Newell, South Dakota 



Location 



Butte Co., SD; Sec. 4, R. 6 E., T. 9 N.; GPS-UTM 4959195 N, 626870 E. 



About 6 miles north-northeast of Newell. 



From Newell, travel north about 4 miles on South Dakota Highway 79. Next, turn right (east) for 1 

 mile across private lands, then turn left (northeast) through a gate onto a tertiary road and con- 

 tinue for 1 mile. Continue north about 0.7 mile through two pastures to a group of large rocks 

 located in the south-central part of the second pasture. Photopoint is north of the adjacent irriga- 

 tion canal and hayfield and west of a natural drainage area. 



Description 



September 22, 1999 



Upland 



Grasses. Agropyron smithil 

 Stipa comata. Stipa viridula, 

 Bromus japonicus 



Forbs. Melilotus officinalis, 

 Lesquella spp., Psoralea 

 tenuiflora, Grindelia 

 squarrosa, Vicia americana 



Synopsis 



The vegetation has remained a 

 grass-dominated mix of Agropy- 

 ron smithii, Stipa comata, and 

 Stipa viridula. Forbs are abun- 

 dant, with considerable 

 amounts of Melilotus officinale 

 found in 1999, but not apparent 

 in the photos shown here. The 

 abundance of Opuntia 

 polycantha has declined sharply 

 in at least a partial response to 

 occasional haying of the area 

 (communication with land- 

 owner). The soils /vegetation 

 complex throughout the area 

 appears to have recovered fully 

 from previous management 

 tactics. 



57 



