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<br />Results <br />As expected on steep slopes with a poor plant growth medium, <br />the success at establishing vegetation was limited and overall per- <br />cent cover is only 10%. Scattered individuals of Indian ricegrass, <br />basin wildrye, and green needlegrass exist on these slopes. 81ue <br />flax did particularly well on the slope with the trees and shrubs on <br />it. Photograph 17 shows a few flax plants in October of 1980 and <br />Photograph 18 shows the same area in June of 1981. Flax produces <br />abundant seed that germinates and establishes readily on gravelly <br />substrate such as exists on this slope. The irrigated basins where <br />tree and shrubs were planted are serving as microsites for penste- <br />mon, yarrow, basin wildrye, Sherman big bluegrass, and western wheat- <br />grass. These islands of vegetation should provide the seed that <br />will eventually colonize this slope. <br />A high percentage (approximately 50-60 percent) of the rose <br />tubelings that were planted on these slopes have survived and in <br />time should provide cover for these slopes. Of the larger trees and <br />shrubs that were planted, there are ten surviving junipers and five <br />surviving pinyon, Survival of the gallon-size stock is estimated at <br />80 percent. The installation of plumbing in the spring of 1981, <br />which will permit the drip system to be run on a time clock, should <br />insure survival of the tree and shrub stock. <br />Volunteer species such as bee plant, golden corydalis, Russian <br />thistle, and a few leafy spurge plants are also present on these <br />slopes. The golden corydalis and bee plant are becoming increas- <br />ingly abundant as individuals are producing more seed. <br />On the slopes under the tipple, numerous grass seedlings were <br />evident when the reseeding and mulching were done in June 1981. It <br />is hoped that the mulch will benefit these seedlings and not hinder <br />their growth and that mortality resulting from slope disturbance <br />while working m it is not high. <br />Mulch Study <br />Physical Characteristics <br />In the summer of 1980 deceleration lanes were built on highway <br />789 and much of the slope below the parking lot was recut. The <br />resulting slope was a steep (approximately 2 to 1) east exposure <br />that was composed primarily of fill material. Various mulch <br />materials were left from a study at Northern #1 mine and they were <br />put on this slope for study purposes (Photograph 191. <br />