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Species Composition (2003) <br />Success Osgood <br />1 Standard Sand Ref. <br />1995 <br />1997 <br />Rec. <br />1998 1999 <br />y+ess Rec. <br />Total Perennial 7 9 16 14 12 7 <br />Sceciea <br />warm ~'9On 4 3 6 3 5 3 <br />Grasses (totaq <br />Perennial Forts 1 3 1 3 1 1 <br />(total) <br />Relative Importance ~ S es <br />P~ 1 of 9 10 of 16 8 of 14 3 of 12 2 of 7 <br />(3%<I<4l1%) <br />Based on the results of the 2003 quantitative sampling, none of the reclamation areas met <br />the revegetation success criterion for vegetation cover. A Student's t statistical test was <br />employed to compare the sample means from each reclamation area with the mean of the <br />Osgood sand reference area. The total vegetation cover means for all reclamation areas <br />were less than 90 percem of the mean of the reference area with 90 percent statistical <br />wnfldence. <br />~th regazd to total herbaceous production, all reclamation areas significantly exceeded <br />the total herbaceous production value from the Osgood sand reference area, therefore <br />meeting the revegetation success criterion for herbaceous production. <br />• Of the azeas sampled in 2003, none of the reclamation areas could meet the species <br />composition revegetation success criteria. Reclamation areas fell short in the number of <br />warm season grasses (1997 and 1999 reclamation areas) and perennial forts represented <br />(1995, 1997, and 1998 areas), while the Osgood sand reference area did not contain the <br />requisite representation by either warm season grasses or peremnial forts with sufficient <br />relative cover. The concern with the current species composition success criteria has been <br />documented previously (Savage and Savage, 1994 2000, 2000a, 2001, 2002). <br />4.0 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS <br />Areas revegetated in 1995, 1997, 1999, and those reseeded or interseeded in 1998 were <br />quantitatively sampled in 2003 to evaluate revegetation establishment for monitoring <br />purposes, and identify any areas that require implementation of additional measures to <br />ensure long-term revegetation success. The Osgood sand reference area was also <br />qua~itativety sampled to provide the revegetation success criteria values for total <br />vegetation cover and total herbaceous production for the reclaimed azeas governed by the <br />requirements of CDMG Rule 4.15.8. <br />4.1 2003 PRECIPTTATION REGIME <br />The climate of the mine and surrounding area is chazacterized by a wide temperature <br />. fluctuation; from below freezing in winter, to very warm in the summer months. <br />Coors EnergyCompargr Page 17 <br />2003 Revegetation Monitoring Report <br />