1993-06-08_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981041

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grading occurred. This settling adds slight variety to the reclaimed contours and has not contributed to failure of the sediment control structures . VIII . Revegetation Vegetation information reviewed by the Division can be found in Section 2 .04. 10 of Volumes I and V, and revegetation information in Section 2.05.4 of Volumes I and V of the application, and Appendix SS. Due to the fact that the Roadside and Cameo Mines were existing prior to enactment of SMCRA and the Colorado Act, no baseline vegetation data was collected from areas already disturbed by surface operations and facilities . The permittee established reference areas and gathered the appropriate baseline vegetation information prior to initial issuance of the permit. The vegetation surrounding the disturbed area is a sparsely covered salt desert vegetation type , and along the Colorado River a riparian vegetation type exists . Common salt desert species include grasses such as galleta (Hilaria 'amesii ) , Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides) and squirreltail (Sitanian h strix) and shrubs such as winterfat (Ceratoides lanata) , shadscale saltbush (Atriplex confertifolia) and fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) . The riparian vegetation type is characterized by species including willows (Salix sip. ) , cottonwoods (Po ulus spp. ) , salt cedar (Tamarix parviflora) and bluegrass (Poa spp. ) . During 1982 , the permittee selected three community study areas which are believed to be representative of those communities present prior to disturbance by mining. These study areas encompassed a greasewood shrubland community, a shadscale shrubland community, and a mixed greasewood shadscale community. During the summer of 1982, the study areas were sampled for vegetative cover, herbaceous production, woody plant density, species diversity, and threatened and endangered species . After review of the community character, it was determined that these study areas would serve as reference areas for revegetation success criteria for cover and production for areas previously disturbed . The permittee has established revegetation success criteria to be achieved on reclaimed areas as per Rule 4. 15.8. Therefore , Stipulations No. 3 and No. 4 have been complied with. Revegetation success criteria are as follows : 1 . Shadscale, Greasewood, and Greasewood/Shadscale reference areas will be used as a basis of comparison . 2 . Cover; Herbaceous cover in a woody community. Ninety percent of reference area cover at 90 percent confidence will be reestablished in all three vegetation communities . -34-