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. -, r possible. Mr. Gupka said he would make arrangements with a local herbicide convector to have the infestations sprayed within the next week or so. The airport reference area was the next site visited. The reference area is a 250 foot wide by 1000 foot long rectangular area, along the western boundary of the Cenced airport property, with the (enceline forming the northern and western boundary of the reference azea Jelf Hahn had originally planned for the reference area to extend 2000 feet south from the north boundary, but agreed to the reduced IengOt at my request. The airport property is rangeland which at some point in lire past was chained to eliminate sagebrush, and reseeded with invoduced cool season grasses. The southern end of the area originally selected to serve as the reference area, appeared to have been largely unsuccessful, vvitlt respect to gross establishment, and u•as dominated by low vigor snakeweed (Xanrhocephalum sarorhrae). The northern portion of the site appeared to be more representative of the entire airport property, and only this nortltem portion of the site is included within the finalized reference area boundary. Vegetation within the reference area as amended, is dominated by the cool season bunclrgnasses, crested whealgrass and Russian wildrye, with scattered founving saltbush and snakeweed. Grass cover appears to be somewhat lower toward the southern end of the area, with higher concentrations of snakeweed and the perennial forb, scarlet globennallow (Sphneralcea coccinea). There are some active prairie dog burrows within the reference area, with grasses closely cropped in the imnnediate vicinity of the burrows. Cottontail rabbits were also observed in the reference area, and deer sign was present. There vvas no evidence of livestock grazing within the fenced airport property. Due to the narrow rectangular shape of the reference area, Jeff Hahn had employed a systematic design with random transect orientation, for the reference area sampling. Transect stariing points were located at fixed intervals, every 50 feet lengthwise along the midline of the reference area, extending from north to south along the entire length of the reference area. From each systematic start point, 100 foot vansects were nut in randomized directions, following the sampling procedure as described previously for the reclaimed area blocks. Two transects had been run the day prior to my visit, and two additional vansects were run while I was on-site. The procedure should }•ield data acceptable for bond release success demonsvation. The agreed upon reference area boundaries will need to be staked or otltenvise clearly delineated in the field and clearly described in permit text and/or exhibits. Prior to leaving the area, I observed the former BLM reference area location just west of the airport reference area. The site had been grazed by cattle earlier this year. Vegetative re-growth of grasses was apparent, with relatively uniform re-growth heigln of approximately 4 inches. There were essentially no seedheads present. Re-growth of grasses within the airport reference area and on the reclaimed area, b}• contrast, appeared somewhat more vigorous, and rertmattl seedheads were present on a significant percentage of the grass plants. Ross Gupka indicated that it is WFA's intent to demonstrate that cattle gtaz~ng did not occur within the BLM reference area during the 1999 growing season, or that any such grazing which did occur was insignificant. Any available documentation Crom BLM or the grazing lessee regarding livestock use of the area during 1999 should be provided. Also, !e(T Halm indicated that photographs were taken of the reference area and reclaimed areas during the September 1999 sampling. The photographs may be useful with regard to the apparent etfeas of grazing drat may have occurred earlier in the growing season.