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-4 <br />III. DOWE FLATS PROPBRTY <br />A. Site Description <br />A wetland inventory was conducted at the Dollaghan property <br />located within the area known as Dowe Flats. Dowe Flats is <br />located north of Colorado State Route 66 2.5 miles east of the <br />town of Lyons, Colorado. The property encompasses approximately <br />two square miles of which over 90% is currently being used for <br />cattle grazing and agricultural purposes including wheat, corn, <br />y and alfalfa production. Several small natural drainages flow <br />!1 intermittently through the property in a general north to south <br />direction. Four large irrigation canals traverse the southern <br />most end of the property. In addition, the St. Vrain Supply <br />Canal borders the property to the west. Rabbit Mountain, a 1,119 <br />acre Boulder County open space parcel, abuts the northeastern <br />property boundary. <br />B. Wetland Characterization <br />Delineated wetland typically followed natural drainage <br />features of the area. Four wetland communities were identified <br />based on local vegetation types. These communities are listed as <br />follows in order of decreasing soil saturation: <br />1) cattail marsh <br />2) sedge meadow <br />3) rushes <br />41 riparian wetland <br />Stands of narrowleaf cattail (Typha angustifolia) were found <br />in areas of standing water or extremely saturated soil <br />conditions, primarily in the major drainage in the eastern part <br />of the property. Examinations of soils in these areas revealed <br />evidence of anaerobic decay, organic soils, gleying, mottling, <br />and the production of hydrogen sulfide gas. Additional <br />"obligate" wetland species (those occurring in wetland 99X of the <br />time) often were interspersed throughout these cattail marshes <br />(Scirpus acutus, Scirpus americanus). Cattail marsh accounts for <br />approximately 8% of the total wetland delineated. <br />Sedge species (Carex aguatilis, Carex spp.) were commonly <br />identified in areas which were topographically flat and received <br />an ample and consistent supply of water. Other plant species <br />such as reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), which are <br />adapted for more hydric, conditions were often found scattered <br />thoughout these sedge dominated wetlands. A majority of the <br />sedge meadow wetland occurred in pasture land and impact from <br />livestock grazing was often severe. <br />The majority of delineated wetland was dominated by at least <br />two different species of rushes (Juncus articus, Juncus spp.). <br />Rush wetland was typically found in swales and areas of <br />intermittent soil saturation. Soils in these wetlands were <br />