Laserfiche WebLink
loams to clay loams, depending on the composition of the primary parent material. Subsoils <br />range from sandy loam to clay. It is assumed that these soils can be placed into hydrologic soils <br />group B or C, which indicates that the infiltration rate is generally moderate to slow. <br />Control of Vegetation Distribution by Climate and Soils <br />At the highest elevations, soils have developed in residuum or local alluvium from sandstone <br />with juniper woodland or juniper - sagebrush vegetation types. Sagebrush is more abundant and <br />more vigorous on deeper, loamier soils in the uplands. Juniper dominates on skeletal, shallow, <br />and generally sandier soils. At lower elevations, soils have developed primarily from alluvium <br />with small areas of Aeolian deposits on ridges. These soils are mostly deep with grasses, <br />sagebrush -grass, or sagebrush - grasswood vegetation types. <br />Control of Vegetation Distribution by Land Uses <br />Within the permit area, natural vegetative communities have been modified to varying degrees <br />by humans and domestic animals. Pre -mine overgrazing of the current permit area has occurred. <br />This overuse adversely affected much of the natural vegetation throughout the permit area. Past <br />grazing practices have contributed to the extent of the cheatgrass - annual forb vegetation. The <br />success of reclamation efforts will be dependent on the control of grazing and erosion. <br />Vegetation Distribution in Permit Area <br />Eight plant communities have been identified in the permit area to be affected by surface <br />operations and facilities. Vegetation communities consist of juniper woodland, juniper <br />woodland -big sagebrush, big sagebrush, big sagebrush - wheatgrass, western wheatgrass, <br />Colorado wildrye, cheatgrass - annual forb, and big sagebrush - greasewood. <br />Wildlife <br />Wildlife species identified within the permit area include mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), <br />pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra Americana), and sage grouse (Centrocercus urphasianus). <br />Numerous raptor species have been identified in the area. Species include the ferruginous hawk <br />(Buteo regalis), turkey vulture (Cathortes aura), marsh hawk (Cireus cyaneus), American kestrel <br />(Falco sparverius), sharp - shinned hawk (Accipter shiatus), burrowing owl (Spestyto <br />cunieulaira), red - tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicaensus), and golden eagle (Aquila chrysauetos). <br />Bald eagles (Hliaeetus leucocephalus) and peregrine falcons (Falco seregrinus) are known to <br />migrate through the area. Large white tailed prairie dog (Cynomys leucurus) towns exist in the <br />area of the refuse disposal sites and scattered throughout the permit area. <br />Land Uses <br />The major land uses in the area are fossil fuel production, ranching, forestry and agriculture. <br />Wildlife habitat and livestock grazing are the primary land uses on public lands. In the permit <br />area, the land is used as a winter range for sheep. Permits are issued to ranchers for the purpose <br />of livestock grazing. The average forage production potential on rangeland in the permit area is <br />Deserado Mine Permit Revision 07 <br />C -1981 -018 19 29 June 2011 <br />