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Co[owyo Coat Company L.P. <br />Neilson Pit <br />• Juniper Community <br />Within the Neilson Pit permit area the juniper community is limited to the area around <br />the bluffs above the Neilson Pit. The community is dominated by an open overstory of <br />Utah juniper (Juniperus utahensis), rarely over 15 feet tall, with big sagebrush as a major <br />associate. The open understory contains a sparse population of grasses and forbs with the <br />major species being Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides), bluebunch wheatgrass <br />(Agropyron spicatum), prickly pear cactus (Opuntia poiycantha), and lupine. <br />Overall, the productivity of the juniper community is low due to the combined effects of <br />shallow to rocky soils, southerly aspect and steep, highly erodible slopes. Productivity, as <br />determined by the BLM is .036 AUM's per acre for the juniper type in this area. <br />6.3.2.2 Soil Characteristics <br />One soil series as mapped by the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) is found within the <br />Neilson Pit permit area. A description of the soils series is as follows: <br />104 -Borolls-Rock Outcrop Complex <br />This moderately steep to very steep complex is on north and west valley sideslopes and <br />ridges. The soil occurs throughout the permit area. In the areas where rock outcrops do <br />not occur, the solids have a good potential for reclamation. The average annual <br />• precipitation ranges from 15 to 18 inches, the average annual soil temperature is 42°F to <br />47°F, and the frost-free season is 75 to 95 days. The Borolls make up about 50 percent of <br />this complex and occupy lesser slopes. The Sandstone Rock outcrop part makes up about <br />30 percent of this complex and occupies steeper slopes and ridgetops. Included with this <br />complex in mapping are a few small areas of shale outcrops and shallow shale soils <br />which make up the other 20 percent. <br />The Borolls are shallow to deep, medium to fine textured, well drained soils over <br />interbedded sandstone and shale at a depth of 10 to 60 inches. They may be cobble or <br />stone filled. <br />Typically the surface layer is dark grayish brown sandy loam or loam from 8 to 20 inches <br />thick. The subsoil, where present, is grayish brown sandy clay loam, or clay from 10 to <br />20 inches thick. The substratum is light brownish gray sandy loam or sandy clay loam. <br />Soft interbedded sandstone and shale are at depths ranging from 10 to more than 60 <br />inches. <br />The Boroll portion has moderate to rapid permeability and the available water capacity <br />ranges from low to high. The effective rooting depth is from 10 to 60 inches or more. <br />Surface runoff is medium, and erosion hazard is slight to moderate from wind and high <br />from water. <br />• Most of the Boroll portion is native range and used for grazing. Present and potential <br />productivity is poor. <br />2 <br />