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111, COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE <br />Below are eomments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made <br />during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection <br />and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action. <br />A couple minor drainage repairs had been made on CRDA-2 since the previous inspection as <br />requested. Specifically, the west end of the second terrace drain had been properly <br />regraded and a short gully in that area had been filled in, Also, a small drainage dip had <br />been installed at the lower end of the reclaimed temporary road, to direct any drainage from <br />the lower road into the perimeter collection ditch. <br />Fish and Wildlife <br />Tonya Hammond had requested BLM to re-locate the three wild horses that had been <br />spending much of their time on the recently reclaimed areas at the North Portal and refuse <br />piles. Tonya made her request shortly after my inspection of June 19, and BLM did remove <br />the horses shortly thereafter. <br />A collared lizard was observed sunning on one of the habitat rocks on the top of CRDA-1, <br />and two ground squirrels were glimpsed on the upper bench slope at the west end of <br />CRDA-1. The squirrels disappeared into a burrow beneath one of the rocks before they <br />could be identified as to species. These sightings are further indications that the reclaimed <br />area is already providing habitat useful for a variety of small animals. <br />Revegetation <br />The wheat crop that volunteered from grain in the straw mulch has matured. In some <br />locations, such as the top of CRDA-1 and former stockpile sites along Coal Creek, the <br />wheat crop was relatively dense, but in most of these areas there is a good understory of <br />perennial shrubs and grasses. Due to the hot, dry conditions, most perennial grasses have <br />gone seasonally dormant. <br />On CRDA-1, most of the slope areas that had previously been noted as having poor <br />perennial establishment look more promising now than they did earlier this spring. <br />Shadscale saltbush has a significant presence on most of the harsh sites where wheat and <br />perennial grasses were sparse or absent. There remain a couple of small areas, each <br />approximately 60 feet by 30 feet, that are relatively bare, near the west end of the north <br />facing slope of Bench 4. <br />There is a larger area of poor vegetation establishment at the North Portal reclaimed area. <br />As described previously, approximately ya of the site, in the northwestern portion of the <br />reclaimed area has exhibited very minimal germination or growth of seeded perennials or <br />volunteer annuals. This is in marked contrast to other portions of the site that support a <br />promising stand of seeded shrubs and grasses, along with volunteer annuals. The most <br />likely explanation would appear to be soil quality factors. <br />