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I. Introduction <br />The Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (CDMG) collected vegetation data from the <br />reclaimed lands of the Rimrock Mine in July of 2004, in support of an application for release of <br />liability associated with CDMG permit C-1989-074. The Rimrock Mine is located in Las <br />Animas County. Rimrock Mine was a surtace coal mine that commenced operations in <br />November, 1991, and initiated reclamation in 1992. The permit area encompasses 38.7 acres. <br />Only 19.6 acres were disturbed by the mining operation and were included in the vegetation <br />sampling protocol. Vegetation sampling was conducted in accordance with Colorado Mined <br />Land Reclamation Board Surface Coal Mining Rules 2.04.10 and 4.15, accepted bond release <br />guidelines, and current botanical and ecological methods. <br />II. Methods <br />Timing <br />Field sampling was conducted on July 6 and 7, 2004 by CDMG personnel. Timing of the <br />sampling was scheduled to coincide with active biomass production and vegetation <br />identification of both warm season and cool season species. In 2002, Colorado experienced a <br />serious drought. The 2003 growing season saw a moderate recovery in precipitation levels for <br />the first 6 months of the year. Snowfall over the winter of 2003-2004 was moderate and spring <br />moisture in 2004 was good. Dry conditions prevailed for about three weeks prior to this <br />seasons sampling. Qualitative estimates indicated vegetation on the reclaimed mine site had <br />responded favorably to increased precipitation levels. Domestic grazing was not conducted on <br />the reclaimed area in the spring of 2004 prior to the sampling. This year (2004) is the 11t" year <br />following reseeding. <br />Sampling Design <br />Prior to data collection on the reclaimed mine site, the permit document, permit revisions, prior <br />sampling data, and applicable maps were reviewed to evaluate topography, sampling parcels, <br />revegetation methods and timing, and applicable revegetation standards. Vegetative data <br />planned for collection included live vegetative cover and herbaceous production data. <br />Veoetative Cover <br />Vegetation cover was estimated by the use of the point-intercept method. A ten-point laser <br />point frame was used. Ten laser points are spaced every 10 cm along a 1 meter bar, which is <br />mounted on a tripod. The lasers project vertically down to the ground surface. The point at <br />which the laser was first intercepted was recorded as one of the following: live vegetative <br />