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3.2 QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION: RECLAIMED AREAS <br />The Phase II eligible reclaimed areas within this report have been reclaimed for a minimum of <br />three years. Specific vegetation information for the reclaimed areas is contained in Tables 1 <br />and 3. <br />3.2.1 Total Vegetation Cover: Reclaimed Areas <br />Fifteen quantitative cover samples were collected in the reclaimed areas eligible for Phase 11 <br />bond release. Total mean vegetation cover of the reclaimed areas was 55.07 percent. <br />Graminoids provided 36.93 percent mean vegetation cover and 67.78 percent relative <br />vegetation cover, forbs accounted for 18.13 percent mean vegetation cover (32.22% relative <br />cover). No woody species were represented in the reclaimed areas cover sampling this year. <br />The most frequently encountered species was Bromus marginatus (mountain brome), present <br />in 93 percent of the 15 transects sampled for vegetation cover. Agropyron smithii (western <br />wheatgrass) was encountered in 87 percent of all transects. Lactuca serriola (prickly lettuce) <br />was present in 73 percent of transects. All other species were encountered in fewer than fifty <br />percent of the vegetation cover transects. <br />Within the reclaimed areas the perennial native grass Bromus marginatus was dominant, <br />contributing 23.07 percent total vegetation cover and 42.00 percent relative cover. Agropyron <br />smithii contributed the second highest vegetation cover, with 7.60 percent total mean cover <br />(14.14% relative cover). Lactuca serriola contributed the third highest cover, with 6.93 <br />percent total mean cover and 10.81 percent relative cover. Remaining species contributing <br />significant vegetation cover (> 2% relative cover) were; Astragalus titer (titer milkvetch) <br />providing 2.00 percent mean vegetation cover (4.99% relative cover), Achillea lanulosa <br />(yarrow) contributing 1.60 percent mean vegetation cover and 4.16 percent relative vegetation <br />cover, Lappula redowskii (western sticktight) with 1.73 percent total mean vegetation cover <br />and 2.70 percent relative vegetation cover, Agropyron spicatum (bluebunch wheatgrass) <br />contributing 1.33 percent total mean cover (2.70% relative cover), and Agropyron <br />trachycaulum (slender wheatgrass) contributing 1.07 percent total mean cover and 2.08 percent <br />total mean relative cover. <br />Vegetative litter (prior years growth, dead wood, and other biologic organic material) <br />comprised 28.13 percent ground cover overall within the reclaimed areas. Bare soil comprised <br />13.07 percent of the ground cover. Rock accounted for 3.73 percent of the ground cover <br />sampled. <br />3.2.2 Species Composition: Reclaimed Areas <br />Cover sampling identified two lifeforms and twenty-nine plant species within the reclaimed <br />areas (Table 1). The lifeforms included ten species of perennial grass, two annual graminoid <br />species, eleven perennial forbs, three biennial forbs, and three annual forbs. Of the species <br />encountered within the reclaimed areas, fifteen were native and fourteen were introduced. <br />Perennial species outnumbered biennial and annual species by twenty-one to eight. All <br />herbaceous species were cool season. <br />Oxbow Mining, LLC Elk Creek Mine Page 7 <br />2020 Phase 11 Bond Release Vegetation Report <br />