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Performance Standards for Herbaceous Production and Woody Plant Density <br />COVER and HERBACEOUS PRODUCTION : For purposes of comparison only, cover and herbaceous <br />production performance standards were calculated in accordance with procedures contained in the <br />Seneca IIW permit. A line that indicates 90 percent of this standard has been placed on Figures 1 a and 2 <br />for informational purposes. At such time as bond release is formally sought, revegetation will be <br />considered successful for cover when mean cover for a bond release block is at least 90% of the <br />calculated success standard or approved technical standard. <br />WOODY PLANT DENSITY: For purposes of comparisons in this document, general (background) woody <br />plant density at the Seneca IIW Mine is evaluated using a technical standard of 200 shrubs per acre. <br />Shrub concentration areas such as may be included in eventual bond release blocks are judged by a <br />standard of 2000 stems per acre. The shrub concentration area sampled in 2013 was Block BB, located <br />within the 2006 Reclamation Area. <br />Climatic Data <br />Precipitation data was obtained from the NOAA administered Western Regional climate Center (WRCC) <br />for the nearby town of Hayden (Station 053867). For years 1990 through 2008, precipitation data were <br />collected at the Seneca IIW Mine. For years 1982 through 1989, SCC provided precipitation data from <br />the nearby Seneca II Mine. Since the data record for Seneca II exists for only 25 years, the long term <br />average (104 years) of monthly precipitation data from the Western Regional Climate Center (WRCC) for <br />the nearby town of Hayden was used as an appropriate base for comparison. Information on degree - <br />days was based on temperature data from the Hayden station as well. <br />RESULTS <br />All collected data are found in Tables 1 - 17 of Appendices 1, 2 and 3. Data from sampling of cover, <br />production and background woody plant density are summarized in Tables 12 - 15. Sample data for <br />cover, herbaceous production, and woody plant density are summarized in Table 12, and data on species <br />density by lifeform are summarized in Table 13. Data for relative cover by lifeform are in Table 14. <br />Statistical adequacy of sampling is tabulated in Table 15. A complete species list, including reclaimed <br />and reference areas, is in Table 16 in Appendix 2. Data from sampling of shrub concentration area <br />blocks are included in Table 17 in Appendix 3. Seed mixes used in the reclamation areas are included, <br />for reference, in Appendix 4. Photographs of transect locations within the reclaimed areas sampled in <br />2013, as well as photographs of the Aspen, Mountain Brush, and Sagebrush /Snowberry reference areas, <br />are included in Appendix 5. Graphic depiction of vegetation and climate data are presented in Figures 1 - <br />10. <br />5 <br />