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2.0 BASELINE INFORMATION <br />2.1 DESCRIPTION OF HABITAT AND ECOSYSTEM <br />2.1.1 Topography and Hydrology <br />The project area lies approximately 2.5 miles west of Fruita, Colorado. The site is located in <br />generally flat terrain approximately 0.5 miles north of the Colorado River in the Grand Valley of <br />westcentral Colorado. Elevation at the site is approximately 4,470 ft. Reed Wash, a natural <br />drainage, meanders from north to south and bisects the project area. Reed Wash carries <br />significant water flows, mainly formed by irrigation returns from agricultural farms north of the <br />project area. Reed Wash averages about 20 -25 ft wide with depths up to 6 -8 ft. Its confluence <br />with the Colorado River is directly south of the project area approximately 0.2 miles. On the <br />west side of the proposed rail spur, Loma Drain enters the project area from the northwest. In <br />this area, irrigation return flows have created a small area with wetland characteristics that is <br />dominated by inland saltgrass. Water flows in Loma Drain are present for a large portion of the <br />year and the drainage would be considered a perennial stream by the Corps of Engineers. <br />Upland areas east and west of Reed Wash are generally flat with little to no relief. Small <br />ephemeral side drainages on the property flow into Reed Wash and typically run for less than <br />100 yds. East of Reed Wash the terrain is dry; west of Reed Wash, in addition to the dry <br />uplands, there are three small wetlands (two along Loma Drain side channels) including Loma <br />Drain that are created by irrigation return flows (Figure 1 and Photo 3). <br />2.1.2 Soils <br />Soils are generally alluvial, derived from sandstone and shale. Four soil types are found on the <br />property. <br />• Skumpah silt loam found in the greasewood uplands east and west of Reed Wash. <br />• Cojam loam occurs in the irrigation return wetlands west of Reed Wash. <br />• Sagers silty clay loam is in the loadout/land farm area. <br />• Ustifluvents loam and clay loam occur in the Reed Wash floodplain. <br />2.1.3 Vegetation <br />The project area is located in a dry, cold desert life zone that is in that portion of westcentral <br />Colorado that is classified as semi -desert shrublands. Natural vegetation communities within the <br />project area are predominantly greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus) shrublands. Overstory <br />shrublands are almost exclusively greasewood with sparse understory vegetation. Understory <br />plants are mainly Gray Molly (Kochia americana), cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), and annual <br />wheatgrass (Eremopyrun triticeum). Much of the soil between greasewood shrubs is bare <br />ground. <br />Reed Wash's riparian vegetation includes native and introduced, non - native species. Tamarisk is <br />the dominant overstory vegetation type and occurs in dense thickets that parallel the channel of <br />Reed Wash (cover photo and Photos 1 and 2). Other plant species include reed canarygrass <br />3 <br />