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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE <br /> Soil Conservation Service, Colorado <br /> Technical Guide RANGE SITE NO. 287 <br /> Section II E Field Office <br /> August 1975 <br /> RANGE SITE DESCRIPTION <br /> for <br /> STONY FOOTHILLS <br /> Land Resource Area: Central Desertic Basins, Mountains, <br /> and Plateaus (34) <br /> Southern Rocky Mountains (48) <br /> A. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS <br /> 1 . Physiographic Features <br /> Rough rocky breaks in foothills and mesa country on steep slopes, <br /> generally between 15 to 65%. At higher elevations the site <br /> occupies south and west exposures. At lower elevations it occurs <br /> on north and east exposures. Elevation ranges from 5500 to 7500 <br /> feet above sea level . <br /> _. 2. Climatic Features <br /> Annual precipitation averages from 12 to 15 inches. Slightly more <br /> than half of the moisture falls between April 1 and September 30. <br /> Months receiving the highest precipitation are July, August, and <br /> September. Growing season extends from April through the end of <br /> eptember. <br /> June is usually the most drouthy month. Cool season grasses are <br /> favored and make their best growth following the spring thaw (about <br /> April ) when available moisture is greatest. These plants again take <br /> advantage of late summer moisture if they are in healthy condition. <br /> 3. Native (potential ) Vegetation <br /> This site is a grassland plant community with small amounts of shrubs , <br /> pinyon pine, and Utah juniper. Grasses such as Indian ricegrass, <br /> native bunch bluegrasses, needle-and-thread, galleta, blue grama, <br /> Junegrass, squirreltail , and wheatgrasses make up the major part of <br /> the plant cover. Pinyon and juniper are generally present. Browse <br /> plants include big sage, mountain mahogany, serviceberry, Morman tea, <br /> and bitterbrush. Many of the forbs such as daisies, asters, erioaonur:.s , <br /> stemless goldenweed, phlox, penstemon, and herbaceous sage are ass-. <br /> ciated in the composition. Sites having ten percent or more crown <br /> canopy of pinyon and/or juniper are woodland sites. <br />