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The locations of the 50 shrub density transects sampled are shown on Map 2, Refuse Pile <br />Reference Area - 2013 Transect Location Map. The sample adequacy calculations in Table 2, <br />2013 - Statistical Summary and Sample Adequacy Calculations, document that the number of <br />samples required to characterize the parameter of woody plant density at the 90% confidence <br />interval was 28.7 transects. <br />When IME sampled this area in 1987, the average woody plant density was 3.20 shrubs per 100 <br />m2 or 129.5 woodv plants Der acre. <br />REFUSE PILE RECLAMATION STUDY AREA <br />Plant Cover. The results obtained from the sampling of the 15 plant cover transects on this <br />reclaimed site in the 2013 vegetation sampling are presented in Table 6, Refuse Pile <br />Reclamation Study Area - 2013 Plant Cover. "Total plant cover" averaged 60.00% and litter <br />cover averaged 20.08%. "Allowable plant cover" averaged 47.28%. <br />Perennial grasses was the dominant plant life form encountered, contributing 44.12% of the total <br />plant cover or 73.53% of the total relative plant cover on this reclaimed area. Noxious weeds, <br />consisting mostly of Cheatgrass, was the second most dominant plant life form contributing <br />10.44% of the total plant cover or 17.40% of the total relative plant cover. Shrubs contributed <br />2.64% of the total plant cover and 4.40% of the total relative plant cover. Annuals & biennials <br />contributed 2.28% of the total plant cover and 3.80% of the total relative plant cover. Perennial <br />forbs was the least dominant plant life form and contributed 0.36% of the total cover or 0.80% of <br />the total relative cover on this reclaimed site. <br />The most dominant plant species was Western Wheatgrass which contributed 14.28% of the total <br />plant cover or 23.80% of the total relative plant cover. Sand Dropseed, was the second most <br />dominant plant species contributing 11.40% of the total plant cover or 19.00% of the total relative <br />plant cover. The third most dominant species was Redstem Filaree which contributed 7.44% of <br />the total plant cover or 12.40% of the total relative plant cover. Smooth Bromegrass, was the <br />fourth most dominant plant and contributed 5.16% of the total plant cover or 8.60% of the total <br />relative plant cover on the Refuse Pile reclaimed site. <br />The locations of the 25 cover transects are shown on Map 3, Refuse Pile Reclamation - 2013 <br />Reclamation Monitoring Map. The sample adequacy calculations in Table 2, 2013 Mine - <br />Statistical Summary and Sample Adequacy Calculations, document that the number of <br />transects required to characterize the "total plant cover" was 2.6 transects and 9.8 transects for <br />"allowable plant cover" at the 90% confidence interval. Since 25 plant cover transects were <br />collected and Nm=9.8, it can be concluded that the CDRMS regulations were satisfied with <br />respect to allowable plant cover. <br />Interim reclamation monitoring of these areas in 2010 and 2006 using the identical sampling <br />methodologies as used herein. These results show that in 2010, the total plant cover averaged <br />60.30% which is almost identical to the value of 60.00% obtained from the 2013 sampling. When <br />IME sampled this area in 2006, total plant cover averaged 42.53%. <br />Forage Production. The results obtained from the sampling of the 30 forage production transects <br />are found in Table 7, Refuse Pile Reclamation Study Area - 2013 Production. This table shows <br />that the total herbaceous forage production, averaged 24.83 g/1/4 m2 or 884.9 pounds per acre. <br />Perennial grasses produced 24.51 g/1/4 m2 or 873.5 pounds per acre and accounted for 98.7% of <br />the total perennial forage production. Perennial forbs contributed 0.32 g/1/4m' or 11.4 pounds per <br />acre and accounted for 1.3% of the forage production. <br />10 <br />