2015-10-13_REVISION - C1981014 (12)

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Plant Cover. Plant cover was evaluated by sampling along the previously described outstretched 50-meter transect tape on all of the reclaimed areas and on the Refuse Pile Reference Area and the Loadout Reference Area. A 10-meter long transect length tape was used on the New and Old Portal Reference Areas as previously recommended by Ms. Sandy Brown of the CDRMS. Along the outstretched transect tape, ten previously identified and randomly selected intervals were used as the sample locations for the sampling of plant cover. At each designated sample interval, an inclined metal ten-point frame, one meter in height and width was positioned perpendicular to the tape and a sharpened metal rod was dropped. Each sampling interval was sampled at ten-centimeter intervals along the ten-point frame, one meter in width. Random even-numbered intervals were sampled on the right-hand side of the tape and odd-numbered intervals were sampled on the left-hand side of the tape. This process yields a potential cover sampling area approximately one-hundred meters in size. Each time the rod was dropped, the plant species encountered was recorded. If no plant cover was encountered, the observation was recorded for the presence of litter, rock, bare ground, lichens or cryptograms. Plant material produced in the 2014 growing season which was still attached to the plant was considered as living plant material and all plant material produced in prior years and which was dead or which had fallen to the ground was considered litter. The 100 data points collected along each cover transect were then summarized into a single datum for purposes of statistical analysis. Absolute and relative plant cover, along with the plant life forms encountered were determined based upon the observations obtained in the plant cover sampling. As outlined in the discussion of the revegetation success standards for plant cover found in the Southfield Permit, the weighted average cover of the three reference areas located at the Southfield Mine will be compared to the weighted average cover from the reclaimed areas. As recommended by the CDRMS in their Bond Release Guideline, the cover of all annuals, biennials, and Colorado listed noxious weeds were not counted toward the "allowable plant cover" revegetation success standard. Therefore, in this analysis, the "allowable plant cover" revegetation success standard, consists only of perennial plant cover, minus all state listed noxious weeds all annuals and biennials, was used in the calculation of the "allowable plant cover" revegetation success standard. Forage Production. On the Phase III reclaimed areas sampled, a simple random statistical sampling approach was used. Along each randomly located forage production transect, which in many instances was also the plant cover and shrub density transect, three randomly located one-quarter square meter circular plots were located along the transect tape and clipped at ground level. As directed by the CDRMS relative to other final revegetation sampling efforts, the production plots were clipped by life forms for perennial grasses and perennial forbs for the reference areas and on the reclaimed areas. As recommended in the CDRMS Vegetation Guideline, Bond Release Guideline and CDRMS Regulations, annuals, biennials, and noxious weeds were not harvested in the forage production sampling. As recommended in the Vegetation Guideline, subshrubs were sampled for production and included with perennial forbs. 4