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• Testing_for Successful Reclamation <br />The following discussion details the applicable success criteria, methods to be used in measurement <br />of parameters, comparisons to be made between reclaimed and undisturbed areas and statistical tests <br />to be performed <br />Use of Reference Areas <br />Baseline vegetation studies conducted in 1979 and 1980 identified two primary vegetation types: <br />upland sagebrush and mired brush/aspen. The aspen type was considered a subtype of the mixed <br />brush and contained similar understory vegetation. See Tab 10, Vegetation Baseline Report, for a <br />more detailed discussion and Exhibit 10-1 for vegetation mapping and reference area locations. <br />Reference azeas reflecting the above two vegetation types were established during baseline smdies. <br />The sagebrush reference area (iefeued to as upland sagebrush in earlier studies) covers appmximately <br />4.8 acres in the faz southern portion of the permit area. The mountain brush reference azea (zefen-ed <br />• to as mixed brush/aspen in earlier studies) is located on 4.7 acres in an area west of the pennit azea. <br />Aspen is represented in the mountain brush community. Both reference azeas have been protected <br />from mining-related disturbance and have been properly managed according to the postmining land <br />use. The reference areas will be used to determine weighted averages for comparison with the <br />tevegetated azeas as allowed for in 4.15.7(4)(6). Weighted average values will be developed for cover <br />and production as more fully described in the following sections. Weighting will be as follows. <br />Baseline studies determined that 83 percent of the premine undisturbed vegetation was mixed <br />bmsh/aspen, while 17 percent included upland sagebrush. Therefore, weighted values will be <br />determined by multiplying .83 times the appropriate mountain brush reference area parameter value <br />and adding that value to the product of .17 times the appropriate sagebrush reference area parameter <br />value. <br />over. For all reclaimed azeas, successful xevegetation for cover will be based on the canopy cover <br />of living herbaceous vegetation (4.15.8(3)(a)(i) and (b)). The herbaceous cover in reclaimed azeas is <br />higher than in premine azeas due to the applied current reclamation technologies and the eazly <br />successional status of the reclaimed communities. This results in revegetated areas dominated by <br />• herbaceous spedes regazdless of the number of shrubs present. However, in the interim, herbaceous <br />TRIO 13-15-1 <br />