Laserfiche WebLink
(24.78% relative), Boutetoua gracilis contributing 3.40 percent mean total (8.45% relative), <br />Agropyron smithii (western wheatgrass) with 3.40 percent mean cover (7.00% relative <br />cover), Panicum virgatum (switchgtass) providing 2.20 percent mean (5.54% relative), <br />. Grindetia squarrossa (curlycup gumweed) providing 3.80 and 5.54 percent mean and relative <br />cover, respectively, and Ambrosia psilostachya (ragweed) with 2.00 percent mean and 3.79 <br />percent relative cover, <br />Vegetative litter (prior years growth, dead wood, and other biologic organic material) <br />comprised 30.80 percent ground cover overall within the 1999 reclamation azeas. Baze soil <br />comprised 17:80 percent of the ground cover. No rock or cryptogams were encountered <br />during the cover sampling in the 1999 reclamation areas. <br />3.1.3.2 Herbaceous Production <br />Overall total herbaceous production within the 1999 reclamation areas was 107.11 g/m2 <br />(955 lb/ac). Perennial grasses contributed the most to herbaceous production, 85.88 g/m2 <br />(?661b/ac), accounting for 80.2 percent of total herbaceous production. Annual grasses <br />contributed the second highest production level with 10.28 g/m2 (92 lb/ac), which was 9.6 <br />percent of the total mean herbaceous production. Perennial forbs contributed 6.43 g/m2 <br />(571b/ac) or 6.0 percent of total herbaceous production. Annual forbs contributed the least to <br />annual herbaceous production in this area this yeaz (4.52 g/m2 or 40 lb/ac, and 4.2% of total <br />herbaceous production). <br />3.1.3.3 Species Composition <br />Cover sampling identified three lifeforms and 20 species within the 1999 reclamation areas. <br />The lifeforms included ten species of perennial graminoids, two annual grasses, two <br />perennial forbs, five annual forbs, and one shrub species. Of the species encountered on the <br />1999 reclamation azeas, thirteen were native and seven were introduced. Perennial species <br />outnumbered annual species by thirteen to seven. Cool season species were slightly more <br />prevalent than warm season species (10 cool season to 9 warm season) this year in the 1999 <br />reclamation areas. Warm season graminoid species accounted for eight species and cool <br />season species included four species. Six forb species were identified as cool season and one <br />was warm season. <br />The 1999 reclamation areas had seven species contributing greater than three percent relative <br />cover this yeaz. These species included Bromus tectorum with 35.28% relative cover, <br />Calamovilfa longifolia (24.78%), Bouteloua gracilis (8.45%), Agropyron smithii (7.00%), <br />Panicum virgatum (5.54%), Grindetia squarrosa (5.54%), and Ambrosia psilostachya <br />(3.79%). <br />3.1.4 2000 RECLAMATION AREAS <br />The 2000 reclamation areas sampled this year encompass 7.3 acres of reclamation in two <br />distinct areas within the Keenesburg Mine permit azea. The azeas include Area 6, a former <br />haul road along the southeast boundary of the mining area and Area 19 another former haul <br />road in the center of the former mining area. Vegetation cover transects and herbaceous <br />Coors Energy Company Keenesburg Mine Page t4 <br />2005 Revegetation Monitoring Report <br />