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USDA, Soil Conservation Service <br />SECTION II-E <br />UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE <br />SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE <br />Colorado Field Office <br />SANDY PLAINS 24 <br />RANGE SITE DESCRIPTION <br />y MLRA - 67 and 77 <br />February 1980 <br />A. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS <br />1. Physiographic Features <br />This site is on level to gently rolling sandy uplands and high wide <br />valleys. In Colorado, it is usually on slopes less than 10 percent. <br />The site occurs n all exposures. Elevation ranges from 1,140 to <br />1,500 meters. .1-7 Commonly, this site is located in transitional <br />areas between sandhills, loess plains and silty residuum. <br />2. Climatic Features <br />a. The climate is semi-arid. Winters are cold and snowy. High <br />intensity storms and hot, dry periods between storms are common <br />?.,. in the summer. The annual precipitation ranges from 32.5 to <br />42.5 cm, of which about 75 percent falls during the growing <br />season. However, high evapotranspiration rates during July and <br />August reduces the effectiveness of moisture contribution to <br />plant growth. I <br />b. Plants begin to grow from April 15 to May 15. Mixed grasses <br />(tall mid and short' grasses) dominate the site. The cool-season <br />grasses generally start growth from April 15 to May 1. Warm- <br />season grasses usually start growth from May 1 to May 15. Forbs <br />start their growth about April 25 to May 10. Shrub species start <br />growing about May 5 to May 15. Optimum growth period is during <br />May and June. Frost-free period ranges from 120,to 160 days. <br />3. Native (Climax Potential) Vegetation <br />a. The plant community is about 75-85 percent grasses, 0 to 18 <br />percent forbs, and 2 to 16 percent shrubs, air-dry weight. <br />Prairie sandreed dominates the plant species, making up from 25 <br />to 30 percent of the total annual production on the site. Bluegrama <br />and needle and threadgrass are sub-dominant. Little bluestem, <br />thickspike wheatgrass, si.deoats grama and sun sedge are important <br />indigenous components. Many other grasses, numerous forbs, and <br />shrubs enhance the wildlife habitat, add color to the site, and a <br />variety to the diet of grazing animals. <br />1/ See metric/English conversion on last page. <br />-1-