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• 2.2.4 EP035 <br />EP035 is comprised of 30.6 aces of gentle to moderately sloping revegetation that has a <br />predominately northeasterly aspect. This unit was seeded in 1999 and therefore, has undergone four <br />growing seasons prior to sampling in 2003. A total of 42 plant taxa were observed in the unit (see Table <br />19). <br />Ground cover in EP035 (Figure 4) consisted of 68.5% live vegetation, 1.4% rods, 0.8% standing <br />dead, 19.1% litter, and bare soil exposure of 10.2%. Perennial cover across the unit averaged 11.3% <br />with annual and biennial cover averaging 57.2%. The dominant taxa were cheatgrass, tumble mustard <br />(Sisymbrium altissimum), Siberian wheatgrass, and thickspike wheatgrass with 51.3%, 3.5%, 2.3%, and <br />2.1% average cover, respectively. Woody plant density was determined from 15 heft transects. Density <br />(Table 2) totaled 162 young and mature stems per acre with big sagebrush the dominant woody plant. <br />With regard to diversity, EP035 exhibited 2 perennial grasses and 0 perennial forts with between 3% and <br />50% relative cover. <br />Unit EP035 currently does not pass the bond release diversity standard of 3 perennial grasses and 1 <br />• perennial fort with between 3% and 50% relative cover. In a similar manner, this unit would not <br />currently pass the cover and possibly the production bond release comparisons to the reference areas. <br />Finally, this unit does not presently meet the woody plant standard of 90% of 1000 stems per acre and <br />will probably not meet this criterion in the foreseeable future. See Appendix AA -Section 7.4 for a <br />discussion on options and recommendations with regard to woody plant density. The unit currently <br />supports a modest population of scattered individuals of the noxious weed, musk thistle (Carduus <br />nutans), throughout the unR. Cheatorass is also prevalent throughout the unit and comprises <br />approximately 75% of the plant composition. Because of the widespread abundance of cheatarass, use <br />of the herbicide Oust or Plateau for wnirol is strongly recommended. Followino this treatment reseedirm <br />may be necessary within the catches dominated by cheatorass as very few cerennials remain. <br />At present, EP035 is in need of remediation. Suggested management action includes control of the <br />scattered musk thistle population and prevalent cheatgrass infestation possibly followed by reseeding. <br />These actions will likely reset the bond release responsibility period, therefore, they should be <br />implemented as soon as practicable. <br />• <br />K~necon Energy Co. / Cdowyo Mare Page 20 Revegetadon NbnNoring -2003 <br />