2009-09-11_REVISION - M1997064 (5)

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Potential Conservation Area (PCA) Report Name Beaver Creek at Sugar Loaf Site Code S.USCOHP'4575 017S068W 32 6P 017SO68W 30 6P 017SO68W 28 6P 0 i IS068W 6P 017SO68W 17 6P 017SO68W 09 6P 017SO68W 07 6P 017SO68W 05 6P 016SO69W 24 6P 016SO69W 13 6P 016S069W ONOWN" , .? 01 WO 21 &W 7 6P?IT_UESGRIP7I©'0'•s r? _:r .. - I Minimum Elevation 5,750.00 1,752 60 Meters Feet Maximum Elevation 9,800.00 Feet 2,987.04 Meters Lite Descri211011 Beaver Creek drains the southern slopes of Pikes Peak and forms a steep-sided valley that winds through craggy granitic hills before spilling out onto the plains below. The foothills above the riparian corridor are rugged; their steep sides have shallow soils interspersed among rock outcrops. They are blanketed with a mix of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and Gambel oak (Quercus gambelir), which transitions to pinon - juniper woodland (Pinus edulis - Juniperus scopulorum and J. monosperma) at lower elevations. The plains below are a mosaic of shale barrens and prairie interspersed among ranches and low intensity residential development. Beaver Creek and its tributaries span elevation zones from upper and lower montane to foothills to plains and the character of the riparian vegetation shifts with elevation and stream gradient. Higher in the watershed, in the foothills and montane zones, the steep, rugged, sparsely vegetated hills lead to flashy flood regime. The channel is boulder-strewn and fast-flowing. The moderately high gradient of Beaver Creek above the confluence of the east and west branches has carved steep-sided, narrow valleys where Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is more prevalent than narrowleaf cottonwood (Populus angustifolia). Below the confluence, the somewhat steep gradient along the riparian corridor has a mosaic of riparian shrubland and riparian woodland vegetation associations; portions of the reach have thinleaf alder (Alnus incase) dominated shrublands, others are dominated by river birch (Betula occidentalis). Amidst these, emerge sections with narrowleaf cottonwood canopy over mixed thinleaf alder and river birch. Coyote willow (Salix exigua) forms locally dominant patches where the channel is more sandy and chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) forms dense copses higher above the channel. The ground layer, where present, has limited abundance of mesic herbs due to heavy shade and lots of poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicens). As Beaver Creek emerges from its canyon, bluestem willow (Salix irrorata) becomes abundant and the stream gradient lessens. Plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides) becomes dominant in the canopy as the creek leaves the foothills, widens, and rolls through the barrens and prairie to the Arkansas River. The riparian corridor is lined vJth coyote willnw and rinkets of lush her'ts. In the lower ^orVcn of the site, Beaver Creek it ! n°d "ith hay meadows and there are some old homesteads scattered along the reach. There are irrigation ditches and small local diversions to the adjacent hay fields. For upstream in the watershed is Skagway Reservoir. Key Environmental Factors_ Montane, foothills, and plains elevation zones; moderate to high stream gradient. Climate Description No Data Land Use History No Data Cultural Features No Data 6e ` +M°r € h SPESII"t ?r?t'?'*,ss?asrr A: ?ktu; s w 7?... Site Map Y - Yes Mapped Date 01/16/2006 Designer Neid, S.L. Boundary Justification The boundary is drawn as a 1 km buffer of the riparian corridor clipped at the upper end by the watershed Copyright © 2008. Colorado State University. Colorado Natural Heritage Program. All Rights Reserved. Print Date 9/30/2008