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/wru 1991 ~3'Pr'v 7L1C • Fu5 ttierk AVF Monitoring Prtigram • 1 <br />• In addition, rurveys will be performed on a more frequen[ basis if significant changes in <br />groundwater levels are observed in monitoring wells. <br />3.0 VEGETATION MONITORING PROGRAM <br />The monitoring plan for the vegetation studies portion of the project consists of obtaining data <br />on plant cover and biomass production from within the areas that may be affected by the <br />project and also from undisturbed downstream areas. The purpose of this study is to identify <br />and evaluate any detectable changes in vegetation within the study uea that may occur az a <br />rerult of the proposed anion. <br />3.1 COVER DATA COLLECTION <br />Cover data will be collected using a point intercept method. Fifty-meter randomly looted cover <br />transects will be established and sampled within the anticipated impact uea Data from this area <br />will be compared with comparable data from the undisturbed downstream area which will also <br />be sampled in a similar manner. Data will be collected using a high resolution optical sighting <br />device or ten-point frame. Each observation will be tallied on the bazis of vegetation (by <br />species), plant -itter, rock, mos; lichen or bare soil. A total of 100 observa[ions will be made <br />along each transett. This approach provides data for 100 points per line. <br />The data will be rummariud by computing mean cover, relative cover, frequency and relative <br />frequency for each sampling area To[al vegetative cover will be used in a two-tailed 't' test to <br />• evaluate whether there are any significant differences among the sampled areas. <br />The sampling design calls for obtaining data from a rufficien[ number of transett; additional <br />samples will be taken, if necessary, to ob[ain a level of sample adequacy that will be able to <br />detect a [en percent difference in means with 90 percent confidence. Sample adequacy will be <br />evaluated using the following equation: <br /> <br />Where: <br />n,,;, -minimum number of adequate samples <br />t - t-value (1.645) <br />s -sample standard deviation <br />a -sample mean <br />3.2 PRODUCTION STUDIES <br />Production da[a will be collected using a harvest method. Randomly located 0.25 or 0.5 square <br />meter quadra[s will be sampled in the potentially affected areas and also in the downstream <br />comparison area The total number of samples will be determined using the sample adequacy <br />equation presented above. Sample plot locations will be protected from grazing by fendng, <br />management of grating schedule; or by use of small eaclorures (range cages). In this way [he <br />. production da[a will not be influenced by grazing. <br />Data will be collected by clipping all the current growth from each 0.25 or 0.50 square meter <br />quadrat. Clipped samples will be separated on the bazis of life form; with life forms designated <br />ACZ Inc. • P.O. Box 7740(8 • Strvmlmt Sping; Colorado 8087 • (303J8796160 <br />