HomeMy WebLinkAbout20072047.tiff United States Forest Pawnee 660"O"Street
USDA Department of Service National Grassland Greeley, CO 80631
.Agriculture Voice: (970)346-5000 TDD:(970)346-5015
Web: www.fs.fed.us/r2/arnf
Fax: (970)346-5014
File Code: 2210
Date: July 5, 2007
WELD COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
PO BIX 758
GREELEY, CO 80632
Dear Commissioners:
I am writing to inform you of a difficult situation occurring on the Pawnee National Grassland
(PNG). As with previous years, we have dry conditions that have severely limited forage
production forcing the Forest Service to re-evaluate the length of the livestock grazing season.
Also related to the drought conditions are habitat degradation in the form of reduced forage and
cover for wildlife, and more detrimental impacts to grassland plants from disturbances like motor
vehicle use.
During the past six years, the PNG has experienced a precipitation shortage or has not received
precipitation at the most favorable times. This has stressed the most desirable forage plants, and
made this year's conditions particularly worrisome for us and the diverse stakeholders we
support.
The 60-year average for total precipitation, including snow, on the PNG is 13.04 inches.
Precipitation recorded at the Briggsdale, Colorado, weather station for the last five years was
7.89 inches in 2002, 11.19 inches in 2003, 10.34 in 2004, 12.27 in 2005 and 7.29 inches in 2006.
In addition to these yearly moisture shortages, the PNG has received below normal precipitation
in the key forage producing months of April, May, June and July. This has severely limited the
production of buffalograss and blue grama, dominant species on the PNG, which produce most
of their forage in June and July. Bare spots are evidence of the limited production (see photos).
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Caring for the Land and Serving People 2007-2047
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6/20/2007 - North McGrew Allotment: a six 06/14/2007 -Elliott Allotment: Shows
foot diameter "dead spot". Gray spots are dominance of"six weeks fescue" grass,
dead perennial grasses usually either blue rust colored (an unpalatable grass).
grama or buffalograss. Knife for scale =
as 'rox. 5 inches.
-209"0 -.
06/14/2007 - Elliott Allotment: Close-up
of lack of growth of forage grasses. Six
weeks fescue is rust colored.
Further, the combination of limited and unfavorable timing of moisture, in conjunction with
warm temperatures produced many early season undesirable plants such as mustard, six-weeks
fescue and cheatgrass. These plants utilized the early season moisture, leaving little moisture for
the more desirable buffalograss and blue gramma.
It is important to note that there are other forage species of grasses such as western wheatgrass,
needle-and-thread grass available and limited availability of non-native crested wheatgrass,
which competed well with the undesirables for moisture. However, these grasses typically have
been grazed by now and represent a minor percentage of forage production on the PNG.
• The Range Staff on the PNG has been monitoring forage production since early May to ensure •
the range is properly utilized in these dry conditions. Some allotments are at, or close to, the
amount of forage available for livestock use, and others are still in fair to good forage condition.
These ratings are based on the amount of forage available for livestock use. Residual forage is
needed for wildlife forage, wildlife habitat, nutrient cycling, and soil moisture retention. Also,
grazing by livestock below allowable use levels during periods of drought can be very damaging
to perennial grass plants by causing stress from two sources --drought and grazing.
At this time, at least two allotments are scheduled to be vacated during the first week of July
because allowable grazing limits have been reached. Further, my Range Staff has informed me
that, even with our proactive approaches such as a later turn-out, reduced numbers of cattle and
moving cattle from depleted allotments to vacant allotments with forage, without additional
moisture in significant amounts, a majority of our summer grazing allotments may need to be
vacated by the end of July. This will be an extreme hardship on our grazing association
members, especially since we have had shortened grazing seasons over the last few years. These
dry conditions are allowing us very little flexibility in managing grazing.
In light of these extremely difficult circumstances for our permittees, I will be making inquiries
regarding relief available through different agencies. It is my intent, through this letter, to alert
our congressional representatives of the severe conditions that exist in our community and
generate conversations about potential assistance.
If you have any questions or other concerns regarding the range conditions on the PNG, please
call me at 970-346-5003.
