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l~',~ - <br />_ USDA, Soil Conservation Service <br />Section II-E <br />UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE <br />"-' SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE <br />COLORADO FIELD OFFICE <br />Gravelly Foothill I1214 <br />Range Site Description <br />MLRA 49 B <br />November 1983 <br />A. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS <br />1. Physiographic Features <br />This site is on gently rolling and sloping uplands, Slopes range <br />from 5 to 20 percent. Elevations range from 5,000 to 7,000 feet <br />(1,524 to 2,134 meters). <br />2. Climatic Features <br />a. The climate is semi-arid with precipitation averaging 12 to 16 <br />inches (31 to 41 centimeters). Total yearly snowfall is 38 to <br />44 inches (97 to 112 centimeters). The average monthly <br />precipitation is as follows: <br />Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec <br />.34 .4 .85 1.8 2.7 1.6 1.85 2.05 1.6 .85 .35 .35 <br />• b. The mean rowan season avera es a <br />g g g pproximately 130 to 140 days <br />from May 16 to September 28, and, in average years, there is <br />sufficient moisture at the beginning of the growing season to <br />initiate growth in such cool-season grasses as needleandthread <br />and western wheatgrass. Their optimum growth is early April <br />through June. The warm season grasses have their optimum <br />growing season through July and August, if adequate moisture is <br />available. About 60 percent of the 14.75 inches (37.5 cm) of <br />annual precipitation falls in the form of rain during the <br />frost-free season. There are 35 days per year that the precipi- <br />ration equals or exceeds 0.1 inches (.25 cm), 7 days Chat meet, <br />equal or exceed 0.5 inches (1.3 cm), and 2 days that equal or <br />exceed 1.0 inches <2.5 cm}, <br />- c. The average annual temperature is 48°F (8.9° C) with 18 days <br />higherthan 90°F (32.2° C) and 10 days lower than 0°F (17.8° C). <br />Temperatures fall below the freezing mark much of the time 1n <br />December through February. <br />• <br />