HomeMy WebLinkAbout026 Appendix R - Vegetation Memomemo
Page 1
TO: James Nickelson, PE
FROM: Breanne Cline, Environmental Scientist
DATE: 04/01/2022 Updated 8/21/2022 JRN
JOB NO.: 10130.001
RE: West Park Vegetation Memo
CC:
Urgent For Review Please Comment Please Reply For Your Use
The purpose of this memo is to document the vegetation on the West Park Subdivision property
(Norton East Ranch Sub Ph 6, Lot R1A – R1D) in Gallatin County, Montana. A field visit was
performed on May 25, 2021. The results of the data search and the field visit are presented
below.
Vegetation Community
The Montana Natural Heritage Program (MTNHP) maintains a statewide database for natural and
human land cover. The subject property is shown to consist of: Introduced Upland Vegetation -
Annual and Biennial Forbland, Cultivated Crops, Rocky Mountain Lower Montane, Foothill, and
Valley Grassland, and Low Intensity Residential.
A field visit of the subject property was performed on May 25, 2021. The land cover observed
during this site visit included: non-irrigated pasture, emergent wetlands and riparian areas,
undisturbed upland areas, and man-made borrow pit pond. Attachment 1, Figure 1 identifies some
of these communities and proposed wetland mitigation sites.
Baxter Creek traverses the northeast corner of the property and contains associated
wetland/riparian areas dominated by reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) and cattail (Typha
latifolia). The vegetation within the pasture areas was dominated by smooth brome (Bromus
inermis). The undisturbed upland areas were dominated by reed canary grass, wood’s rose (Rosa
woodsia), and American licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota).
Protective Measures
The riparian and wetland community along Baxter Creek to the northeast corner of the subject
property is protected under a conservation easement. In order to mitigate for the non-jurisdictional
wetland in the middle of the property, the developer proposes to create 2.6 acres of mitigation
wetlands around the borrow pit on the property. The borrow pit is already used by a variety of
waterfowl and the proposed enhancements will promote wildlife habitat in addition to providing
recreation opportunities to the community. Additionally, the recreated/mitigated wetlands will offer
a biological connection to the existing Baxter Creek wetland complex. The remainder of the
proposed West Park Subdivision would be designed to avoid impacts to all other wetland areas
on the subject property.
West Park Vegetation Memo
Page 2
Noxious Weeds and Revegetation Plan
Montana State University maintains a list of Montana weeds in accordance with the Montana
County Weed Control Act that includes 36 noxious weeds and five regulated plants (MSU 2020).
The noxious weeds are divided into five priority levels: Priority 1A (not present or limited
presence), 1B (limited presence), 2A (common in isolated areas), 2B (abundant and widespread),
and 3 (not noxious, regulated plants).
During the site visit, Canada thistle (Circium arvense, Priority 2B), spotted knapweed (Centaurea
stoebe, Priority 2B), Black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger, Priority 3), and musk thistle (Carduus
nutans, Priority 3) were identified on the subject property. Figure 1 in Attachment 1 identifies the
general location of these observed species.
Noxious weeds must be controlled in all developments as directed by the county weed control
district (district) in accordance with the Montana County Noxious Weed Control Act (MCA 7-22-
21). A Weed Management Plan for the proposed subdivision was completed by Montana Spraying
Company LLC in March 2022. The plan includes a 3-year control plan that consists of herbicide
application and reseeding.
References
Montana Natural Heritage Program (MTNHP). 2022. Montana Landcover Framework (2010 – 2017). Accessed April 1, 2022.
Montana State University (MSU) Extension. 2020. Montana’s Noxious Weeds. Monica Pokorny & Jane Mangold. Revised January 2020.
Morrison-Maierle. 2021. Norton East Wetland Delineation. June 2021. US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 2021. National Wetland Inventory Wetlands Mapper.
https://www.fws.gov/wetlands/data/mapper.html U.S. Geological Survey. 2020. Bozeman, Montana, 7.5-minute Series Topographic Quadrangle Map.
DRAWN BY: BC
CHK'D BY: BC
APPR. BY: CP
DATE:
GALLATIN COUNTY MT
COPYRIGHT MORRISON-MAIERLE, INC., 2021
\\mmi\Share\Bozeman\Projects\10130\001.01 PrePlat\GIS\Vegetation Map.mxd
FIGURE NO.
PROJECT NO.
5418.002
1
2880 Technology Bldv.Bozeman, MT 59718
Phone: (406) 587-0721Fax: (406) 922-6702
4/1/2022
W Babcock St
Vaughn Dr
Mitigation Wetland Creation Area
Mitigation Wetland
Creation Area
±0 250 500125Feet
Legend
Preserved Wetland Areas
Wetland to be Impacted
Baxter Creek
Pond
Canada Thistle
Spotted Knapweed
Black Henbane
Musk Thistle
VEGETATION MAP
NORTON EAST RANCH PROPERTY