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3.1.2 1998 RESEEDED OR INTERSEEDED AREAS <br />The 1998 reseeded or interseeded azeas sampled this yeaz encompass 16 acres of reclamation <br />in four distinct azeas within the Keenesburg Mine permit area. The areas include Area 2, an <br />area immediately west of the dugout, Areas 7 and 10, two azeas south and east of the central <br />reclaimed mining azea, and Area 15, located west of A pit and bordered on the west arid south <br />by undisturbed range. Vegetation cover transects and herbaceous production quadrats were <br />distributed within the four areas based on size. The 1998 reseeded or interseeded areas range <br />from flat (Areas 2; 7) to north and south facing (Areas 15 and 10, respectively). Reseeding or <br />interseeding with the permanent seed mix took place during the autumn of 1998 within these <br />areas with the goal of increasing perennial graminoid representation. Area 10 was burned in <br />the spring of 2003 to control a stand of Bromus tectorum. Specific sampling information for <br />the 1998 reseeded or interseeded azeas is contained in Tables 4 and 5. <br />3.1.2.1 Vegetation Cover <br />Total vegetation cover of the 1998 reseeded or interseeded areas was 57.60 percent. <br />Graminoids provided 51.20 percent mean cover (86.73% relative cover), fortis accounted for <br />5.60 percent mean cover (11.48% relative cover), and shrubs provided 0.80 percent mean <br />cover and 1.79% relative cover. The lowest total vegetation cover of the pazcels sampled was <br />found in Area 10 (48%) as was the highest cover (66%). Bromus tectorum was encountered <br />in all the reseeded or interseeded azea pazcels, and Calamovilfa longifolia (prairie sandreed) <br />in 90 percent of all transects. These two species were the most widely encountered within the <br />1998 pazcels. <br />• Within the 1998 reseeded or interseeded areas, the cool season introduced annual grass <br />Bromus tectorum accounted for the highest overall cover with 34.80 percent mean cover and <br />55.61 percent relative cover. The warm season native perennial grass Calamovilfa longifolia <br />contributed the second highest cover values with 10.20 percent mean cover and 18.37 percent <br />relative cover. Four additional species contributed significantly to cover; Amaranthus <br />retroflexus (redroot pigweed) with 2.40 percent mean cover (5.61% relative cover), <br />Bouteloua gracilis contributed 1.80 percent mean and 4.59 percent relative cover, <br />Andropogon hallii (sand bluestem) provided 1.80 percent mean total cover and 3.57 percent <br />relative cover, and Kochia scoparia (kochia) with 1.80 percent mean total cover (3.57 percent <br />relative cover). <br />Vegetative litter (prior years growth, dead wood, and other biologic organic material) <br />comprised 33.20 percent ground cover overall within the 1998 reseeded or interseeded azeas. <br />Bare soil comprised 9.20 percent of the ground cover. No rock or cryptogams were <br />encountered during the cover sampling in the 1998 reseeded or interseeded azeas. <br />3.1.2.2 Herbaceous Production <br />Total herbaceous production within the 1998 reseeded or interseeded areas was 94.11 g/m2 <br />(839 Ib/ac). Perennial grasses were the lazgest contributor to herbaceous production in this <br />• azea with 44.37 g/m2 (396 Ib/ac) or 47.1 percent of total herbaceous production. Annual <br />grasses contributed 34.59 g/mz (308 Ib/ac) to herbaceous production in this area, comprising <br />Coors Energy Company Keenesburg Mine Page 12 <br />2005 Revegetation Monitoring Report <br />