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was turned 900 in the appropriate direction so the transect could be completed. In this manner, <br />boundary transects were retained entirely within the target unit by "bouncing" off the boundaries. <br />Production quadrats were always oriented 900 to the right (clockwise) of the ground cover transect and <br />placed one meter from the starting point so as to prevent trampled vegetation within the sampling <br />quadrat. <br />2.2 Determination of Ground Cover <br />Ground cover at each sample point was determined utilizing the point -intercept methodology as <br />illustrated on Figure 1. As indicated on this figure, Cedar Creek utilizes state-of-the-art instrumentation it <br />has pioneered to facilitate much more rapid and accurate collection of data. A transect of 10 meters <br />length was extended in the direction of the next sampling location from the flagged center of each <br />systematically located sample point. At each one -meter interval along the transect, a "laser point bar" <br />was situated parallel to, and approximately 4.5 to 5.0 feet vertically above the ground surface. Hits were <br />determined at each meter interval by activating a battery of 10 low-energy specialized lasers** situated <br />along the bar at 10 centimeter intervals and recording the variable intercepted by each of the narrowly <br />focused (0.02'1 beams (Figure 1). A set of 10 readings were taken to record hits on vegetation (by <br />species), litter, (including standing dead), rock (>2mm), or bare soil. In this manner, a total of 100 <br />intercepts per transect were recorded, resulting in 1 percent cover per intercept. This methodology and <br />instrumentation facilitates the collection of the most unbiased, repeatable, and precise ground cover data <br />possible. <br />Ground cover transects were implemented at every sample point in the Phase II Bond Release Block <br />area, whereas ground cover transects were only implemented at even sample points in the reference <br />areas for 2017 evaluation effort. <br />** Lasers utilized for this instrument are state-of-the-art and of specialized design to emit a unique electro -magnetic <br />wavelength visible under full sunlight, a condition previously not possible with portable low-energy lasers. <br />Furthermore, these lasers have been "X" -"Y" adjusted to provide parallel beams exhibiting a 10 cm spread and can <br />be focused (collimated) to an extremely fine dot thereby facilitating substantially increased precision over other field <br />laser procedures. <br />7 <br />