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/. /.,c ~i..c c~ <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br />'' ^'r• Roy Romer, Governor <br />,., ,~~- <br />~'~~ - <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES r~\~~, <br />MINED LAND RECLAMATION DIVISION "° <br />FRED R. BANTA, Director r l;\l~ .;1 ~~~ <br />September 9, 1988 <br />Dlr. William Balaz <br />Kaiser Steel Corporation <br />102 South Tejon, Suite 800 <br />Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903 <br />RE: Chimney Rock Revegetation, File Ito. C-81-023 <br />Dear Idr Balaz: <br />As you are aware, D1att Hayes and I ran a number of vegetation cover and goody <br />plant density transects on various reclamation areas at the Chimney Rock 14ine <br />during our July inspection. Areas t~rere separated for sampling purposes based <br />on year of seeding and topographic position. Sampled areas included the west <br />slope of the East Pit backfill seeded Fall '84, the relatively flat "mesa top" <br />portion of the East Pit backfill seeded Fall '83 and '84, the west slope of <br />the East Pit backfill seeded Fall '81, and the gentle south facing slope at <br />• tite south end of the East Pit backfill seeded Fall '84. Summarized transect <br />data for those areas are enclosed. In addition, areas not quantitatively <br />sampled, including the east slope of the East Pit backfill, the Barren Ridge <br />reclamation and the Federal Lease reference area were closely inspected and <br />qualitatively evaluated. <br />The areas which were evaluated are discussed separately below. The data and <br />observations support several concerns expressed previously by the Division. <br />Tftese concerns include the extremely low number of woody plants throughout the <br />reclaimed area, the low number of perennial fortis in most areas, and the <br />questionable suitability of the established reference areas, particularly in <br />regard to standards of success for' dryland pasture and irrigated alluvial <br />valley floor pasture reclamation. <br />South Facing Slope at South End of East Fill <br />Fa 1 See ino <br />This site was characterized by a diverse stand of grasses and one perennial <br />forb, birdsfoot trefoil~(Lotus tennis). A few scattered four-wing saltbush <br />(Atriplex canescens) and winter at eratoides Janata) plants were observed, <br />bu- no o y~a~ we~~e encounter•e tn~ i meter x 50 meter belt <br />transects. The stand `appeared to be fairly well established, with few annual <br />weeds present and little indication of recent erosion. <br />Flat Top of East Pit Backfill <br />. ~1 and Fa 8- S <br />The site was freavi ly dominated by western wheatgrass (.Agropyro n smi titi i) , with <br />215 Centennial Building, 1313 Sherman Street Denver, Colorado 802032273 Tel. (303) 666-3567 <br />