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When sampled in 2013, the woody plant density averaged 338.3 plants per acre. When <br />sampled in 1987, the average woody plant density value was 129.5 woody plants per 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 2014 vegetation sampling effort are presented in Table 6, Refuse Pile <br />Reclamation - 2014 Plant Cover. "Total plant cover" averaged 52.40 %, litter cover averaged <br />29.80 % and "allowable plant cover" averaged 45.40 %. <br />Perennial grasses was the dominant plant life form encountered, contributing 40.53 % of the <br />total plant cover or 77.35 % of the total relative plant cover on this reclaimed area. Noxious <br />weeds was the second most dominant plant life category contributing 5.07 % of the total plant <br />cover or 9.67 % of the total relative plant cover. Shrubs contributed 4.13 % of the total plant <br />cover or 7.89 % of the total relative plant cover. Annuals & biennials contributed 1.94 % of <br />the total plant cover or 3.69 % of the total relative plant cover. Perennial forbs was the least <br />dominant plant life form and contributed 0.73 % of the total cover or 1.40 % of the total <br />relative cover on this reclaimed site. <br />The most dominant plant species was Western Wheatgrass which contributed 14.73 % of the <br />total plant cover or 28.11 % of the total relative plant cover. Sand Dropseed, was the second <br />most dominant plant species contributing 13.27 % of the total plant cover or 25.32 % of the <br />total relative plant cover. The third most dominant species was Blue Grama which contributed <br />5.40 % of the total plant cover or 10.31 % of the total relative plant cover. Sideoats Grama, <br />was the fourth most dominant plant and contributed 4.40 % of the total plant cover or 8.40 % <br />of the total relative plant cover on this reclaimed site. <br />The locations of the 15 cover transects are shown on Map 3, Refuse Pile Reclamation - 2014 <br />Reclamation Monitoring Map. The sample adequacy calculations in Table 2, 2014 <br />Statistical Summary and Sample Adequacy Calculations, document that the number of <br />transects required to characterize the "total plant cover" was 5.5 transects and 10.9 transects, <br />for "allowable plant cover" at the 90 % confidence interval. Since at total of 15 plant cover <br />transects were collected, it can be concluded that the CDRMS regulations which require that <br />the parameter of "allowable plant cover" be sampled to at least the 90 % statistical confidence <br />(Nm=10.9) interval was satisfied. <br />When this area was sampled in 2013, the total plant cover averaged 60.00 %, litter cover <br />averaged 20.08 % and allowable plant cover averaged 47.28 %. When sampled in 2010, total <br />plant cover averaged 60.30 %. When sampled in 2006, total plant cover averaged 42.53 %. <br />Forage Production. The results obtained from the sampling of the 30 forage production <br />transects are found in Table 7, Refuse Pile Reclamation - 2014 Production. <br />Total forage production averaged 39.26 g/l/4m2 or 1,399.2 pounds of air-dry forage per acre. <br />Perennial grasses contributed 36.99 g/1/4m2 (1,318.3 pounds per acre) or 94.2 % and perennial <br />forb plant species contributed 2.26 g/1/4 m' (80.5 pounds per acre) or 5.8 % of the forage <br />production. <br />The locations of the 30 forage production transects sampled on this area are shown on Map 3, <br />Refuse Pile Reclamation - 2014 Reclamation Monitoring Map. Examination of Table 2, <br />2014 Statistical Summary and Sample Adequacy Calculations, reveals that sample <br />adequacy at the 90 % confidence interval for herbaceous forage production was equal to 42.9 <br />transects. <br />11 <br />