Sincerely,
LORI A. BELL
Acting District Ranger
cc: Jacqueline Parks, Deputy Forest Supervisor
Chuck Quimby, R2 Range Staff
Pawnee Grazing Association
Crow Valley Grazing Association
Enclosures: Precipitation Tables and Graph
POR - Monthly Average Total Precipitation Page 1 of 1
BRIGGSDALE, COLORADO
POR - Monthly Average Total Precipitation
BRIGGSDALE, COLORADO (050945)
Period of Record : 8/ 1/1948 to 12/31/2886
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Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov
Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec
Day of Year
Western
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• - Average precipitation recorded for the month.
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliFPrecM.p1?co0945+1 6/27/2007
Monthly Precipitation, BRIGGSDALE, COLORADO Page 1 of 2
BRIGGSDALE, COLORADO
Monthly Total Precipitation (inches)
(050945)
File last updated on Apr 12, 2007
*** Note *** Provisional Data *** After Year/Month 200612
a = 1 day missing, b = 2 days missing, c = 3 days, ..etc..,
z = 26 or more days missing, A= Accumulations present
Long-term means based on columns; thus, the monthly row may not
sum (or average) to the long-term annual value.
MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE NUMBER OF MISSING DAYS : 5
Individual Months not used for annual or monthly statistics if more than 5 days are missing.
Individual Years not used for annual statistics if any month in that year has more than 5 days missing.
YEAR
(S)
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC ANN
1948 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.83a 0.00z 0.70 0.13 0.22 1.88
1949 0.19 0.02 1.35 0.53 4.41 3.09 0.76 0.25 0.27 1.04 0.02 0.07 12.00
1950 0.21 0.25 0.18 1.15 2.02 1.26 2.81 0.37 0.67 0.13 0.33 0.15 9.53
1951 0.45a 0.43 0.11 1.43 3.31 1.33 0.72f 1.78 2.39 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 11.23
1952 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00
1953 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00
1954 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00
1955 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00
1956 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00
1957 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00
1958 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00
1959 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00
1960 0.00z 0.00z 0.00 z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00 z 0.00z 0.00 z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00
1961 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00
1962 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00
1963 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00t 1.85 4.46 2.23 0.98 0.24 0.37 10.13
1964 0.00 0.02 0.75 0.55 1.46 2.15 0.84 0.22 0.45 0.19 0.04 0.07 6.74
1965 0.33 0.30 0.37 0.90 4.03 4.39 3.77 2.69 2.17 0.63 0.00 0.23 19.81
