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REP14599
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REP14599
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Entry Properties
Last modified
8/24/2016 11:44:25 PM
Creation date
11/27/2007 1:28:25 AM
Metadata
Fields
Template:
DRMS Permit Index
Permit No
M1988044
IBM Index Class Name
Report
Doc Date
7/17/2006
Doc Name
Annual Status Report
From
Southwestern Ecological Services
To
DMG
Permit Index Doc Type
Annual Reclamation Report
Media Type
D
Archive
No
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June was extraordinarily hot and dry. By the end of June, the weather station at DIA <br />had received only 2.15 inches of moisture since January 1, well below the amount received <br />during that period in 2002. The Coal Creek azea received one fairly good rain late in June, but <br />it did not produce any noticeable flow in the stream. On June 30, soils along the stream were <br />still dry to a depth of three to four inches and only minimally moist below that depth. <br />Vegetation growth in the prairie grasses and forbs during the spring of 2006 was essentially <br />zero. In only the more moist locations was any significant growth evident. This was worse <br />than what was seen in 2002 when at least there was some greening during the spring, <br />followed by a rapid onset of dormancy. In 2006, winter dormancy was hardly even broken. <br />The spectaculaz wildflower display of 2005 was essentially zero in 2006 when even finding a <br />wildflower blooming on the prairie was a raze event and then only the most drought tolerant <br />species showed any amount of bloom. Most of that was gone by the third week of June with <br />all growth ceasing except for minimal growth of Blue Grama. Not even the cheatgrass that <br />was so abundant in 2005 could withstand the drought. What little cheatgrass did grow was <br />very small and much of it did not even have enough moisture to produce seed. When even <br />cheatgrass, a very aggressive and opportunistic species, won't grow then one can conclude <br />the soil is unbelievably dry. <br />At the very end of June 2006 and eazly in July this dryness changed. An intense and <br />eazly monsoon arrived from Mexico and rains fell often and abundantly. However, by this <br />time the soil was so depleted of moisture much of the precipitation that fell simply ran off <br />rather than soaking in. It will take many weeks of frequent rains to replenish the moisture <br />deficit in the topsoil and subsoil depletion is so severe at this time it will likely take years to <br />rechazge that critical soil horizon. Predictions by NOAA show that it will require about 150% <br />of normal precipitation for the next six months to just ameliorate the drought already present. <br />They also predict that there is no better than a 5% to 10% chance of that happening. With <br />normal precipitation it would take approximately a yeaz to ameliorate the drought and much <br />longer to end the drought. These predictions are based on replenishment of topsoil only -not <br />subsoil. Studies after the Dust Bowl showed that it took about ten years to replenish subsoils <br />in Kansas and Oklahoma and southern Nebraska while northeastern Colorado took even <br />longer. <br />In short, 2006 has, so far, been one of the most severe drought conditions seen in the <br />Denver basin in perhaps the last five hundred to perhaps a thousand years or possibly more. <br />So faz, it is much worse than 2002 or the Dust Bowl yeazs. Without a return to faz above <br />normal precipitation on a consistent and persistent basis there is little chance the effects of <br />the drought conditions will change any time soon. Hopefully, the change in the lazge scale <br />weather patterns that began at the very end of June 2006 will persist, but NOAA is not <br />hopeful that will be the case. In fact, most predictions consider a retum to near normal <br />precipitation is about the best than can be expected over the long term. <br />2. Topsoiling - <br />A. Locations of topsoiling - Two locations, totaling 15.86 acres, were topsoiled (and <br />seeded) in the last yeaz. These aze shown on the Operation Status Map. The locations <br />aze sepazated by undisturbed land. <br />B. Depth of topsoiling - Topsoiling was unusually deep due to the shallowness of the <br />pits that were reclaimed and the locations of the original pits. These pits were on <br />Status report for 2006 (July 15, 2006) Page 9 of 13 <br />
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