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UPDATED NATURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY FOR SOUTH OF DIVIDE STUDY AREA • following guides: Colorado Flora-Western Slope (Weber, 1987) and Trees and Shrubs of Colorado (Carter, 1988). Soil pits were dug at selected locations to observe soil conditions. A standard Munsell soil color chart was used to identify soil colors. Areas of wetland vegetation associated with stock ponds were demarcated as wetlands if they met the criteria in the Manual. Stock ponds and wetlands created by stock ponds are typically not regulated by the U.S. Corps of Engineers (Corps) as long as the stock ponds are part of an active ranching operation, as per 33 CFR 323.4a(3). An additional level of analysis included in this update is that wetlands, which would likely be considered "isolated" by the Corps per the January 2001 U.S. Supreme Court decision in the "Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County case" (SWANCC case), were noted. This case found that wetlands and other "Waters of the U.S." which are not hydrologically connected to, adjacent to, or neighboring an interstate water, are not regulated under Section 404 of the Clean • Water Act. Interstate waters include perennial streams such as Minnesota Creek and Deep Creek and adjacent wetlands. The Grand Junction office of the Corps has used a limit of 500 feet for a wetland to be adjacent. 3.2 Riparian Areas Riparian areas were identified consistent with guidance from the USFS. Riparian areas include all wetlands, plus additional areas dominated by riparian indicator species. Tables 1 and 2 were used to identify indicator species. Communities specifically identified as not being riparian are aspen, aspen-serviceberry, aspen- serviceberry-snowberry, oak brush, and Douglas fir communities. These communities sometimes dominate slightly moist sites, although oak brush typically dominates xeric, open slopes. Cl 831-032.670 Wright Water Engineers, Inc. Page 6 May 2005