2018-02-05_REVISION - C1992081 (29)

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Drill seeding will be the preferred method of planting. Broadcast or hydroseeding will be employed where steep slopes or small areas limit accessibility of the seed drill. Mulching will be achieved by use of a cover crop of winter wheat or barley. HGT has found that the use of straw mulch introduces undesirable weedy species into the reclaimed area and will thus not be required. 12.7 acres were reseeded at the facilities area in 2011. Revegetation success will be monitored qualitatively through visual observations. Quantitative sampling shall occur in the 3rd and 6th years after reclamation (2014 and 2017) for cover, species, production, and woody plant density. Reclamation success will be determined by comparison with associated reference areas. Cover in the reclaimed areas will be estimated by the point -intercept method and shall be deemed acceptable if it is greater or equal to 90% of the cover in the appropriate reference area with 90% statistical confidence. There are four approved reference areas; Dryland pasture, Improved pasture, Rangeland and Meadow. The locations of the reference areas are shown on Map 20-1 in the PAP. Vegetation production will be measured by harvesting 1/2 m2 to 1 m2 plots in both reclaimed and reference areas. If production in the reclaimed area is 90% or more of the production of the associated reference area at a 90% statistical confidence, it shall be deemed acceptable. Neither dryland pasture nor improved pasture designations will be required to meet a species diversity standard since post -operational land use will be for agricultural use. The rangeland areas will be differentiated by either upland rangeland or lowland rangeland. Upland rangeland will establish 5 perennial grasses with 50% or greater frequency each. Three of these grasses will contribute greater than I% relative cover. A minimum of two forbs will be established with an occurrence of 50% or greater. At least one shrub will be established with a frequency of 10% or greater. On lowland rangeland, six grasses shall be established each with 50% or greater frequency (with four of the grasses contributing more than one percent relative cover each). A minimum of one forb, with greater than 50% frequency, will be present in the lowland rangeland type. Species diversity in the reclaimed areas along the TAHR corridor will be concentrated on the herbaceous component. The shrub component will rapidly reestablish naturally from the surrounding undisturbed vegetation. In the low sagebrush vegetation type associated with the TAHR, baseline studies identified three grasses with relative cover greater than three percent. No forbs with relative cover values of three percent or more were found in the baseline study. Thus, a minimum of three grasses will be established and each will contribute relative cover values of three percent or greater. Each species will not exceed 40 percent relative cover and the total of the three species will not exceed 75 percent relative cover. In addition, two forbs and one shrub will be established, but no relative cover values are specified. In the meadow vegetation type of the TAHR, four grasses contributed relative cover greater than three percent in baseline studies. No forbs contributed relative cover values W.