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- Soil Conservation Service, Colorado - - ~_~i='
<br />Technical Guide RANGE SITE NO ~ 289=' " ~_' '"'
<br />Section I1 E -" Fie.ld;,Offace_~;,
<br />August ,1975... :;:j.- e:j
<br />RANGE SITE DESCRIPTION .""~-
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<br />.. .. ,...'CLAYEY FOOTHILLS ~, ." 4. -,~yti.
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<br />"~ :;" Land Resource Area: Central.Desel-tic"Basins, Mounta,ns,; ~ ~ ;~,.~-x~;
<br />}~ _ and Plateaus (34 ), .', ~ t:~ FC ~=b ;
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<br />- Colorado and Green Rivers'P.lateaus (35)~ "r -~
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<br />Southern Rocky Mounteins.'(48) -- , ~ n~• ,_
<br />`'A. PHYSICAL CMARACTERISTICS - - ~" ~"'~'``
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<br />L. Physiographic Features ` r~ ~'~ 3
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<br />, This site occupies gently. sloping to rolling bench"lands,''footslopes,;:
<br />fans, valleys .and broad ridges. .lt is commonly'associ'ated~,with. 'ti~,~~
<br />~.-j-.,t > shalF.hills.. Slopes are generally "between 1":and. FZ$ and"^are,not.,,,~~ti;.,
<br />•_.:.:=.` significant to plant growth. Elevation-is between"5500:;and~j000~~lfeet-;
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<br />,:. ~ ~ 2 •Cl imat is Features 1= ~~ ~ ~
<br />>+ `Average annual Precipitation is 12 to 16 inches;'except"fora few ,,,fir
<br />~ small areas where 'it may reach 18 inches: •Of tfiis,~35.to 40$,£alYs,~z
<br />,, -,_~..:;? _ .;°~.:. as snow and 40 to 45$ falls between May`1 and Sepfembec:30.,~%Summe~.;a';
<br />-- moisture is mostly from thundershowers: in late `July, Augii`st and~~ -`-~?
<br />";1~:=;~-`:,.. -September..". A dry period, from May. to;'"early;Jul.y•."ta..ayp,i:ca,l;~ands'June
<br />is. normally the driest month."..Wide yearly and:roonth,} devl~fio `
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<br />,, are common. The most active growth of major native ,plants;.usus)1.v FY
<br />- starts in"April. It"extends through most of June",,for some-plonts'~^t;
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<br />_ but ends im late May for others. "Many plants can: again take edvah~-~°~.
<br />,,; ., -- ,.. age of late summer rams if in good vi or. .;- .•i.;k?'.,cse
<br />--_ _ Neon annual temperatures are 45° to 48° F, with`a'frost-freeper,iod~~[L
<br />- __ `-~i - of 90 to 140 days. Annual range in'.temperature is "from~90°:'to'=1:5°=='`
<br />or -20° F,. although higher and lower extremes ai*e,sometimes:`recorded:`
<br />- _ The typical late coring and early summer dry 'spell puts war~n~season:~`
<br />' plants at a distinct disadvantage compared to plants that can "stara',!;;
<br />earlier on stored winter moisture and spring rains: "Deep storaggS~~j?
<br />- ". ~ of winter moisture allows sagebrush and small'trees`to`coinplete,-~;_~,_:'
<br />. strongly with shallower-rooted grasses during this dry period:;•'espec=!
<br />ial ly if. other factors encourage the spread'of such, plants:" '= ~' -_";;~~-
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