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Page 2 White River Sand & Gravel expected on this site include western wheatgrass, prairie • Junegrass, Indian ricegrass, needleandthread, bluegrass species, various forbs and cheatgrass. The total expected ground cover of the present vegetation on this site is 20 to 30 percent. The annual forage production is estimated to be around 1,000 pounds air dry weight. 3) RECLAMATION RECOMMENDATIONS - When the gravel pit is to be closed, the following reclamation recommendations should be considered to potentially insure a more successful revegetation of the site: The site should be recontoured and smoothed to slopes no steeper than 3:1 and preferably flatter. The flatter the slopes, the better the opportunity of re-establishing vegetation. All areas which are compacted should be ripped. Topsoil which may have been stockpiled, should be spread evenly over the site, if possible to a minimum depth of 4 to 6 inches. The site should then be tilled and firmed to prepare a suitable seedbed. Seeding of the site should be done in the late fall (October 1st and later) prior to the soil becoming frozen. The seed should be drilled with a grass drill having double disk openers and packer wheels. Planting depth should be approximately 1/2 inch. If the seed will be broadcasted instead of drilled, then the recommended seeding rate below should be doubled. If broadcasted, after spreading the seed, the area should be harrowed or dragged to incorporate the seed into the soil. Mulching the site is recommended with clean weed free straw. However, unless the mulch is properly crimped into the soil with a disc or mulch crimper, it is a waste of time as the wind will likely remove the mulch within a very short time. The following grass species are recommended to be used to reseed the site. The following mixture in pounds of pure live seed should be used: Specie Variety Pounds PLS/Acre Western Wheatgrass Arriba 3.2 Indian Ricegrass Paloma 2.5 Streambank Wheatgrass Siberian 2.2 Russian Wildrye Vinal 2.0 Crested Wheatgrass Ephraim 2.0 Total Pounds PLSIAcre 11.9 Due to the relatively small size of the disturbed area, native grass, forb and shrub species will invade the site within a reasonably short time. Proper and adequate weed control measures will be necessary to insure the establishment of a sufficient stand of grass and prevent the invasion of weeds, especially noxious weeds. If weed competition is reduced the opportunity for grass establishment is increased significantly. Noxious weeds need to be controlled. Correctly labeled herbicides should be applied during the first • early spring after the seed is planted. The site should have all livestock excluded for a minimum of one full growing season after planting.