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15, TSN, R8GW). Areas such as these are considered to have a moderate red shade on the photos • because of the obviously enhance moisture conditions. These known areas of enhance moisture ? conditions are used as comparison with other areas of varying red reflectances to suggest ~ ~Q , subirrigated portions of the valleys. ~ -~ 5'"~J 'The remaining lower portion of the valley bottom area meeting the geomorphic AVF criteria on the Fish Creek is primarily T2 terrace (see Map 2). These areas generally have a liglt[ red blush on the color infrared photography. In summary, on the basis of color infrared photography, the moderate red reflectance for the TI areas suggest that enhanced moisture conditions occur along this landform. The light red blush for the Tz terrace suggests marginally enhanced moisture conditions. The T3 terrace shows reflectances no[ much different from upland areas. );valuation of Shallow Groundwater A series of wells are present along the Fish Creek Valley. Four alluvial wells are part of the monitoring network associated with Water Waste and Land, and Brown and Caldwell Report (1981) (see Map 4). The depth to water data for these wells are presented in Table 3. Gaclt of these wells, which are all located on the Tz terrace of Fish Creek, indicated that alluvial water table elevations are generally within three feet of ground surface in May, dropping rapidly to approximately six feet deep in June, with a continued decline to seven to eight through the remainder of the growing season (i.e., October). The data are illustrated in Figure 2. • );valuation of Soil Test Pit Information (Walsh, 1980) All soil test pits within valley bottom areas meeting the AVF geomorphic criteria are summarized in (Appendix l) and were evaluated for characteristics that may indicate that subirrigation is occurring to agriculturally useful species. On Fish Creek, pits 53 and 54 (Walsh, 1980) were located on the valley bottom in the vicinity of [Ire upper hay meadow (Map 4), Soil test pits 53 and 54 were located on Tz terrace surfaces on the north and south side of Fish Creek in [Ite smooth brome hay meadow in Section 16, TSN, R86W. Generally, prominent mottles (indicating high water contents for extended periods) were observed at about 40 inches with common fine roots extending to 55 inches and to 10 inches in pits 53 and 54, respectively. A few fine roots extended to 60 inches in pit 53 with few fine roots to 36 inches in pit 54. The conclusion is that a few fine roots of the smooth brome grass apparently extend into an elevated moisture zone a[ this location, suggesting a marginal subirrigated condition. Soil test pit 88 is located on the T2 terrace on the west side of Fish Creek in SW I/4, SEl/4, Section 10, TSN, R86W. The data from this test pit suggest that the fine roots associated with grasses are unusually shallow (i.e., 10 inches) with only medium roots of shrubs extending deeper. In this pit, many distinct mottles were observed at 30 inches, which is quite shallow but still not high enough for roots at this site to utilize the moisture (i.e., the grasses are not subirrigated). ..,~a Analysis of Colorado Yampa Coal Company Test Pit Data / r~~ Colorado Yampa Coal Company (CYCC) installed a series of test pits across the lower liay/ J • meadow on Fish Creek (Section 2, TSN, R86W) shown on Map 4 an Fi ure It should be noted that the water table elevation noted on Figure ~~represents the conditions wring October l:eitviron\tracy\document/ExhibTA 7 ~~` ~(„~„~ OI/IG/98 APPR®VEF~ JUN 2 S 2CG0