2017-08-07_INSPECTION - C1981019

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August 1, 2017 C-1981-019/Colowyo Coal Mine JHB Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 2 Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 0 Page 3 of 7 crew was conducting both interim vegetation monitoring on the reclaimed areas, and collecting data for Phase II and Phase III bond release. We did not meet up with the crew while they were collecting data on the reclaimed areas. Sample methodology for sample collection on the mountain shrub reference area was in agreement with the methodology described in the permit (Section 4.15). The consultant, Cedar Creek Associates, used a 10-point laser point bar to collect cover data. Production data was collected by lifeform by clipping live vegetative biomass within a 1/2 Meter2 frame. Cedar Creek collects the production data for noxious species too. No concerns were noted upon observation and querying the sampling crew. The top of reclaimed West Pit Fill is extremely flat and windswept. CCC has been challenged to get a good vegetation established on top of this fill. The Division has previously and continues to advocate for serious roughening of the top of this fill to create microsites to slow the wind speed at the soil surface. CCC made a small effort by cutting a 6” high furrow into the surface of the top of the fill. This furrow was too small to have much effect and was one long continuous furrow. The Division has seen successful roughening implemented with a backhoe bucket creating pockets 18” to 24” deep or more. The Division anticipates that this area will continue to be troublesome for CCC to establish appropriate vegetation unless a different approach is implemented. Parcel EP056 was seeded in 2011. The vegetation in this parcel is still dominated by annual mustards and annual grasses. The Division believes that CCC will need to conduct some additional inter-seeding or other efforts to improve the stand in this parcel. REVEGETATION – Rule 4.15 Vegetative Cover; Timing: The inspector visited parcel 16016 in Section 16. This parcel is included in SL12. During the SL12 inspection, the Division observed that a 1.3 acre portion of this parcel had a higher concentration of Cheatgrass than other portions of the parcel. As one of the Division’s vegetation specialists, I was asked to evaluate this portion of the 16016 parcel. The entire parcel 16016 consists of 22.7 acres. The portion of the parcel that has a higher percentage of Cheatgrass was mapped by DRMS inspector as approximately 1.3 acres. The overall area requested for Phase III bond release with SL12 is 182.5 acres. The 1.3 acres exhibiting more than expected Cheatgrass amounts to less than 1% (0.71%) of the total bond release block. Further evaluation of this affected area finds Poa sp. (Kentucky bluegrass) has dried up and on first glance may be mistaken for Cheatgrass. Looking under the dried biomass, there are numerous desirable grass species under the dried grass canopy. There are sporadic woody plants, mainly Big sagebrush, in this area. Some of the perennial grass species noted during the walk through of the 1.3 acre area included: Festuca ovina, Thinopyrum intermedium, Elymus lanceolatus, and Pascopyrum smithii. Cheatgrass does not appear to be invading into neighboring areas from the affected area, instead it appears that Thinopyrum and Elymus species are invading into this area from the east. The Division considers this area to be small, and contains desirable perennial seeded species as well. There were musk thistle present in this and surrounding areas. Evidence of ATV tracks and chemical take up by some of the individual plants provided evidence that the operator had sprayed this area as part of their approved weed management plan. A weed spraying crew was actively spraying on the west side of the East Pit reclamation during the inspection.