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Vegetative Cover Factor C <br />The C factor takes into account surface characteristics that affect soil particle detachment. Data <br />collected from the understory of Mountain Shrub and Sagebrush baseline evaluations (pre -mining) <br />and Phase II evaluations (post -mining) were used to determine C Factors. The table below presents <br />the C Factors calculated using RUSLE 1.06c for each vegetation community and timeframe along with <br />the inputs used to derive those results. Surface pitting was accounted for in the surface roughness <br />index. <br />C Factor for West Elk Mine <br />Parameter <br />Pre -Mining <br />(Baseline) <br />Post -Mining <br />(Revegetation) <br />Canopy Cover % <br />40.50 <br />52.45 <br />Rock Cover % <br />0.00 <br />0.38 <br />Litter Cover % <br />8.91 <br />17.83 <br />Fall Height ft <br />0.5 <br />0.5 <br />Effective Root Mass lbs ac <br />1215 <br />1574 <br />Roughness Index <br />0.8 <br />1.1 <br />Land Use Index <br />6 <br />6 <br />C -Factor <br />0.0702 <br />0.0290 <br />Conservation Practice Factor P <br />The P factor quantifies conservation practices employed at Colowyo. A default value of 1.0 was <br />used for Pre -Mining conditions. Log contouring was used on reclamation but was not entered into <br />RUSLE 1.06c to account for reclamation practices; this yielded a P -factor of 1.0 for Post -Mining <br />conditions. <br />12 <br />