2015-02-17_REPORT - M1977227 (2)

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more dominant but appear to have been diminished by livestock grazing. Local land uses, re- stricted by the lack of surface water, are rangeland and wildlife habitat. The annual mean temperature is 42.2 °F with an average annual total precipitation of 11.8 "; from rain (9.2 ") and snow (26.0" at 2.6" water equivalent)'. The growing season averages 94 days. Over the last five years, monthly precipitation patterns in the region as typified by the San Luis, Colorado weather station show the variable nature of this climatic element (Figure 3 in Appendix A). Precipitation has been within the normal range and generally following a bimodal pattern with fall (August to September) having the highest rainfall and late spring (April to May) provid- ing a second, lighter rainfall period for soil moisture recharge. 3.0 REVEGETATION SUCCESS CRITERIA Revegetation success at the Mesita Hill Mine has no standard defined in the mine permit. Por- tions of the mine were disturbed prior to laws for reclamation and not re- disturbed under subse- quent permits (see "Pre -law" locations in Figure 2, Appendix A and Photo 1, Appendix B). The reclamation plan for this mine site was permitted in 1988 and falls within the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) and is prior to, but conforming with, subsequent amendments for the Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety's (DRMS) Mineral Rules and Regulations for Hard Rock Mining. Per DRMS Rules and Regulations [116(7)(e)] Sec 3. 1.10 Revegetation "(1) In those areas where revegetation is part of the Reclamation Plan, land shall be re- vegetated in such a way as to establish a diverse, effective, and long lasting vegetative cover that is capable of self - regeneration without continued dependence on irrigation, soil amendments or fertilizer, and is at least equal in extent of cover to the natural vegetation of the surrounding area. Except for certain post mining land uses approved by the Board or Office, the use of species native to the region shall be emphasized." Diverse, effective, and long lasting vegetative cover can be measured by total plant cover and plant diversity with plants of varying stages in their life cycle. Self- regeneration is defined by the presence of plants setting seed and the resultant seedlings continuing with growth and repro- duction. Reclaimed areas, especially in semiarid environments, tend to be variable in their plant ' Data from National Weather Service, U.S. Department of Commerce