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<br />04124/2009 13:45 7205442964 NRCS METRO PAGE 01 <br />r <br />UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE <br />Solt Conservation Service Colorado <br />Technical Guide <br />Section It E <br />RANGE SITE t?0. 228 <br />A Field Office <br />August 1975 __...._ <br />RANGE SITE DESCRIPTION <br />for <br />MOUNTAIN LOAM <br />Land Resource Area: Southern Rocky Mountains (48) <br />A. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS <br />1. Physti i graphic Features <br />Topography Is mainly alluvial-colluvial slopes, terraces, fans <br />or valley positions. Slopes average between 5 to 10%,but can <br />reach 30 to 40%. Elevation ranges from 7000 feet to 9500 feet. <br />2. Climatic Features <br />Average annual precipitation is 15 to 20 inches, of which about <br />50% falls as snow. <br />Optimum growing season for native plants is early spring through <br />summer. The frost-free period ranges from 30 to.100 days. Mean <br />annual temperature ranges from 70°'s to (-) W Is F. This site <br />normally has deep snow cover through the winter. <br />3. Native (potential) Vegetation <br />Grass, in association with minor amounts of woody plants such as <br />sagebrush and snowberry and several forbs, accounts for most of <br />the vegetative cover. This site is treeless; however, trees are <br />often in the general vicinity. Dominant grasses are Idaho and/or <br />Arizona fescue, slender wheatgress, bearded wheatgrass, native <br />bluegrasses, nodding brume, mountain brome, Letterman's needle- <br />grass and pine needlegrass. Mountain muhly and Parry oatgrass <br />are important in some locations. Lupine, geranium,.groundset and <br />bluebells are the principal fortis. With range depletion, sage- <br />brush often becomes dominant. <br />Optimum ground cover is 35%. The following species are most likely <br />to invade this site: cheatgrass, slimstem muhly, three-awn, blue <br />grama, rubberweed, broom snakeweed, tall rabbitbrush, phlox, and <br />nailwort. <br />