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vegetation cover values for these areas to the cover in the revegetated mesic drainage portion <br />in the II -W South Extension area. The revegetated area shall be considered acceptable if they <br />are not less than 90 percent of the baseline cover value within the applicable reference area <br />with 90 percent statistical confidence. This method of comparison will be used because of the <br />small premining acreage of mesic drainage along Dry Creek and the limited area of reclaimed <br />drainage within the II -W South Extension area. <br />Successful reclamation for cover in all permanently reclaimed areas in the Tie - Across Haul Road <br />corridor will be measured as follows. For all permanently seeded upland areas (Seed Mix No. 1 <br />applied), the total "all-hit" herbaceous vegetation cover measured from the western wheatgrass /alkali <br />sagebrush (portion of the extended) reference area will be compared to the total "all-hit" vegetation <br />cover measured from the upland reclaimed areas. Total "all-hit" herbaceous vegetation cover for <br />these upland revegetated areas will be considered acceptable if it is not less than (i.e. is statistically <br />indistinguishable from) 90 percent of the total "all-hit" herbaceous vegetation cover as determined <br />from the western wheatgrass /alkali sagebrush reference area with 90 percent statistical confidence. <br />The remaining permanently seeded areas will be in lowland areas or drainages. The mesic drainage <br />(portion of the extended) reference area will be used for cover comparisons in these reclaimed <br />lowland or drainage areas. Total all hit herbaceous vegetation cover over for these reclaimed areas will <br />be considered acceptable if total "all -hit" herbaceous vegetation cover is not less than 90 percent of <br />the cover as determined from the mesic drainage reference area with 90 percent statistical confidence. <br />Cover will not be evaluated for the cropland portion of the reclaimed haul road. This is based on <br />Rule 4.15.9, which states that success of reclamation for cropland will be based on production only. <br />Production <br />Reclamation success for production in the II -W permit area will be evaluated by comparing <br />herbaceous production in the reclaimed areas to the weighted herbaceous production value <br />determined from sampling of the extended reference area. <br />Herbaceous production will be estimated by clipping the current year's above ground herbaceous <br />biomass in randomly located 0.5 sq.m. sample plots. Fencing or exclosures will be used to exclude <br />livestock prior to sampling, where necessary. Herbaceous production from the reclaimed lands being <br />evaluated for reclamation success will be compared to the weighted production value determined <br />from the extended reference area vegetation types described under cover and their relative areal extent <br />in the premining surface area. The weighted herbaceous production value will be determined (see <br />formula below) by taking the herbaceous production value for each reference area type and <br />MR -66 48 Revised 10/09 <br />