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West Elk Mine <br />. Beaver Reservoir. Wet meadows in the vicinity of the Cow Camp aze intensively used as pasture <br />for cattle. One of these marshy meadows was selected for sampling to represent this community. <br />The wet meadow community sampled occurred on soil mapping unit number X30. No tree or shrub <br />strata were present on this site. Eighteen herbaceous species (7 graminoid, 11 forb species) <br />provided 108 percent average cover. Cover in excess of 100 percent is due to amulti-layered <br />herbaceous stratum in which cover of different species may overlap in the same azea of the quadrat. <br />The majority of the species ranged in height from 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 in.), with the exception of <br />hellebore, which attained a height of 75 cm (30 in.). Kentucky bluegrass was the most important <br />graminoid species, providing 15 percent cover and occurring in 60 percent of the azea sampled. <br />Common species were hellebore, which provided 25 percent cover and occurred in 50 percent of the <br />azea sampled, and common yarrow (Achillea lanulosa), which contributed nine percent cover and <br />occurred in 50 percent of the area sampled. The very high cover recorded appeazed to be the result <br />of favorable soil moisture conditions. <br />Dry Meadow <br />Dry meadow communities within the study azea aze identified as open, dry azeas on uplands <br />occupied primarily by herbaceous vegetation. Dry meadow communities may be natural or the <br />result of clearing of another community by human actions. Dry meadows were noted at scattered <br />locations on upland areas, frequently on exposed slopes or ridges. The large meadow that was <br />selected for sampling is located approximately one-half mile south of the old Beaz No. 1 Mine, and <br />is an azea cleazed for grazing that has not yet been reinvaded by species chazacteristic of the <br />surrounding oakbrush community. <br />The dry meadow community site sampled occurred on soil mapping unit number 31. This sample <br />location consists only of a herbaceous stratum, although invasion of shrub species is apparent. The <br />most common shrub species were snowberry, Douglas rabbitbrush, and Gambel oak. <br />Thirteen herbaceous species (3 graminoid, 10 forb species) were sampled in azeas along the 100- <br />meter transect, providing total average cover of 63 percent. Height in the herbaceous stratum <br />ranged from 5 to 35 cm (2-14 in.). Kentucky bluegrass and smooth brome, two common non-native <br />pasture species, were the dominant species, together providing 34 percent cover, and occurring in <br />over 50 percent of the azea sampled. Sawatch knotweed (Polygonum sawatchense) was the most <br />important forb species based primarily on its high average density. Other common weed species <br />were houndstongue (Cynoglossum oj~cinalis) and dandelion (Taraxacum oj~cinale). Erosion <br />hazazd on this site was estimated to be low because of the neazly continuous herbaceous cover. <br />Barren Terrain <br />Barren terrain is identified as azeas with no appazent vegetation cover as viewed from aerial <br />photographs. These azeas consist of steep, rock outcroppings, cliffs, and recent slumps. The extent <br />of barren terrain is very limited in the study azea. The most significant occurrences of barren terrain <br />aze found along the flanks of the West Flatiron. The majority of this bazren terrain is mass wasted <br />slumps, and sandstone cliffs. <br />LJ <br />2.04-745 Revised November 2004 PRI G <br />