Laserfiche WebLink
Cronland Seed Mixture <br />• 'The proposed cropland seed mixture presented in Table 54, Cropland Seed Mixture, was fornnilated using the <br />criteria in Rule 4.15.1 which allows the use of species that support the postmining land use. Seeding the perennial <br />cropland mixture described herein will reestablish [he applicable cropland sites designated on map 36, Posunining <br />Land Use. The introduced species proposed for the cropland mixture are documented as being of superior utility <br />for production and are widely recommended as dryland hay by numerous researchers including Steward (1973). <br />Seamonds and Roehrkasse (1974) and Marquiss et al. (1974). ~/ <br />7 ` / <br />Ran2elantl Sced Mixture ~yG~-~ ~,,-} !~ t } , <br />The rangeland postmining land use areas disturbed by surface activities will be revegetated with the seed mixture <br />presented in Table 55, Rangeland Seed Mixture. This mixture is designed to stabilize die site and establish a <br />diverse plant conununiq~ necessary to restore [he postmining land use of grazing and wildlife habitat Introduced <br />species are documented as being of superior utility for forage production for both domestic livestock and wildlife. <br />Research documenting the superioriq• of the introduced species proposed for inclusion in the seed mixtures, under <br />conditions similar to the proposed permit area in northwest Colorado, are summarized as follows: <br />McGinnies, (1960) working on rangeland two miles south of Hayden, Colorado, reported that IS species were <br />planted in a test plot in 1945 and evaluated until 1958. The most outstanding species on this plot was pubescent <br />wheatgrass followed by in[ennediate wheatgrass. These species produced the greatest amount of soil protection <br />and forage. Desert wheatgrass was [he next best species. Beardless wheatgrass was inferior in initial <br />establishment but appeared to improve with each successive season. Species performing fair to poor included <br />• green needlegrass, big bluegrass, and western wheatgrass. Species considered failures were tall wheatgrass, still <br />leaf wheatgrass, blue wildrye, and short-maned barley. <br />Working on disturbed soils at Axial basin, Droves and Berg ~ 197R) evaluated the quantity of cover produced by 24 <br />grass and I< forb species. Results from the grass species trials revealed [hat intermediate wheatgrass ranked <br />second, pubescent wheatgrass ranked fourth, smooth brome ranked fifth, and desert wheatgrass ranked fourteenth. <br />Of the fortis, alfalfa produced the highest plan[ cover. Cicer milkvetch also produced an abundance of cover. <br />These hvo fortis are included in the proposed seed mixture because native legumes cannot be expected [o provide <br />adequate erosion control and forage production. <br />After four growing season, Sims (1977) reported the results of 25 grass attd 19 forb species seeded on test plots in <br />the Piceance Basin. The most productive grass was pubescent wheatgrass, meadow brome ranked third, <br />intermediate wheatgrass ranked fourth, desert wheatgrass ranked seventh, smooth brome was ranked ninth and <br />timothy ranked 21st. Among the legumes, alfalfa ranked second, while Cicer milkvetch ranked fifth. Merkel et al., <br />(1974) reported that often species planted a[ Meeker, the best performing species were intermediate and pubescent <br />wheatgrasses. <br />Upon evaluating the establishment of various plants seeded on unleveled spoils at the Seneca Mine, Berg (1975) <br />found [hat of the species planted, orchardgrass produced [he highest frequency, based upon the amount of seed <br />planted. Following orchardgrass, in descending order, were desert wheatgrass, smooth brome, and alfalfa. <br />Additional field trials by the SCS and CYCC on Energy Mine No. I found [he species most suitable for erosion <br />control on reclaimed lands were meadow brome, smooth brome and intermediate wheatgrass. Cicer milkvetch <br />. also performed satisfactorily. <br />As concluded in the above cited reports, introduced species are capable of rapidly stabilizine disturbed areas. The <br />ability of exotic species to effectively control erosion is attributable to the early, rapid growth they exhibit and <br />MR 97-154 2.0~-III Revised 9/9/97 <br />