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Keenesburg Mine 2018 Vegetation Monitoring Report <br />The three dominant species observed on all 15 transects were prairie sandreed, sand dropseed, <br />and sand bluestem which contributed a combined 79.5% of the overall relative cover. Cheatgrass <br />contributed only 4.7% of the total relative cover which was a substantial decrease from the <br />59.9% relative cover observed in 2016. With cheatgrass removed six species contributed more <br />than 3% of the relative cover including (in decreasing order): prairie sandreed, sand dropseed, <br />sand bluestem, blue grama, sixweeks fescue, and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). <br />Total non -noxious herbaceous production within Reclamation Area 31 averaged 103.8 g/m2 in <br />2018 (Table 20, Appendix A) which was a decrease from the 140.2 g/m2 production observed in <br />2016. Annual species accounted for less than I% of this production, thus the total values were <br />used for hypothesis testing. <br />Twelve species from five life forms contributed to the cover data and nine more species were <br />encountered along the transects (Table 21). Fourteen grasses, four forbs, and three woody species <br />were recorded, 16 of which were native or desirable and two were introduced. There were 15 <br />perennial species and six annual species. Both warm and cool season grass species contributed to <br />the cover including eight warm season perennial species, one cool season perennial species, and <br />two cool season annual species <br />The allowable vegetation cover passed the technical standard when subjected to hypothesis <br />testing, but the allowable herbaceous production did not (Table 22). Five warm season perennial <br />grass species and no cool season perennial species contributed greater than 3% and less than <br />40% of the non -noxious relative cover. Thus, the Phase III bond release success criteria were not <br />met. Area 31 is however eligible for Phase II bond release because it passed the vegetation cover <br />standard and there were at least three warm season and one cool season perennial grass species <br />present on the reclamation area. <br />Table 21: Reclamation Area 31 Species Composition <br />Habitat Management, Inc. 24 October 2018 <br />Cover <br />Life Form <br />Data <br />Present <br />Graminoids <br />Perennial <br />9 <br />11 <br />Annual <br />2 <br />3 <br />Native <br />10 <br />13 <br />Introduced <br />1 <br />1 <br />Cool Season <br />3 <br />5 <br />Warm Season <br />8 <br />9 <br />Total <br />11 <br />14 <br />Forbs <br />Perennial <br />0 <br />1 <br />Annual <br />1 <br />3 <br />Native <br />1 <br />3 <br />Introduced <br />0 <br />1 <br />Total <br />1 <br />4 <br />Woody Plants <br />0 <br />3 <br />Total Species 1 <br />12 <br />21 <br />Habitat Management, Inc. 24 October 2018 <br />