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COVER <br />• Vegetative cover will be sampled using 100-foot long point-intercept transects. The proposed <br />irrigated pasture and dryland reference areas will be sampled separately. In the field, <br />transects will be randomly located and oriented in each reclaimed and reference area using <br />a random numbers table. Transect locations or orientations that result in overlap of previous <br />transects or the sampling area boundary will be discarded and new locations or orientations <br />selected. ' <br />Initially, five transects will be run in each area. Data from these transects will he used to <br />determine sample size adequacy with the Snedecor-Cochran sample size adequacy formula <br />presented in CMLRD's Guidelines for Compliance with Land Use and Vegetation <br />Requirements (CMLRD 1988). If additional transects are needed, they will be measured <br />until sample size adequacy is reached. <br />Ground cover will be estimated along each transect at 1-foot intervals. Cover will be <br />classified as vegetation, litter, or rock. Lack of cover will be classified as bare soil. <br />Vegetation will also be categorized by species. <br />Each transect will consist of 100 point samples. Each point sample will be determined by <br />projecting an ocular siting device vertically downward to the sample location on the transect. <br />The first intercept (vegetation, soil, rock, or litter) will be recorded. These "hits" will be used <br />• to estimate total vegetative cover for each transect according to the following formula: <br />Percent Total Vegetation Cover = (No. of hits on vegetation} ~1~) <br />ll 100 J <br />Mean absolute vegetative cover for eaclt area will be the mean of the area's transects. <br />PRODUCTION <br />Herbaceous production will also be sampled on both reclaimed and reference areas. One- <br />ha]f meter plots will be randomly located in each area using a random numbers table. <br />Vegetation in each plot will be clipped, bagged according to life form, and weighed. These <br />weights will be used to determine sample size adequacy with the Snedecor-Cochran sample <br />size adequacy formula. Adequacy will be recalculated after each five plots until sample <br />adequacy is achieved. <br />Following completion of the field work, all production samples will be air-dried for six weeks. <br />The samples will then be reweighed. The results of the reweighing will be used to estimate <br />mean herbaceous production for each proposed reference area. <br />• 3 <br />