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<br />This partial inspecton was conducted in conjunction ~nrkh vegetation sampling efforts which were <br />being conducted try Cireysbone Engineering in preparation for implication far final bond release of the <br />mine area. UVeather was clear and dry. Vegetation on the site had just Carey begun to dry out. <br />Much of the grass on the sibs did not set teed this year, apparenty due to a dry summer. <br />Representati~res of 4reyatone were cornducting crnrer and production sampling during the inspection. <br />Sampling transects were randomy bested within two bbdrs- one being the Phase I, II and III alas <br />reclaimed between 14379 and 1931 and, the second being Phase fV, which was reclaimed in 1967. <br />Corer vvas being estimated try making two obseraatbns tnrkh an ocular point frame every'8 feet abng <br />a 197 foot bng tranaect, resuking in 100 observ'atbns per tranae~. Production was being estimahed <br />by clPping grasses and forts in 1-square-meter quadrats which were bested at the end of each <br />corertransect. Woedystemcountsv~rerebeingtakenin25-square-meterquadratsadjacent to the <br />cover tranaects- one per transect. 1 observed data collection abng ivvo of the transects and <br />discussed sample adequacy contideratbna uvkh the operator. <br />The vegetation community on the mine ~ similartowhah has been present in recent years. The <br />grading which was done in 19g8 did not appear b base had any ajgnrficant impacts based on visual <br />observatbns. 4rass clumps which had been graced last year h.sve grown badrthis year. Icouki not <br />determine 'rf sgniricant litter breakdonru'n ar stimulation ~~ sod forming grasses had occurred. k did <br />appear that there was h_sa growth this year than had cceurred during previous wetter years. This <br />was particu43ry apparent from dearth of seed heads on grasses. <br />The dominantgrastes appeared to tk western and crested whea~rassea. Sandberg bluLgrasa, <br />red fescue, green needlegrasa and, smooth brome v~rere present but, lees common. The most <br />predominant }orbs appeared ~ be ftodry 6Aountain pensbemon, yarrow, blue flact, alfalfa and cicer <br />mikueb_h. Nearyalloftheahrubspresentan=_h~aagebrush. There isasmallamountr_-rFrubber <br />rabbkhruah present. <br />There s atign'rficantpresence of Canadian thistle on the site this year. During avoakaround the <br />site, I enx~untiered several (more than std patches c4 thistle uvhich Imroutd roughtyestimate to be 7r1 <br />150 square feet akhough, Idid not taMn_ any measurements. The plants in most of these areas vw_re <br />less than 8 inches tall and appeared b in their first year of grauuth. Oreyatone apparenty spayed <br />thistle in Juy but, numerous patches of young plants +nrere ekher missed or not effectiuey treAted. <br />The operator needs to folbw up their earlie r efforts with additional weed control work p rior to the first <br />frost this fall. The Canadian permk does not include a trtreed control plan akhough, a minor revision <br />no. Bwas approved in f9R6forthe use of Banvel. Thtte operatarahauld consider reassessing their <br />+,veed control plan and, incorporating an erplanatian Ruvhateverplans are being used into the <br />approved mine permk. <br />The recentguly repair work uphill from Pond 1 is in good shape atthis time. The ponds both held <br />water bebw discharge level. There was a small (3 foot dametefj wet area at the tree of the outpt <br />of the discharge cuhrert from the southern pond. <br />