2015-02-26_REPORT - C1981028 ‎(7)‎

• Permit No: C1981028
• IBM Index Class Name: Report
• Doc Date: 2/26/2015
• Doc Name: Annual Hydrology and Reclamation Report
• From: Coors Energy Company
• To: DRMS
• Annual Report Year: 2014
• Permit Index Doc Type: Annual Reclamation Report
• Email Name: TNL
• Email Name: DIH
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Keenesburg Mine 2014 Vegetation Monitoring Report
Figure 4: Absolute Cover of Desirable and Introduced Species in 2012 and 2014
50
45
40
35
s• 30
0
U 25
0
220
d
15
10
0
■ Desirable Species ■Cheatgrass *Annual Intorudcted Forbs
2012 2014 2012 2014
Area 30
Area 31
Table 8: Reclamation Area 30 Relative Cover Trends 2009 — 2014
Life Form
Relative Cover ( %)
2009
2010
2011
2012
2014
Cool Season Perennial Grasses
72.47
34.24
20.72
22.75
1.03
Warm Season Perennial Grasses
4.64
17.58
36.04
63.47
28.86
Cheat grass
9.28
40.3
11.71
8.38
34.71
Annual Introduced Forbs
5.51
4.85
16.82
0
24.05
The seed mixture used on Area 30 was 84% warm season grasses and 16% cool season grasses.
Thus, the current relative components would have been expected. However, May of 2007 (the
first growing season for this site) experienced precipitation that was 186% of average which may
have resulted in a flush of cool season grass germination. The subsequent years have slowly
brought the ratio back to what was anticipated in the seed mixture. The percentages used in the
seed mixture reflect what is observed in native sites in this area. Warm season species thrive
when monsoonal precipitation coincides with warm temperatures in the mid to late summer
months. Warm season species also tend to be more drought tolerant and have likely fared better
in the droughty conditions of the past several years.
Quantitative sampling in Area 31 has only occurred in 2012 and 2014 which precludes long term
trend analysis. Both warm season and cool season grasses decreased in relative cover from 2012
to 2014, as a result of the drastic increases in relative cover of Cheatgrass and annual introduced
fortis (Table 9). While the decrease in relative cover of warm season grasses was small (58% to
Habitat Management, Inc. 14 September 2014