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1 <br />' INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br />Duantitative sampling of reclaimed areas at the Nucla Nine in Montrose County, Colorado was <br />undertaken between July 1 end 3, 7997 by ESCO Associates to monitor the success of reclamation <br />activities and the progress of these areas in relation to revegetation performance standards. <br />Methods, sample areas, and sample size were those specified by Peabody Western. This report is <br />a summary document that includes methods of study, and a brief discussion of the sample data and <br />summaries. <br />' METHODS <br /> <br /> <br />1 <br />1 <br />1 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Reclamation Units and Semolina Locationg <br />Reclamation sampling units are shown on Nep 7, "1997 Revegetation Monitoring and Sampling <br />Location Map." The 7997 reclamation units addressed include )) areas of post-law land reclaimed <br />between 1978 and 1988 under SNCRA and Colorado's permanent regulatory program, and referred to <br />here as "Nature Reclamation," 2) a similar area in and immediately adjacent to the drainage <br />through the western portion of the reclaimed areas, referred to as "Riparian Reclamation," and 3) <br />an area reclaimed in 1990, referred to here as "1990 Seeded Area." In the Nature and Riparian <br />Reclamation areas, cover, shrub density, and biomass production sampling was undertaken, while <br />in the 1990 Seeded Aree only seedling density measurements were undertaken. <br />Vithin each reclamation unit identified in the Scope of Vork, the specified number of samples <br />were located randomly using numbered grid cells and random numbers taken from a random numbers <br />table. These locations were placed as closely as possible in the field. Final location of <br />production quadrats was accomplished by a blind throw; cover and density sample transacts were <br />located and oriented using a blind [h row of a meter stick. <br />Cover Semolina <br />Cover data were collected using a point intercept method in which data are tabulated ae <br />interceptions of a point (optically projected using a Cover-point Model 3 optical point bar) <br />with plant species, soil, litter, or rock. The sample, taken at a randomly selected location, <br />consisted of 100 projected points spaced in pairs 7 m apart side-to-side at 1 m intervals along <br />a randomly oriented 50 m transact. <br />The number of cover transacts that were placed in each reclaimed area or reference area was es <br />' follows: <br />1 <br />