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6.4.10 Exhibit J -Vegetation Information <br />1 (a) Vegetation Description <br />Savage and Savage conducted a vegetation assessment for the Hall-Irwin proposed <br />Pazker/Dersham Resource site on May 26, 2005. Weather during the site investigation <br />was warm, dry, and cleaz with temperatures in the mid 80's. <br />The vegetation of the site has been historically altered from native conditions through <br />agriculture, grazing, and development'of residential and commercial concerns. There aze <br />no native vegetation communities extant on the pazcels. Both pazcels contain vegetation <br />that can be categorized as mesiclxeric introduced ruderal herbaceous seral. The visually <br />dominant species include whitetop (Cardcrria draba) a state listed noxious weed, Canada <br />thistle (Cirsium.arvense) also a state Listed noxious weed, annual mustazds (Descurainia <br />species), and curly dock (Rumex crispus), a native early seral stage invader fort. There is <br />no developed tree or shrub overstory or understory. Total vegetation cover of the <br />existing vegetation community was estimated at SO percent, and the average height of the <br />dominant species was 0.4 meters. <br />There was no evidence of any listed or candidate plant species of special concern. <br />1(b) Relationship to Soils <br />There is no significant correlation between the vegetation currently on the pazcels and the <br />soils of the project site. The dominant plant species are introduced weedy ruderal species <br />that are opportunistic and eazly seral in growth habits. They are often found in disturbed. <br />or abandoned agricultural azeas such as these parcels where weed management has not <br />been undertaken. <br />1(c) Carrying Capacity <br />The majority of the soils identified by the MRCS (USDA, 1980) in the parcels.fall within <br />the Aquolls and Agnepts, grave[ty substratum category. Native vegetation would have , . <br />been dominated iiy alkali sacaton, switchgrass, and western wheatgrass. Potential <br />production ranges from 2,000 (unfavorable years) to 3,000 (favorable years) pounds per <br />acre. <br />2 Relation of Vegetation to Existing Topography <br />Currently, the vegetation on the parcels is not signiftcantly correlated with the . <br />topography at the project site. Slight elevational differences in the topography yield <br />greater or lesser growth.of-the tuderal species dependent on relative amounts or moisture <br />and organic and clay content within the soil. <br />-1- <br />