2014-04-08_REPORT - C1982057 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Cover Observed cover values and derivation of the 2013 herbaceous cover standard are compiled /documented in the table below: Seneca IN 2013 Vegetation Type Mean Cover* % of Affected Area Sagebrush /Snowberry a 25.8 31.3 Mountain Brush 3 30.2 34.5 Aspen Woodland a 55.5 11.0 Steep Mountain Brush b 15.1 12.8 Alkali Sage./West. Whtgrs. 22.3 10.4 2006 Reclamation Area 26.9 NA 2011 Reclamation Area 7.0 NA *Percent "all -hit" cover (absolute) by herbaceous species as corrected for "allowable" annual and biennial cover (i.e. no more than 10 percent relative cover allowed, See CDMG 1995, 1.N.A.). Cover by noxious weed species, if any, also subtracted. a Seneca IN extended reference area values from data collected in 2013 b Seneca IN extended reference area values from data collected in 2012 The "All -hit" ref. area cover standard for 2013 (Mean allowable cover weighted by % of Affected Area) _ 28.9% 90 percent of 2013 ref. area cover standard = 0.9 x 28.9% = 26.0% As can be seen in Figure 1 a, the mean allowable total "all hit" herbaceous cover observed in the seven - year old 2006 Reclaimed Area was slightly above the 90 percent of the standard set by the reference areas. The very young (two -year old) 2011 Reclamation fell well short of the standard of allowable cover. In 2008 when the two -year old (then) 2006 Reclamation was sampled, the allowable herbaceous cover was 9% in the reclaimed and 90% of the standard was 33.7 %. This pattern has been observed previously; two -year old revegetation is still developing and hence a situation in which the allowable cover of two -year old reclamation does not reach 90% of the standard is not necessarily indicative of a problem. In addition, the high frequency of occurrence for many of the desirable perennial seeded and volunteer species indicate the potential for rapid community development in the next few years which has also been commonly observed in long term monitoring.