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Conclusions <br />After examination of all the lands reclaimed, it is concluded that reclamation has been successful on all <br />lands included in this request. Other lands are showing good progress toward completion but have been excluded <br />from the request because they still show strong chazacteristics of not being ready for release (excessive weed <br />growth, low density, highly variable density, etc.) The only possible exception to this is the reclamation area <br />referred to as the Easterly Upland area. Statistically, this azea is marginal, but the impression given by complete <br />examination of the entire area is that it is ready for consideration for release. It certainly appears that this azea is <br />developing along the same lines as the other, older upland site. As both azeas have received the same treatment and <br />fundamentally exist in a very similaz physical environment, there is little reason to believe the final result will not be <br />similar. The existing growth, although less robust than the other site, is controlling erosion and shows clear signs of <br />full establishment. Only the cover is less. Plant density, although not measured, appears to be similar in both azeas. <br />The higher cover in the older area, because density appears to be similaz, is due to older and larger plants than those <br />present in this area. In time, cover will rise as the existing plants become larger and the stand moves towazd higher <br />closure. <br />The most outstanding part of the reclamation is cleazly in the bottomland areas. Here, a confined streambed <br />was enlarged by mining. Although the typical natural confined streambed shows strong vegetation growth <br />containing many of the same species as those found in the reclamation areas, the amount of wetland growth is much <br />reduced and streambank erosion is higher. In the broadened azeas where mining occurred the wetland vegetation has <br />a similaz density but a much larger area within the normal high water line. This would help reduce the intensity of <br />peak flows as well as store large amounts of water in the clays. That water would then be released over a longer <br />period of time which would help maintain the adjacent riparian forests and protect them from frequent large <br />fluctuations in the water table that can create stress in such forests. <br />It is also clear that the richest wetland development requires control of grazing in the ripazian lands. <br />Without such control species diversity declines, cover declines, and the flood attenuation value of the wetlands is <br />largely lost resulting in larger peak flows and greater damage and erosion along the stream channel. It appeazs that <br />if the riparian areas were better protected the amount of sand accumulation from erosion would be much reduced <br />and stronger hydrophytic vegetation development would occur in the stream channel which would have a beneficial <br />effect on overall water resource availability and quality, as well as reduced property loss by flash flooding. <br />Reclamation Status -Coal Creek Resources M-1988-044 August 2002 Page 8 of 10 <br />