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3.2 Sagebrush Reference Area <br />3.2.1 Sagebrush Reference Area - 2016 <br />A total of 29 plant species were observed within the Sagebrush Reference Area evaluated during 2016 <br />(Table 6). Ground cover within the unit (Table 2 and Chart 1) consisted of 59.0% live vegetation, 5.8% <br />rock, 31.4% litter, and bare ground exposure of 3.8%. Desirable perennial cover across the unit averaged <br />19.8%, and annual and biennial cover averaged 1.6% cover. Noxious weed cover averaged 37.6% and <br />consisted primarily of cheatgrass. The dominant taxa were cheatgrass, basin big sagebrush, and whitetop <br />(Cardaria draba) with 32.9%, 14.6%, and 4.5% average cover, respectively. Herbaceous production was <br />measured and averaged 539 pounds per acre across the Sagebrush Reference Area (Table 3 and Chart 3). <br />Desirable perennial production averaged 74 pounds per acre. <br />3.2.2 Sagebrush Reference Area- 2017 <br />A total of 22 plant species were observed within the Sagebrush Reference Area evaluated during 2017 <br />(Table 6). Ground cover within the unit (Table 2 and Chart 1) consisted of 39.5% live vegetation, 4.6% <br />rock, 53.1% litter, and bare ground exposure of 2.9%. Desirable perennial cover across the unit averaged <br />24.7% and annual and biennial cover averaged 0.6% cover. Noxious weed cover averaged 14.2% and <br />consisted primarily of cheatgrass. The dominant taxa were basin big sagebrush, cheatgrass, and <br />snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae) with 17.6%, 13.5%, and 3.1% average cover, respectively. Herbaceous <br />production was measured and averaged 382 pounds per acre across the Sagebrush Reference Area (Table <br />3 and Chart 3). Desirable perennial production averaged 234 pounds per acre. <br />CEDAR CREEK ASSOCIATES, Inc. 12 Munger Canyon Mine - 2016 & 2017 <br />Revegetation Phase III Bond Release Report <br />