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Show ! Normally dry Canyonlands ! is really dry this year l Although the Needles and Island in the Sky are normally dry areas, t precipitation recorded in 1976 was more j I than six inches less than the average ! yearly precipitation. ! Precipitation around Island in the Sky ; . during 1976 was recorded at 1.29 inches, ; I the yearly average being 7.51 inches. The !; Needles area was only slightly drier, having 1.19 inches precipitation, the ; I average 7.68 inches. ; During the past 10 years, 1969 has had the most precipitation. In the ' ; Needles area 10.79 inches were recorded and 12.23 inches at Island in the Sky. ; Other years during that period held very ! near the average yearly precipitation. ; The effects of the drought in 1976 are ', not as apparent in the desert areas as in mountainous regions. The wildlife in 'I these areas is capable of adjusting to a dry habitat. The animals are able to - - - ft ft ft ft ( . metabolize their own moisture from the foods they eat and to save those fluids by ! entering into a type of hibernation. ', A Bureau of Land Management ' omcial said browse plants will be hurting ', by next year if rains during the rest of !j 1977 are not normal. During the past J winter, in which only 20 to 30 per cent of ', normal precipitation was received, the growth of browse plants was down to only 30 to 40 per cent of normal. Rains in the J late spring and summer have helped the recovery of the plants. If rains continue, ; growth of browse plants could come up to 70 per cent of normal, but if not, growth ' i would be less than 50 per cent of normal. ' J The drought in the Needles and !' Island in the Sky areas is not significant J to the environment yet, but BLM officials ', say another dry year during critical J growing periods could take its toll on J wildlife and vegetation. |