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RULE 4 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS <br />At the Colowyo Mine, field trial treatments to be evaluated include five plot treatments as shown <br />on Figure 4.15-1. <br />18 inches of live -haul topsoil over spoil with strip seeding. The strip seeding would include <br />a strip of native shrubs and native low -competitive forbs that would alternate with a strip <br />of native grasses, forbs, and shrubs. The proposed seed mixtures for this treatment are <br />presented in data provided in the 2005 Annual Report. <br />2. 6 inches of live haul topsoil over spoil and seeding with native shrubs and low -competitive <br />native forbs. Include some surface manipulation to create depressions for enhanced soil <br />moisture conditions. The proposed seed mixture for this treatment is presented in Table 1. <br />3. 6 inches of live -haul topsoil over spoil with strip seeding. <br />4. Non-topsoiled spoil with strip seeding. <br />5. Non-topsoiled spoil seeded with relatively unpalatable native shrubs, low -competitive <br />native forbs, and low -competitive native grasses. <br />It must be noted that at the time of planting, conditions were nearly perfect for the emergence of <br />sagebrush (from seed) regardless of field trials being attempted. This circumstance was verified <br />by excellent sagebrush recruitment from all surfaces reclaimed during that year. Therefore, <br />observed results must be interpreted accordingly. <br />Colowyo Mine Specific Plot Construction and Monitoring <br />All plots were constructed in the fall of 2000. Annual monitoring occurred in July of 2001, 2002, <br />2003 and 2004. Plots were sampled for vegetative cover by species, bare ground, rock and litter. <br />A point -intercept method was used to estimate cover. Within each plot at Colowyo, five 100-m <br />transects were randomly located. Cover data was collected every one meter along each transect <br />(500 cover points per plot). [To avoid loss of data, Cedar Creek commenced monitoring of these <br />plots beginning in 2005 utilizing more stringent scientific methods.] <br />In addition to cover sampling along these transects, CSU estimated shrub establishment and shrub <br />height in each demonstration plot within small quadrats along each transect. At Colowyo, the <br />quadrats were 0.25 m2 and were located every 20 in along the transect for a total of 6.25 m2 per <br />plot. Within each of these quadrats all shrubs were identified to species and heights of individuals <br />were recorded. <br />Monitoring results were provided each year. A final project report was made available by June <br />15, 2005. The final report detailed the shrub establishment results by treatment method. Final <br />report results also provided a framework for reclamation plan improvements that are designed to <br />enhance native shrub establishment, vegetation community diversity and wildlife habitat, thereby <br />facilitating reclamation and bond release success. [As noted previously, interpretation of these <br />results must be tempered by the fact that the revegetation year of 2000 at Colowyo was an ideal <br />year climatologically for the establishment of sagebrush and other shrubs from seed, regardless of <br />Rule 4 Performance Standards 4-53 Revision Date: 11/27/18 <br />Revision No.: TR -129 <br />