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• When vegetation sampling takes place, each reclaimed community will be sampled separately. <br />The irrigated hayland area will comprise a single unit, as will the sagebrush reclaimed area. The <br />sagebrush reference area will also be a single sample unit. Within each sample unit, sample <br />placement will be either on a simple random or a proportional allocation design. A minimum of <br />10 samples will be collected in each reference area while a[ least IS samples will be taken in the <br />reclaimed area. Samples will be collected in each sample unit until sample adequacy is reached. <br />Sample locations will be drawn randomly from a gridded map of the areas to be sampled and <br />then located in the field through the use of a compass and pacing. <br />Irrigated Hayland -Reclamation Success: <br />Because of it's postmining land use, the Irrigated Hayland disturbed area (approximately 14.8 <br />acres) only has to exceed 90% of a production standard to demonstrate revegetation success <br />(Rule 4.15.9). The Irrigated Hayland areas were never numerically described in the original <br />permit application and never received any success standards for a final bond release <br />demonstration. As part of technical revision 15, Mr. Dennis Davidson of the Natural Resources <br />Conservation Service was contacted because of his experience with the local soils and ecology in <br />order to determine an acceptable technical standard. His letter, dated January 9, 1988, is <br />enclosed in Exhibit 4.4-3 and serves as the basis for the standard of 3000 Ibs/acre. <br />Irrigated Hayland - Sampling Methods: <br />• Rule 4.15.9 allows that only production will be evaluated for cropland for determinations of <br />vegetative success. Therefore, for the irrigated hayland reclaimed area, total herbaceous <br />production will be evaluated. Production plots will be randomly placed in the reclaimed area and <br />clipped. Due to the herbaceous nature of the crop, production plots will be 1/4 meter? in size <br />(1/2 meter * 1/2 meter). All current annual herbaceous production within the volumetric vertical <br />projection of each quadrat will be clipped, separated according to life form, and bagged. The <br />three life forms will include perennial species, annual species, and noxious weeds. All <br />production samples will be oven-dried at 110 degrees Fahrenheit to a constant weight. For bond <br />release, enough samples will be collected to achieve sample adequacy. Sample adequacy <br />calculations will be based on total herbaceous production. The success comparison will be based <br />on total herbaceous, non-noxious, perennial production. <br />NCIG ~ Coal Ridgr # I (TR- I S) 4-62a 5/00 <br />