REP18848

• Permit No: C1981033
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 11/6/2007
• Doc Name: Revegetation Assessment Letter
• From: DRMS
• To: Bear Coal Company, Inc.
• Permit Index Doc Type: Vegetation
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman St., Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203 C O L O R A D O
Phone: [phone] o t v t s I o N o f
RECLAMATION
FAX: [phone] M I N I N G
- Sc-
November 6, 2007 SAFETY
Bill Ritter, lr.
Mr. Daniel E. Bear c°ver"or
Bear Coal Company Harris D. Sherman
P.O. Box 1754 Executive Director
Paonia, Colorado 81428 Ronald W. Cattany
Division Director
Natural Resource Trustee
RE: Bear No. 3 Mine, Permit No. C-81-033, Bear Coal Company
Revegetation Assessment
Dear Mr. Bear:
On October 4, 2007, Dan Mathews of the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety
inspected the Bear No. 3 Mine in order to visually assess the status of revegetation efforts,
including the infestation by cheatgrass and other noxious and/or undesirable vegetation, at the
site. The following are the Division's observations and recommendations:
The hillside reclaimed areas appear to support a good stand of desirable vegetation. From what
could be observed without extensive climbing, the steep north facing slope areas that are not rock
outcrop or slide scarps support an excellent perennial cover dominated by smooth brome, with
various wheatgrasses, some cicer milkvetch, aster, and other perennial forbs, and various shrubs
including rubber rabbitbrush, Woods rose, and snowberry. The Division suspects the revegetated
slope areas would easily meet the 40% cover standard, based solely on perennial vegetation.
cheatgrass did not appear to be a problem on the reclaimed slopes, nor did there appear to be a
problem with noxious weeds or other undesirable species on the slopes.
The "flats" on either side of the old office building, in contrast, do exhibit significant weed
problems, and revegetation appears to have been less successful than on the steep slope areas.
Problems are generally restricted to the relatively open areas to the west and east of the office;
perimeter areas further north are becoming overgrown with rabbitbrush and woody riparian
species.
"West Flats"
Approximately 80% of the non-brushy flat area west of the office is dominated by cheatgrass and
weedy forbs including annual Kochia, bindweed, and the noxious weed whitetop. There is a
small grassy patch just inside the gate on the north side of the road that is dominated by smooth
brome, with a relatively minor weedy component. This grassy patch may comprise
approximately 20% of the non-brushy flats west of the office.
"East Flats"
The small non-brushy area east of the office and parking area contains a relatively large patch of
a low growing, spreading Polygonum (knotweed), which has largely prevented the establishment
of desirable vegetation over a third or more of the area. The remainder of the East Flats area
Office of Office of
Mined Land Reclamation Denver Grand Junction Durango Active and Inactive Mines