1966 0.23 0.00 0.00 0.37 0.13 3.23 2.11 2.61 1.72 1.04 0.00 0.10 11.54
1967 0.00 0.00z 0.00z 2.56 2.51 4.28 2.94 1.90f 0.56 0.04 0.32 0.00z 13.21
1968 0.00z 0.18 0.00d 0.20 1.67 1.88 2.01 1.09 0.22 0.35 0.32 0.00z 7.92
1969 0.00z 0.07 0.23 1.15 2.73 3.48 2.43 2.28 1.90 3.02 0.12 0.13 17.54
1970 0.02 0.25 1.16 1.33 0.99 2.98 2.71 0.31 1.13 0.55 0.00 0.07 11.50
1971 0.37 0.24 0.79 2.80 2.38 1.52 0.98 1.14 2.46 0.63 0.00 0.03 13.34
1972 0.45 0.05 0.23 0.87 0.57 2.45 1.20 3.33 2.11 0.59 0.96 0.44 13.25
1973 0.52 0.00z 1.42 2.50 0.50 1.73 3.75 1.38 2.70 0.18 0.90 0.15 15.73
1974 0.97 0.11 1.89 2.64 0.00 2.66 1.47 0.00 0.37 1.02 0.32 0.00 11.45
1975 0.03 0.00z 0.00 z 0.00z 0.00 z 0.00 z 0.00 z 0.00z 0.00 z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.03
1976 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 1.81 1.23 2.47 0.60c 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 6.11
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMONtpre.pl?co0945 6/27/2007
Monthly Precipitation, BRIGGSDALE, COLORADO Page 2 of 2
1977 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 3.78 1.20 0.24 0.01 0.00z 0.00z 5.23
1978 0.70 0.00 z 0.00 z 0.24 1.73 1.67 0.70 2.66 0.00 0.57 0.30 1.70 10.27
1979 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00
1980 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00z 0.00 z 0.00 2.08 0.22 0.51 0.20 0.19 0.05 3.25
1981 0.07 0.26 1.68 1.75 2.89 0.40 4.65 2.09 0.20 0.48 0.19 0.25 14.91
1982 0.04 0.04 0.19 0.13 3.16 0.00z 5.29 2.03 2.21 0.65 0.30 0.07 14.11
1983 0.00 0.00z 1.19 1.91 4.94 3.01 2.84 4.72 0.33 0.58 0.98 0.33 20.83
1984 0.21 0.21 0.94 2.82 1.29 1.72 a 3.15 1.43 0.32 1.70 0.00 0.26 14.05
1985 0.46 0.02 0.06 1.23 1.55 1.38 2.56 0.00 1.26 0.00z 0.63g 0.40h 8.52
1986 0.02 0.19 0.44 1.58 1.30 1.47 1.00 0.86 1.27 1.17 0.64 0.24 10.18
1987 0.08 0.88 0.73 0.42 5.99 1.57 2.78 1.92 0.72 0.75 1.19 0.47b 17.50
1988 0.16p 0.23 d 0.82 0.72 3.97 1.91 2.35 0.83 1.65 0.20 0.05 0.37 13.10
1989 0.39 0.33 0.25 0.66 0.90 2.62 5.36 1.45 2.10 0.23 0.07 0.27 14.63
1990 0.47 0.11 2.76 0.58c 1.24 0.55 3.23 1.51 3.33 a 1.00 0.81 0.03 15.62
1991 0.08 0.00 0.07 a 0.66 1.86 2.13 2.38 1.37 0.88 0.21 0.92 0.00 10.56
1992 0.38 0.00 2.49a 0.00 0.80 2.13 2.32 2.65 0.00 0.82 0.83 0.31 12.73
1993 0.29 0.45 0.63 1.73 a 1.17 1.73 0.58 3.72 1.78 1.39 0.87 0.23 14.57
1994 0.37 0.13 0.06 0.99 0.31 1.22 1.48 0.79 0.45 1.67 0.43 0.40 8.30
1995 0.13 0.34a 0.12c 1.15a 2.97 5.80 1.58 0.25 2.39 0.15 0.39a 0.00a 15.27
1996 0.39 a 0.00 1.18 0.38 a 2.26 3.69 2.26 2.18 2.74 0.30 0.12 0.00 15.50
1997 0.41 0.31 a 0.39a 0.49 1.60 3.14 2.80 4.34 1.32 1.38 0.19 0.23 16.60
1998 0.06 0.15 0.53 0.64 1.78 a 1.52 4.52 1.28 1.03 1.81 0.42 0.64 14.38
1999 0.17 0.00 0.50 4.92 1.27 2.14 1.65 4.33 2.63 0.39 0.18 0.00 18.18
2000 0.10 0.41 0.89 a 0.74 3.21 1.08 0.42 0.30 1.06 a 0.22 0.35 0.41 9.19
2001 0.27 0.29 0.44 2.16 3.86 1.46 3.50 0.72 1.28 a 0.66 0.72 0.00 e 15.36
2002 0.07 0.19 0.56 0.03 0.52 1.33b 0.00 3.49 0.38 0.92 0.40 0.00a 7.89
