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GCC Rio Grande, Inc.-Red Rock Mine <br />Drought Management Plan <br />germination, establishment and growth of vegetation on reclamation azeas. Brief <br />characterizations of these impacts by season are as follows: <br />• Winter-Cold and dry combined with warm and dry can result in root and above ground <br />desiccation resulting in winter-kill; <br />• Spring-Adequate moisture is received to initiate germination of cool-season plants, <br />followed by inadequate precipitation to support seedlings; <br />• Summer-Adequate moisture to initiate germination of warm-season plants followed by <br />inadequate precipitation to support seedlings or inadequate moisture to support cool- <br />season (spring germination) seedlings; and <br />• Fall-Inadequate soil moisture to allow the ground to freeze "wet". Dry freeze results in <br />plant winter-kill and seed desiccation. <br />Long-term drought may result in any or all of these adverse conditions depending upon its <br />timing duration and severity. The longer and more severe the drought, the greater the potential <br />impacts on revegetation efforts. While drought may retard germination and limit plant growth, <br />newly reclaimed areas at the Red Rock Mine aze expected to remain stable due to the use of <br />reclamation practices and methods designed to ensure their stability during vegetation <br />establishment periods. This inherent stability will allow time for vegetation germination, <br />establishment, and development, and monitoring and evaluation of the reclaimed plant <br />community. <br />Three types of observations will be systematically made to assess the adequacy of revegetation <br />efforts and evaluate the stability of permanently reclaimed lands. These observations include: <br />• Vegetation Monitoring-Both germination establishment and interim vegetation <br />monitoring (see Permit) will be conducted to identify substandazd seedling <br />germination and plant establishment/growth. <br />• Soil Moisture Content-Soil moisture in the 0" to 12" depth will be evaluated <br />prior to conducting seeding operations; and <br />Habitat Management, Inc. 2 03/0312003 <br />