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<br /> <br />shrubs includes snowberry, serviceberry, and Woods rose. The most common <br />grasslike species are various sedges. American vetch, bedstraw, Colorado <br />columbine, and lambsquarters are common fortis. In some areas, the Mountain <br />Shrub type supports the highest herbaceous production and species diversity of <br />any plant association. <br />The third pipeline corridor segment includes approximately 22 miles of private land <br />paralleling the existing north-south pipeline corridor and extending from the southern <br />boundary of the BLM land south to the Parachute Site. This segment traverses about 11 <br />miles of Sagebrush Association vegetation on Parachute-Rhone loams, 4 miles of <br />Mountain Shrub vegetation on Irigul channery loam soils, including the top of Davis <br />Point (Barrett 1994), and less than 2 miles of Pinyon-Juniper woodlands (CIG 1995). In a <br />few places, aspen stringers or stands approach the pipeline corridor, and small areas of <br />Douglas-fir forest are also crossed (BLM 1998). Barren/Rock Outcrop vegetation <br />occupies Rock outcrop substrates on the ridgeline at Davis Point (Barrett 1994). The <br />pipeline corridor also crosses about 5 miles of agricultural land, including a small <br />amount of irrigated land on Nihill channery sandy loam along Parachute Creek north of <br />the Parachute Site (CIG 1995). <br />Agricultural Land -Agricultural lands are found along valley bottoms, primarily along <br />Stewart Gulch, Piceance Creek, and Parachute Creek. Agricultural land is a man- <br />made community that consists of hay meadows and natural vegetation <br />interfaces. Common species include alfalfa, clover, wheatgrass, Kentucky <br />bluegrass, redtop, brome, and orchard grass. Some of the fields are irrigated or <br />Flooded by ditches along the valley bottom. <br />A few riparian wetland communities occur as narrow bands associated with <br />Torrifluvent soils along Piceance Creek and Parachute Creek (Steigers 1998b). <br />Riparian and Wetland Vegetation -Riparian vegetation in the area is dominated by <br />grasses, including western wheatgrass, slender wheatgrass, and needlegrass, as <br />well as several sedges and rushes. Shrubs, including big sagebrush, rubber <br />rabbitbrush, and greasewood, are present but sparse (BLM 1982). This <br />community occurs south of the Piceance Site along Piceance Creek, where it <br />occupies Hagga loam and Havre loam soils and is used extensively as winter <br />range by mule deer. <br />Parachute Creek and its tributaries typically support box elder and narrowleaf <br />cottonwoods in the overstory. Understory vegetation is varied, but typical species <br />include sandbar willow, serviceberry, chokecherry, and skunkbrush (Steigers 1998b). <br />Riparian vegetation in the vicinity of Parachute Creek occupies Torrifluvent soils <br />(alluvial soils on floodplains). These riparian communities are important because they <br />support higher population densities and greater diversity of both plant and animal <br />species than any other plant community in the study area (BLM 1994). Mule deer, <br />J-~ <br />