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The permit indicated that revegetation success standazds are based upon weighted averages between <br />grassland and pinyon juniper reference areas. Neither of these reference azeas can be located. Baseline <br />data was collected in 1981. Pre-mining herbaceous vegetative cover on the grassland azea was 36.64% <br />and 8.29% herbaceous cover on the pinyon juniper. Pre-mining grassland productivity was 43.2 g/mz <br />and 0.66 g/mz on the pinyon juniper area. <br />The permit stated that the Shannon-Weiner Index would be used to determine species diversity <br />standards. Throughout the years the Division has found the Shannon-Weiner Index cumbersome to <br />apply to reclaimed communities. The Division prefers to establish diversity standazds based upon life- <br />forms and seasonality. Based upon the location of the mine-site and the post-mining land use of <br />rangeland, the Division believes an applicable diversity standard for the New Pryor Mine site to be: At <br />least three perennial grass species, each contributing at least 3%, but not greater than 60% relative cover. <br />At least one of these species will be a warm season grass and at least one shall be a cool season grass. <br />The same map of the permit area that was used in 2002 for sampling design was used for the 2003 <br />sample design. A Cartesian grid was overlaid upon the reclaimed areas and sample sites were <br />established using randomization computer program. Computer generated random numbers were used to <br />establish a pool of (x,y) coordinates. Fifreen random locations were initially plotted on the map within <br />the reclaimed area. Sample locations were evaluated to ensure representative sampling over the entire <br />reclamation area. Sample sites were located in the field by pacing from known landmarks. Figure 1 <br />illustrates the location of the transect sample start points. An additiona120 quadrat locations were <br />randomly chosen and sampled to achieve productivity sample adequacy. <br />Vegetative Cover and Species composition <br />Vegetation cover was estimated by the use of the point-intercept method. A ten-point laser point frame <br />was used. Ten laser points were spaced every ] 0 cm along a 1 meter baz, which was mounted on a <br />tripod. The lasers project down to the ground surface. The point at which the laser was intercepted was <br />recorded as live vegetative material (identified to genus and species), litter, rock, or bare ground. Shrubs <br />were not counted as a component of the herbaceous cover data. Transect length was 50 ft. long. <br />Transect orientation was determined randomly by randomly generated numbers between 1 and 360 <br />degrees. Transects were not permitted to overlap or extend within 10 feet of revegetated area <br />boundazies, to minimize impacts from "edge effect". Ten point-intercept observations of the lasers were <br />measured every ten (10) feet along the transect. <br />For statistical purposes, each cover transect served as a sample unit. The data were summarized by <br />computing mean cover, relative cover (percent of total vegetation cover attributed to each species), and <br />species composition. Species composition information was computed from vegetation cover data using <br />a ratio of individual species cover to total live vegetation. <br />Production <br />Live herbaceous production was collected using a harvest method. All of the current years growth <br />included within half of a square meter quadrat (dimension equaled 0.5 M by 1.0 M) was clipped at both <br />ends of the cover transect. Data was calculated using the combined values of both quadrats per transect <br />to represent one data point. Full shrubs, succulents, noxious weeds, and cushion plants were not <br />clipped. Production clippings were placed in paper bags, then weighed wet (fresh) in the field to assure <br />sample adequacy. Paper bag weight was subtracted from the biomass calculations. Life forms were <br />