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z2 • The area was grazed beginning in early June, 1978. We understood that grazing is alternated between sections 31 and 36 from year to year. Consequently, the cover and yield of herbaceous plants on this Reference Area can be observed in odd-numbered years for comparison with reha- bilitated areas. Saltgrass-Alkali Sacaton Meadow Association This association, which is created and sustained by a high water table, is found on Loup-Boel Loamy Sands. Saltgrass identifies the outer limits of the association, but stands of alkali sacaton with baltic rush inclusions provide the greatest visible identity. The association includes a sub-association dominated by baltic rush in lower-lying patches and swales, a much larger sub-associ- ation dominated by alkali sacaton, a sub-association dominated by Saltgrass but lacking alkali sacaton, and a ~ transition-zone sub-association that includes Saltgrass as an associate to the dominant prairie sandreed. Variations in depth to the water table, among other factors, thus pro- duce sub-associations that fit the description for the Soil Conservation Service's Salt Meadow Range Site and other sub-associations that fit, roughly, the description for the Sandy Meadow Range Site. Among the species found, most of them occur in both associations. Sandsage, except for occasional plants in the meadow transition zone, occurs only in the sandsage- prairie sandreed association. Saltgrass, alkali sacaton, baltic rush, beeplant, Canada wildrye, variegated horse- tail, licorice, goldenweed, foxtail barley, summercypress, white sweetclover, plains bluegrass, upright prairiecone- flower, common dandelion, switchgrass, tulip gentian, and salt cedar were found only on the meadow. The very weedy condition of the Sandsage-prairie sandreed associ- ation extended through the meadow transition zone, but annuals were rare in the alkali sacaton dominant types. Vegetation cover on the Reference Area was determined by estimating plant cover in 100 12" x 12" quadrats on 13 Sept®mber 1978. Cover by perennial herbaceous species was 638, cover by annuals was 0.88. • According to the Range Site descriptions of the Soil Conservation Service, optimum plant cover is 50 to 608 for Salt Meadow and Sandy Meadow Range Sites. Total annual production should amount to 2500 pounds air dry per acre in a median year.