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r~ <br />~~ <br />The replacement of woody vegetation types with reclaimed areas dominated by herbaceous species <br />will diversify regional habitat. The potential benefits of the reclaimed area forage resources to big <br />game have been described above. Big game use in similar areas increases during various times of the <br />year. Hungerford 11979) reported deer establish new home ranges in newly opened areas because of <br />increases in herbaceous forages. A small resident elk herd may have established itself in the vicinity <br />of the Seneca II Mine. Similar year round elk use is reported at the Colorado Yampa Coal Company <br />(Johnson 19901. <br />The loss of cover formerly provided by the woody component will be offset by grading and creating <br />topographic diversity within the general postmine landscape. This has been successful in past <br />reclamation at the Seneca II Mine. The occurrence of big game in the interior reclaimed areas at all <br />times of the day is relatively common. The shrub planting program will be oriented towards <br />enhancement of islands where shrub cover will develop in the larger open blocks. These plantings will <br />encourage localized areas of regeneration versus a stem for stem restoration of the woody plants on <br />every acre. The combination of grading to create topographic diversity and concentrated shrub <br />plantings will aid in mitigating the loss of shrub cover in the affected areas of the mine. <br />Sediment Ponds 002, 003, and PECOCO Reservoir (see Exhibit 12-9, Postmining Contour Map) have . <br />been approved as permanent impoundments (Pond 002 was approved and referenced as a permanent <br />impoundment in CDMG's Proposed Decision and Findings document for first permit renewal dated <br />December 31, 1986; PECECO was approved and referenced as a permanent impoundment in CDMG's <br />Proposed Decision and Findings document for second permit renewal dated November 10, 1992; and <br />Pond 003 was approved and referenced as a permanent impoundment in CDMG's Proposed Decision <br />and Findings document for third permit renewal dated June 6, 1997. Appendix 7.8a presents the <br />permanent pond demonstration for Pond 002, the as-built is shown on Exhibit 7-8. Appendix 7-8b <br />presents the permanent pond demonstration for Pond 003, the as-built is shown on Exhibit 7-11. <br />Appendix 7-8g presents the permanent pond demonstration for PECECO, the as-built is shown on <br />Exhibit 7-181. These impoundments will be left intact at the end of operations at Seneca II to provide <br />livestock and wildlife watering sources. In addition, a number of stock ponds have been approved as <br />permanent features (see Appendix 13-9A1• <br />Upon completion of mining in an area and within the first several years after revegetation activities, <br />revegetation monitoring studies will be conducted. These monitoring studies will provide both the <br />reclamation manager and postmine manager or landowner with an excellent basis for livestock carrying <br />capacities and overall management of the area both during the bond liability period and after release <br />of the lands. In addition, wildlife <br />TR-36 13-8 Revised 12/04 <br />