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potential for hunTing success because of the more oF~er~ areas and increase in the <br />population of smell mammals. <br />The replacement of woody vegetation types with reclaimed areas dominated by herbaceous ~' <br />species will diversify regional habitat. The potential benefits of Che reclaimed area <br />forage resources to 6i9 game have been described above. 13ig game use in similar areas <br />increases during various times of the year. Hungerford (19r9) reported deer establish new I <br />home ranges in newly opened areas because of increases in herbaceous forages. A smell <br />resident elk herd may have established itself in the vicinity of the Seneca II nine. <br />Similar year round elk use is reported a[ the Colorado Yampa Coal Company (Johnson 1990). <br />The loss of cover formerly provided by the woody component will be offset by grading and <br />creating topographic diversity within the general postmine landscape. This has been . <br />successful in past reclamation at the Seneca ff Nine. The occurrence of big game in the <br />interior reclaimed areas a[ all times of the day is relatively common. The shrub planting <br />program will be oriented towards enhancement of islands where shrub cover will develop in <br />the larger open bL ocks. These plantings will encourage localized areas of regeneration <br />versus a stem for stem restoration of the woody plants or. every acre. The combination of . <br />grading to create topographic diversity and concentrated shrub plantings will aid in <br />mitigating the loss of shrub cover in the affected areas of the mine. <br />Sediment Ponds 002, 003, and PECOCO Reservoir (See Exhibit 12-9, Postmi ning Topography) <br />are to be retained as permanent impoundments and will be left intact at the end of <br />operations at Seneca II to provide livestock and wildlife watering sources. In addition, <br />a number of stock ponds have been or will be established throughout the reclaimed <br />landscape (see Appendix 13-9). Sediment Ponds 004 and 008 will also be considered for <br />permanent retention after reviewing appropriate regulatory criteria. These ponds have <br />significantly increased the water resources available to livestock and wildlife and <br />improved habitat diversity on the permit area compared to premine conditions. <br />Upon completion of mining in an area and within the first several years after revegetation <br />activities, revegetation monitoring studies will be conducted. These monitoring studies <br />will provide both the reclamation manager and postmine manager or landowner with an <br />excellent basis for livestock carrying capacities and ovarall management of the area both <br />during the bond liability period and after release of the lands. In addition, wildlife <br />13-8 Revised 01/15/93 <br />