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<br />-, <br />III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE <br />Below are comments 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 />This was a partial inspection of the Hamilton Mine, conducted by Dan Mathews of the DMG Grand Junction Field <br />Office, 101 South 3rd, Suite 301, Grand Junction, CO 81501. Weather was clear and warm. The focus of the <br />inspection was on assessment of vegetation establishment. <br />Revegetation <br />There is a relatively diverse stand of seeded vegetation in the reclaimed area, with a modest cover of both warm <br />and cool season perennial grasses, shrubs, and sub-shrubs. The perennial forb, scarlet globemallow, is <br />relatively abundant over most of the area. Sand dropseed and blue grams appear to be the dominant warm <br />season grasses; Indian ricegrass, needle-and-thread, western wheatgrass, and bottlebrush squirrel-tail the <br />primary cool season grasses. Blue grams is probably the most abundant grass over most of the site. Four-wing <br />saltbush accounts for most of the full shrub component, but big sagebrush is present as scattered small patches <br />and individuals. The sub-shrubs broom snakeweed and winterfat are also present in the stand. Although the <br />stand is relatively diverse, perennial cover and productivity appear to be somewhat lower than adjacent native <br />areas, with numerous patches where perennials are quite sparse. In some locations, dead grass clump bases <br />were apparent, possibly from die-off associated with the series of drought years. Cover appears adequate to <br />control erosion, as there was no evidence of rills or gullies. <br />Annual weeds are still a signifcant component of the stand, though not as prevalent as last year, likely due to <br />lower fall through early spring precipitation. In particular, the tumble mustard, which was abundant last year, is <br />absent this year. Cheatgrass brome and low growing winter annual fortis including stork's bill are relatively <br />abundant in most areas. <br />There were scattered small patches and individual plants of the noxious perennial weed, Russian knapweed in <br />various locations. The knapweed patches will need to be sprayed this spring, in accordance with the <br />weed management plan as amended by Minor Revision No. 8 (MR-8) approved March 27, 2006. <br />The fence around the small topsoil stockpile along the south side access road was down along the <br />south side and at the northeast corner, and needs to be repaired. <br />Hydrologic Balance <br />Sediment Ponds A and B were both dry. Small patches of tamarix (salt cedar) were present at both pond sites <br />