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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE <br /> Soil Conservation Service, Colorado <br /> Technical Guide RANGE SITE NO. 298 <br /> Section 11 E Field Offic-- <br /> August 1975 <br /> RANGE SITE DESCRIPTION <br /> for <br /> ROLLING LOAM <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 /> The landscape characteristics of this site is nearly level to <br /> moderatel%. steep. Degree of slope ranges from 0 to 65% with <br /> the direction. of slope not affecting the site. <br /> Elevation ranges from 5500 to 7000 feet above sea level . <br /> 2. Climatic Features <br /> Annual precipitation ranges between 12 to 15 inches, with about <br /> 50% coming as snow. <br /> The optimum growing season for native plants is April 15 to <br /> July 1 . The average temperature of the growing season averages <br /> around 550 to 600 F. Winters average around 200 to 25° F. <br /> Moisture comes fairly uniform over the months except for November <br /> through February which are slightly below that of the others. <br /> 3. Native (potential) Vegetation <br /> An open stand of big sagebrush with an abundance of grasses <br /> including western wheatgrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, needlegrasses, <br /> squirreltail , bluegrasses and Indian ricegrass. Shrubs, other <br /> than big sage are gray horsebrush, low rabbitbrush, tall rabbit- <br /> , brush, and serviceberry. Principal forbs are American vetch, <br /> buckwheats, bluebells, balsamroot, globemallow, lupine, yarrow, <br /> and fleabane. <br />