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Vegetation Analysis <br />The vegetation cover data, production and sample adequacy calculations for 2015 and 2016 can <br />be found in the appendices to this document. The sampled area was limited to the fenced area <br />where grazing was controlled. The landowner, Castleton Ranch, helped maintain the fences and <br />precluded the area from being grazed for the duration of the reclamation period. The pond and <br />topsoil pile were not sampled because they were not fenced and grazing could not be managed. <br />Cover <br />The total vegetation cover for 2015 was 66.3%, consisting of 63.8% desirable species, 1.6% <br />annual species and 0.8% noxious species. As a group, perennial grasses provided the most <br />amount of cover (24.7%), with Kentucky bluegrass (6.5%), mountain brome (5.8%) and smooth <br />brome (3.4%) being the top three species. Shrubs provided 22.1 % cover, with sagebrush at <br />13.2%, snowberry at 5.3% and yellow rabbitbrush at 0.9%. Forbs, such as the Mariposa Lily <br />shown in Photo 3, provided 18.5% cover, with yellow sweet clover at 6.4%, willowherb at 2.5% <br />and curly dock at 2.2%. <br />The total vegetation cover for 2016 was 57.3%, <br />consisting of 54.8% desirable species, 1.5% annual <br />species and 0.9% noxious species. As a group, <br />perennial grasses provided 19.4% cover, with <br />Kentucky bluegrass (5.3%), mountain brome (3.8%) <br />and intermediate wheatgrass (3.8%) the top three <br />species. Forbs provided 19.4% cover, with yellow <br />sweetclover at 13.8%, rocky mountain penstemon at <br />1.2%, and showy goldeneye at 1.2%. Shrubs provided <br />15.9% cover, with sagebrush at 7.5%, snowberry 4.3% <br />and yellow rabbitbrush 2.3%. <br />The vegetative cover success standard of the former <br />Ohio Creek Mine permit was `at least 45% perennials <br />Photo 3: Mariposa Lily <br />excluding noxious weeds'. The cover standard was met for both 2015 and 2016 with 63.8% and <br />54.8% respectively. <br />Diversity <br />The diversity standard of `at least three cool season perennial grass species, each contributing a <br />minimum of 3% relative cover' was met in 2015 and 2016. In 2015, Kentucky bluegrass, mountain <br />brome and smooth brome all exceeded the standard, with 6.5%, 5.8% and 3.4% relative cover <br />OHIO CREEK TERMINATION OF JURISDICTION DEC 2016 16 <br />AUTHOR: R. REILLEY <br />