removed from an irrigated pasture where mining was being
done or planned to be done. Very quickly the pasture grasses died except in low spots where rain water
helped maintain the grasses to a limited extent. Within a few months the pasture went from a rich, dense
grass growth to a weed patch. Because this condition existed for only a year before that land was mined,
the full successional sequence could not be observed. But it is clear that without irrigation, the pasture
quickly dies and reverts to a more dryland type of vegetation. Presumably this is because, on this site, in its
original condition, the distance to the ground water was four to five feet and therefore too deep for more
shallow rooted irrigated pasture species to reach before they succumb to drought.
Wann-Shanta, dry association
This soil occurs on low river terraces and on this site is between the river and the Aquic
Ustifluvents map unit. The soil is a nearly even blend of Wann soil
and Shanta soil. In some places a Bloom soil can be found as well as
the Aquic Ustifluvents. The Bloom soil on this site does not seem to
occur. It is often associated with wetland vegetation as it is poorly
drained and exhibits reduction characteristics. The Wann soil is
usually nearer the stream and the Shanta soil is usually farther from
the stream.
Where land occupied by these soils are used, it is primarily
for irrigated pasture land and cropland. Some areas are used as
rangeland and for orchards.
The potential plant community of the Wann soil consists
mainly of alkali sacaton, western wheatgrass, switchgrass, and blue
grams. It is a highly productive vegetation producing about 2,500
pounds per acre in an average year.
The potential plant community of the Shanta soil consists of
blue grams, western wheatgrass, little bluestem, and Indian ricegrass.
This is not as productive as the Wann soil, producing only about
1,400 pounds per acre in an average year.
In both cases, the potential plant community is
characteristically non-wetland in character. This is mainly due to the
water table usually being too deep to support true wetland
vegetation. It is also interesting that in both descriptions
phreatophytic species are not listed. Yet on this site cottonwood is
GRAYISH BROWN
LOAM
12" TO Z7"
SANDY/GRAVELLV
SANDY LOAM
;i'~'ii.,,- TO WATER TABLE

~~.
l
~ WATER
TABLE
pe~meo-~
GRAVEL 8
COBBLES
l
~
- -'
WANN-SHANTA
,
tlry, association
Grisenti Farms Gravel Pit Original Application Exhibit I Page I-2