Laserfiche WebLink
3.0 RESULTS <br />Tabular results of raw data for the aforementioned sampling efforts are presented at the rear of this <br />document on Tables 4 through 22. However, summaries of the success comparisons and ground cover <br />are provided below in Tables 1 through 3 and Charts 1 and 2. Perusal of Table 1 gives a quick indication <br />of the overall success of the various revegetation efforts when comparing with reference area data and / <br />or standards. With regard to plant cover, 12 of the 16 areas sampled in 2006 pass the success <br />comparison (90% of the reference area value) for "perennial only" ground cover. However, only three of <br />the 16 areas pass when all life forms are compared. This "failure" is due to low cheatgrass levels in the <br />revegetated areas as compared with the elevated levels found in the Greasewood and Shadscale <br />Reference Areas in 2006. With regard to diversity, four of the 16 revegetated areas analyzed pass all <br />four standards with 11 of the remaining 12 passing at (east two of the four standards. Most of the <br />failures are due to insufficient cover by perennial, warm season grasses (see Table 1) that take several <br />years to establish at elevated levels. The following sections provide a brief narrative of the sampling <br />results for each of the revegetated and reference units. <br />3.1 UTL-ConvevorArea <br />Ground cover of the UTL-Conveyor Area consisted of 64.9% five vegetation, 0.4% rock, 24.5% <br />litter, and bare soil exposure of 10.2%, Perennial cover across the unit averaged 33.6% with annual and <br />biennial cover averaging 31.3%. Dominant taxa were founruing saltbush (Abip/ez canescens), <br />cheatgrass (Anisantha tedorum), and crested wheatgrass (Agropyron aistatum) with 30.7%, 28.9%, <br />and 2.2% average cover, respectively. This unit passes the revegetation success criterion of 90% of the <br />Greasewood Reference Area value when both annual and perennial cover values are combined. It also <br />passes when only perennial cover is compared. <br />The UTL-Conveyor Area currently passes only two of the four diversity standards. There is sufficient <br />cover of perennial cool-season grasses to pass the required minimum values, and there are no planted <br />species with greater than 70% relative cover. However, the present relative cover of perennial warm- <br />season grasses (0%) and perennial fortis or sub-shrubs (0%) is insufficient to pass the required <br />minimum values (2.0% and 0.5%, respectively). <br />CEDAR CREEK ASSOCIATES, INC. Page 8 SNOWCAP COAL COMPANY <br />Revegetation Evaluation - 2006 <br />