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3.3.2 Riparian Reference Area <br />The Riparian Reference Area is comprised of approximately 6.0 acres of level to gently sloping <br />undisturbed land that has a predominately southerly aspect. The two sections are located immediately <br />adjacent to the revegetated riparian portions of the Blue Ribbon Mine (see Maps 1 & 2). These locations <br />were selected because of their proximity to the disturbance area and their ecological resemblance to the <br />revegetated riparian community. A total of 34 plant taxa were observed in this community (see Table <br />1). Current annual herbaceous production across the area averaged 331 pounds per acre in 2004 (see <br />Chart 1). Ground cover in the riparian area consisted of 46.1% live vegetation, 0.5% rock, 36.7% litter, <br />and bare soil exposure of 16.7%. Herbaceous cover across the unit averaged 36.5% with noxious weed <br />and shrub cover averaging 9.6% combined. Dominant taxa were red-top, Kentucky bluegrass, coyote <br />willow, orchard grass, and Baltic rush (Juncus bakicus) with 12.9%, 9.5°l0, 9.1%, 5.5%, and 33% <br />average cover, respectively. <br />With regard to diversity, the riparian reference area exhibited four perennial, cool-season grasses <br />with between 3°!o and 50% relative cover, and the total relative cover of perennial, non-noxious forts <br />was 4.78%. In addition, 12 shrub species were observed in the riparian reference area. This <br />undisturbed reference area would not pass the present cover (44.3%) and production (1,784 lbs./acre) <br />success standards, but would pass the perennial, oool-season grass diversity standard. <br />3.4 Recommendations <br />As indicated throughout this document, some of the presently permitted success standards appear <br />to be problematic. At least two of these criteria were incorrectly adopted from another coal mining <br />permit that is from an area more conducive to increased quantities of vegetation. As a result, these <br />standards are set far too high for the environmental circumstances of the Blue Ribbon Mine and will likely <br />never be achieved. Perusal of Table RS-1 compares the data collected from the reclaimed areas {both <br />grassland and riparian communities) with the currently existing standards as well as with the proposed <br />changes to the comparison protocol (e.g., reference area data). As indicated on this table, the <br />herbaceous production standard for both grassland and riparian communities was set at 1,784 Its per <br />acre. This level of production is what one might expect from an irrigated pasture in the lower valleys on <br />alluvial soils, not the thin skeletal soil-based grasslands on the steep side canyons of Hubbard Gulch. By <br />comparison, the herbaceous production from the two native reference areas sampled by Cedar Creek was <br />determined to be 232 Its per acre in the grassland area and 331 Its per acre in the riparian area. These <br />values are more in line with expectation for the environmental circumstances of the Blue Ribbon Mine. <br />c®Aa c~~ Ass®cnAU~~ rrvc Page 15 Blue Ribbon Mine - Revegetatbn Evaluatlon <br />