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3.2.2 Total Herbaceous Production: Reclaimed Areas <br /> Mean total herbaceous production within the Elk Creek Mine reclaimed areas in 2020 was <br /> 198.81 g/m2 (1772 lb/ac). <br /> 3.2.3 Species Composition: Reclaimed Areas <br /> Cover sampling identified three lifeforms and thirty-four plant species within the reclaimed <br /> areas. The lifeforms included eight species of perennial grass, no annual graminoid species, <br /> fifteen perennial forbs, two biennial forbs, three annual forbs, and six perennial woody plant <br /> species. Of the species encountered within the reclaimed areas, twenty-five were native and <br /> nine were introduced. Identified perennial species outnumbered biennial and annual species <br /> by twenty-nine to five. All herbaceous species were cool season. All of the woody plants were <br /> deciduous. <br /> Species providing significant relative cover (>2%) included; Agropyron smithii (22.90%), <br /> Poa sandbergii(14.50%),Achillea lanulosa(6.30%),Bromus marginatus(6.09%),Astragalus <br /> cicer (5.04%) Epilobium brachycarpum (5.04%), Symphoricarpos rotundifolius (5.04%), <br /> Elymus cinereus (4.62%), Lactuca serriola (4.41%), Onobrychis viciafoliae (4.41%), <br /> Agropyron trachycaulum (3.15%),Phleum pretense(2.10%), and Quercus gambelli (2.10%). <br /> 3.3 COMPARISON OF RECLAIMED AREAS WITH PHASE III REVEGETATION <br /> SUCCESS CRITERIA <br /> Comparison of the reclaimed area values for total vegetation cover, total herbaceous <br /> production, and species composition with the applicable revegetation success criteria indicates <br /> whether revegetation has been successful and compliant with requirements for Phase III bond <br /> release. The tables below allow the comparison of the parameter values from the 2020 <br /> sampling at the reclaimed areas with the final revegetation criteria to be achieved. <br /> Reclamation Success: Total Vegetation Cover (2020) <br /> 2020 Extended 2020 Reclaimed Areas <br /> Reference Area <br /> Xbar 11.06%(1) 55.87% <br /> S 5.63% 7.98% <br /> Number of samples 15 15 <br /> Number of samples for sample adequacy 1 4 <br /> (1) Vegetation success criterion is the total herbaceous cover of the extended reference area <br /> Based on the results of the 2020 quantitative sampling, the reclaimed areas exceeded the final <br /> revegetation total live vegetation cover success criterion of 11.06 percent,thereby meeting the <br /> final revegetation success criterion and supporting the post-mining land use. <br /> Oxbow Mining,LLC Elk Creek Mine Page 8 <br /> 2020 Phase III Bond Release(Year 1):Vegetation Report <br />