PERMFILE113428 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• INVENTORY & E•'ALUATIOI~ Requested By: Rio Blanco County Road Date: November 30, 1999 and Bridge Depart..ent by Joy Surveying Company Assisted By: Alvin L. Jones Location: SE1/4NW1/4 & Resource Conservationist SW1/4NE1/4, USDA-NRCS Sec 13,T4S,R104W SITUATION: You requested an inventory of existing soil and vegetation, and reclamation recommendations for a proposed gravel pit located on BLM property in the Evacuation Creek drainage south west of Rangely. INFORMATION PROVIDED: The following information is provided, based upon an on site inventory and evaluation on November 23, 1999. 1) SOILS - One soil has been mapped on this location, where the disturbance will occur, soil mapping unit #74 - Rentsac-Moyerson- Rock outcrop complex, 5-65 percent slopes. The Rentsac channery loam portion is a shallow, well drained soil. The surface layer is a channery loam about 5 inches thick. The underlying material is extremely flaggy loam, 7 inches thick. Sandstone will occur at various .depths. The Moyerson stony clay loam portion typically has a surface with 5 to 20 percent covered by stones, flagstones, and boulders. The surface layer normally is a stony clay loam 2 inches thick. The next layer is a clay loam e inches thick. The underlying material is a clay about 7 inches thick. Fractured shale may be found at moderate depths. The soil is calcareous throughout. Permeability of these soils are slow with a low water holding capacity. Potential runoff is medium to rapid and the hazard of water erosion is high. The topsoil found on this site is very limited and primarily occurs on the north and east slopes. Suitable topsoil present on the site should be saved and stockpiled, for use during reclamation. While the pit is being excavated, provisions should be taken to limit deposition of overburden and gravel on slopes below the pit area and above the county road. 2) VEGETATION - Existing vegetation on the proposed site is within the Saltdesert Breaks Range Site, and at the time of the inventory was still presently in a relatively native condition. Dominate species found on the site were blue grama, Indian ricegrass, sand drop seed, 4-wing saltbush, big sagebrush, and greasewood. Other species present included rabbitbrush, snakeweed, winterfat, yucca, juniper, and pinion. Vegetative understory cover is approximately 5 to 10 percent, with an annual production of about 200 pounds/acre air dry weight.