2017-01-04_PERMIT FILE - C1981044A

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Cover data for bond release will be collected along 50 in transects using a point -intercept method in which data are recorded as interceptions of a point with a plant species, litter, standing dead plant material, soil, or rock. Plant material produced during the current year and still standing is tallied by species. One hundred point intercepts are collected along each transect. At each meter along the 50 in length, points are projected 0.5 in to the right and 0.5 in to the left of the transect, thus minimizing trampling effects. First hit interceptions are used to calculate absolute top layer foliar cover (FIRST HIT AVERAGE COVER) by dividing the number of interceptions for a particular species or ground cover type by the total number of points taken (100). First hit relative vegetation cover is calculated by dividing first hit absolute cover for each species by the total first hit vegetation cover (FIRST HIT RELATIVE VEGETATION COVER). All -layer absolute cover (ALL HIT AVERAGE COVER) is calculated by dividing all hits (first -hits and additional -hits) for a particular species by the total number of points taken (100). In addition, all -layer relative cover is calculated using all hits for a particular species, divided by the total hits accumulated during sampling of the transect (ALL HIT RELATIVE VEGETATION COVER). Herbaceous production sampling will be accomplished using one-half square meter (0.5 m2) circular plots randomly located from the origin outside of the 50 in transect, within which the current annual growth of herbaceous species in a vertical projection is clipped and placed in labeled paper bags. Plant material will be clipped by life -form then bagged and labeled as follows: - Native Annual / Biennial Forbs - Native Annual Grasses - Native Perennial Forbs - Native Perennial Grasses and Graminoids - Introduced Annual / Biennial Forbs - Introduced Annual Grasses - Introduced Perennial Forbs - Introduced Perennial Grasses Lichens, mosses, and woody plant species present in the sample plot will not be collected. Noxious weeds will not be collected. Clipped material was returned to the laboratory and oven dried at 105° C for 24 hours, then weighed to the nearest 0.1 gm. Shrub density will be evaluated with a 2 x50m belt transect. The species within the transect are recorded and the data is used to compute a stems/acre value. Cro land For areas that are used in the production of crops, production will be the only parameter evaluated. This information has been obtained from the farmers; records for both the hayfields and dryland wheat fields for the five- (5) growing seasons and is presented in Tables 69 and 70, respectively. For the grain crop, average annual production for the five (5) year period is 17.1 bushels/acre. Therefore, when measured production from the reclaimed area equals or exceeds this amount or is 90 percent of 17.1 bushels/acre with a 90 percent statistical confidence, then the area will be considered successfully reclaimed. The cropland success standard will be for the entire field and would be recorded as bushels harvested from the field. The field will be cut and the grains loaded onto trucks and hauled from the site. The trucks will be weighed and their weight will be used in determining the bushel per acre yield after the appropriate lbs/bushel is determined. The farmer will supply the production data to MCM. Likewise, for the irrigated hayland (cropland) located near the No. 5 portal, production will be considered a success if it meets the combined average production from the North and South Fields, reduced to 165 acres, obtained from the period of 1979 through 1983. The average production for the two fields is 2,100 lbs/acres. No. 9 Portal Area/Refuse Pile In the event that the No. 9 portal and refuse pile are not returned to cropland, they will be returned to pastureland. If this is done, then the fields immediately adjacent to the site referred to as cropland on Map 20 will be used as the TR16-37 2.05-33 Revised 12/23/2016