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<br />`\ <br />~' <br />USDA, So i1 Conservation Service <br />Section II-E <br />• ," UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE <br />SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE <br />%`1 /N / ~.¢O , COLORADO FIELD OFFICE <br />Shaly Foothill #212 <br />ECO - SITE DESCRIPTION <br />MLRA 49A and 49B <br />August 1984 <br />A. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS <br />1. Physiographic Features <br />This site is on break areas with short steep slopes that expose the <br />raw shale parent material. Exposures are chiefly easterly with <br />short steep slopes dipping to the west. Slope ranges up to 25 <br />percent. Elevations range from 5,400 to 6,500 feet (1,646 to 1,981 <br />meters). <br />2. Climatic Features <br />a. The climate is semi-arid with precipitation averaging 13 to 18 <br />inches (33 to 45.7 centimeters). Total yearly snowfall is 63 <br />,inches (160 centimeters). The average monthly precipitation is <br />• as follows: <br />Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec <br />.57 .70 Z.23 1.97 2.33 1.50 1.73 1.70 1.13 1.07 .80 .53 <br />b. The mean growing season averages approximately 155 to 165 days <br />from May 5 to October 11, 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 western <br />wheatgrass and green needlegrass. Their optimum growth is early <br />April through May. The warm season grasses have their optimum <br />growing season through Jaly and August, if adequate moisture is <br />available. About 70 percent of the 15.25 inches (38.7 cm) of <br />annual precipitation falls in the form of rain during the <br />frostfree season. There are 39 days per year that the <br />.precipitation equals or exceeds 0.1 inches (.25 cm), 8 days that <br />meet, equal or exceed 0.5 inches (1 .3 cm), and 2 days that equal <br />or exceed 1.0 inches (2.54 cm). <br />c. The average annual temperature is 52.8°F (11.6°C) with 32 days <br />higher than 90°F (32.2°C) and 6 days lower than 0°F (17.8°C). <br />Temperatures fall below the freezing mark much of the time in <br />_ _._ _ January. <br />• <br />