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POWDERHORN COAL COMPANY <br />1999 REVEGETATION MONITORING <br />1999 CRDA #3 AND REFERENCE AREA VEGETATION SAMPLING <br />To evaluate the re-establishment of vegetation on reclaimed areas at Powderhom Coal, <br />Savage and Savage proposes to quantitatively sample the revegetated areas at CRDA #1 <br />and #2, CBA #1, and the North Decline. To provide apre-disturbance vegetation <br />characterization, quantitative sampling of the proposed disturbed area of CRDA #3 is <br />proposed. A combination of existing reference areas (shadscale shrubland, shad- <br />scale/greasewood, and greasewood shrubland) or a new reference area will be <br />quantitatively sampled in order to establish revegetation success criteria for the CRDA #3 <br />disturbed azea. Summary reports for the vegetation monitoring and pre-disturbance <br />sampling will be prepared. Where appropriate, statistical comparisons of reference <br />azea(s), reclaimed areas, and pre-disturbance areas will be analyzed. <br />Task 1: Reclaimed Area Vegetation Monitoring <br />Cover and woody plant density data will be quantitatively collected for the areas that have <br />been revegetated for four growing seasons at the CRDA #1 benches, CRDA #2 benches, <br />and the CBA #1. At the North Decline Area, cover and woody plant density data will be <br />quantitatively collected. <br />Sampling Methods <br />Vegetation sampling will employ quantitative methods previously accepted by CDMG and <br />described in the Powderhom Coal permit document. Timing of all sampling will be <br />consistent with plant anthesis and/or maximum biomass development. All transects will be <br />randomly located within the reclaimed areas. On a gridded overlay of the mine map, a <br />Cartesian coordinate grid will be established. Computer generated random numbers will <br />establish a pool of x,y coordinates, corresponding to sample points. Transects will be <br />randomly oriented in dvection. <br />Vegetation Cover <br />Vegetation cover will be estimated by the use of the point-intercept method. An oculaz <br />point frame will be used to minimise instrument error and maXimi~e precision and <br />observer accuracy. Transects will be 25 meters in length, with one sample data point <br />being collected at 0.5 meter intervals along the transect. For statistical purposes, each <br />cover transect (comprising 50 data points) will serve as a sample unit. Data points will <br />record the first vertical "hit" on vegetation (above or below the instrument), rock, soil, <br />cryptogamic crust, or litter. Cover data will be recorded and reported by individual plant <br />species. The first interception will be used to calculate cover values. Additional <br />interceptions will be recorded sepazately on field sheets, and will be used to calculate <br /><1=. ~~n....(t <br />C.a,~,~ L <br />i9-+tw, <br />