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elevation, on the E. Fork of Jubb Creek, and representing a very small streamside wetland. Finally, <br />Point No. 9 is at the highest elevation, on the E. Fork of Collom Gulch, and representative of a moderately <br />sized streamside wetland. <br />The uplands external to the identified wetlands are principally comprised of sagebrush, mountain <br />shrub, juniper scrub, grassland, aspen, and most importantly bottomland communities. Along lower <br />elevations throughout the study area where alluvial / colluvial deposits have occurred in the valley <br />bottoms, the bottomland community exists which tends to be expressed as a slightly more mesic <br />expression of invading upland communities such as sagebrush. At higher elevations in the headwaters <br />where few alluvial / colluvial deposits have accumulated, the drainages are concave in shape and tend to <br />be occupied by mountain shrub, aspen, and occasionally grassland communities. The streamside <br />wetlands that occur through these drainages only occur within a very few feet of the channel. A complete <br />description of these upland communities (including mapping) is presented under separate cover as part <br />of the CDMG permit documentation. <br />Specific <br />As indicated previously, wetlands and WUS within the vegetation study area are expressed in <br />several differing circumstances ranging from relatively large wet meadow complexes occupying over six <br />acres to small meadow pockets immediately below seeps (measured in a few square feet); and from <br />luxuriant streamside herbaceous (and occasionally woody) communities to waterless barren channels. <br />Given the very large wetland complex of the Morgan Creek drainage to the west of the study area, it <br />would appear that the significant downcutting of watercourses throughout the lower elevations of the <br />study area has had an impact (reduction) on historic wetlands in this area. <br />Specifics regarding each of the six larger wetlands has been presented at different locations in <br />previous text or exhibits (e.g., Table 9 and Appendix A), and the areal extent of each of these six <br />wetlands may be viewed on Maps 1 - 5 at the rear of the document (in total these six wetlands occupy <br />19.83 acres). Additional discussion regarding these wetlands would be somewhat redundant. Therefore, <br />the following discussion concentrates on: 1) streamside wetlands, 2) stock tanks, and 3) Waters of the <br />U.S. <br />Streamside wetlands form the bulk of the wetland acreage across the study area. Discounting the <br />19.83 acres due to the six larger wetlands, streamside wetlands account for a total of 28.04 acres. Of <br />this value, 3.38 acres is due to narrow linear streamside wetlands typically found higher in the study area <br />watershed. Larger, more "expanded" streamside wetlands typically found lower in the study area occupy <br />a total of 24.66 acres. Because of the 21 or more miles of stream through the study area, the program of <br />r "checkpoints" was utilized to systematically document the wetlands and WUS along the various reaches. <br />CIMARCREEK AM®CUAV23, INC. Page 10 Colowyo Coal Co. - Collom Project Wetlands