2003 0.06 0.17c 2.30 0.38 2.67 2.51 0.87 1.28 a 0.31 a 0.00 0.40 0.24 11.19
2004 0.28 0.36 0.00 0.83 2.36a 1.61 0.56 1.02b 1.42 0.83 0.92 0.15 10.34
2005 0.12 0.05 0.35 1.56 1.92 3.42 0.42 0.71 c 0.51 2.76 0.39 0.06 12.27
2006 0.00 0.08 0.95 0.18 0.62 0.43 1.60 0.86 a 1.97 0.31 a 0.15 0.14 a 7.29
2007 0.32 0.03 0.55 0.09 u 0.00 z 0.00 z 0.00 z 0.00 z 0.00 z 0.00 z 0.00 z 0.00 z 0.90
Period of Record Statistics
MEAN 0.24 0.19 0.74 1.17 2.06 2.13 2.25 1.63 1.26 0.75 0.38 0.22 12.76
S.D. 0.21 0.18 0.70 1.00 1.36 1.17 1.32 1.30 0.91 0.67 0.34 0.29 3.26
SKEW 1.11 1.59 1.28 1.56 0.80 0.85 0.48 0.89 0.36 1.60 0.76 3.54 0.06
MAX 0.97 0.88 2.76 4.92 5.99 5.80 5.36 4.72 3.33 3.02 1.19 1.70 19.81
MIN 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.74
NO 40 38 40 41 42 42 44 45 44 43 42 40 31
YRS
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMONtpre.pl?co0945 6/27/2007
' BRIGGSDALE, COLORADO Period of Record General Climate Summary - Precipitation Page 1 of 2
BRIGGSDALE, COLORADO
Period of Record General Climate Summary - Precipitation
Station:(050945) BRIGGSDALE
From Year=1948 To Year=2006
Precipitation I Total Snowfall
>_ >_ >_ >_
Mean High Year Low Year 1 Day Max. 0.01 0.10 0.50 1.00 Mean High Year
in. in. in. in.
dd/yyyy # #
in. in. in. in. or Days Days Days Days m. m.
yyyymmdd
January 0.24 0.97 1974 0.00 1964 0.59 16/19781 J 1 0 0 2.1 9.0 1985
February 0.19 0.88 1987 0.00 1966 0.48 26/1987 2 1 0 0 1.6 6.0 2004
March 0.74 2.76 1990 0.00 1966 1.60 18/2003 4 2 0 0 3.5 16.5 1970
April 1.17 4.92 1999 0.00 1992 2.07 30/1999 4 3 1 0 1.3 12.5 1973
May 2.06 5.99 1987 0.00 1974 2.40 19/1988 8 5 1 0 0.2 3.0 1973
June 2.13 5.80 1995 0.00 1980 2.40 03/1995 7 5 1 0 0.0 0.0 1963
July 2.25 5.36 1989 0.00 2002 3.36 19/19731 J 4 1 1 0.0 0.0 1963
August 1.63 4.72 1983 0.00 1974 2.63 05/1993 6 4 1 0 0.0 0.0 1963
September 1.26 3.33 1990 0.00 1978 1.49 02/1951 5 3 1 0 0.2 5.2 1965
October 0.75 3.02 1969 0.00 2003 1.42 11/2005 A 2 0 0 0.5 3.5 2002
November 0.38 1.19 1987 0.00 1965 0.55 12/1993 2 1 0 0 1.8 15.5 1972
December 0.22 1.70 1978 0.00 1974 0.35 05/1972 2 1 0 0 2.4 21.8 2006
Annual 13.04 19.81 1965 6.74 1964 3.36 19730719 51 32 7 2 13.6 43.0 1973
Winter 0.66 1.23 1974 0.11 1991 0.59 19780116 5 2 0 0 6.1 15.8 2001
Spring 3.97 8.04 1983 0.50 1966 2.40 19880519 15 10 2 1 5.0 24.5 1973
Summer 6.01 10.85 1965 1.80 2000 3.36 197307191191 13 3 1 0.0 0.0 1963
Fall 2.40 5.14 1990 0.68 1964 1.49 19510902 F7`I 7 1 0 2.5 18.5 1972
Table updated on Apr 23, 2007
For monthly and annual means, thresholds, and sums:
Months with 5 or more missing days are not considered
Years with 1 or more missing months are not considered
Seasons are climatological not calendar seasons
Winter= Dec., Jan., and Feb. Spring = Mar., Apr., and May
Summer =Jun., Jul., and Aug. Fall = Sep., Oct., and Nov.
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/c1iGCStP.pl?co0945 6/27/2007
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