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i <br />1 <br />USDA, Soil Conservation Service <br />SECTION II-E <br />_ UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE <br />SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE <br />Colorado Field Office <br />' SANDY PLAINS 24 <br />RANGE SITE DESCRIPTION <br />_ MLRA - 67 and 77 <br />February 1980 <br />A. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS <br />1. Physiographic Features <br />This site is on level to gently rolling sandy uplands and high wide <br />valleys. In Colorado, it !s usually on slopes less than 10 percent. <br />The site occurs qqn all exposures. Elevation ranges from 1,140 to <br />1,500 meters. 1/ Commonly, this site is located in transitional <br />areas between sandhills, loess plains and silty residuum. <br />2. Climatic Features <br />.. a. The climate is semi-arid. Winters are cold and snowy. High <br />~ intensity storms and hot, dry periods between storms are common <br />~`, in the summer. The annual precipitation ranges from 32.5 to <br />^ 42.5 cm, of which about 75 percent falls during the growing <br />season. However, high evapotranspiration rates during July and <br />August reduces the effectiveness of moisture contribution to <br />plant growth. ~ <br /> b. Plants begin to grow from April 15 to May 15. Mixed grasses <br />' (tall mid and short grasses) dominate the site. The cool-season <br /> grasses generally start growth from April 15 to May 1. Warm- <br /> season grasses usually start growth from May 1 to May 15. Forbs <br />start their growth about April 25 to May 10. Shrub species start <br /> growing about May 5 to May 15. Optimum growth period is during <br /> May and June. Frost-free period ranges from 120 to 160 days. <br /> 3 <br />N <br />e (Cli <br />a <br />te <br />l) V <br />et <br />tion <br />ti <br />P <br />ti <br /> . <br />a <br />v <br />a <br />m <br />x <br />o <br />n <br />a <br />eg <br /> a. The plant community ie about 75-85 percent grasses, 0 to 18 <br /> percent forba, and 2 to 16 percent shrubs, air-dry weight. <br /> Prairie sandreed dominates the plant species, making up from 25 <br /> to 30 percent of the total annual production on the site. Bluegrama <br />and needle and threadgrass are sub-dominant. Little bluestem, <br /> thickapike wheatgrase, aideoata grams and sun sedge are important <br /> indigenous components. Many other grasses, numerous forbs, and <br /> shrubs enhance the wildlife habitat, add color to the site, and a <br /> variety to the diet of grazing animals. <br /> <br /> 1/ See metric/English conversion on last page. <br />' -1- -. <br />