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SPECIES IDENTIFICATION AND VERIFICATION • Species identification was accomplished in the field through the use of plant identification keys (Weber, 1990; Whitson, 1987; Zimdahl, 1990, Stubbendieck, et al, 1995). In cases where plant identification was inconclusive in the field, voucher specimens were pressed for lab identification. III. RESULTS In 2001, precipitation conditions at the mine site were above average based on records from the mine site. Precipitation was significantly higher than average in April, May and July and lower in June. Cumulative precipitation for the January-July 2001 period was 12.64 inches. Total cumulative precipitation for the period from September 2000-July 2001 was 15.68 inches. This represents a 42 percent increase from the January-July average of 8.89 inches, a 36 percent increase from the September-July average, and an 81 percent (January-July) and 62 percent (September-July) increase from the corresponding periods in 2000. QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION: REFERENCE AND RECLAMATION AREAS OSGOOD SAND REFERENCE AREA The Osgood sand reference area represents approximately 3.4 acres of undisturbed native • vegetation within the Keenesburg Mine permit area. The reference area is sited immediately west of the mine access road and has been fenced to prevent grazing by domesticated livestock. The reference area is flat and exhibits sheet flow drainage to the east-southeast. Soils are generally sandy in texture, with little incorporated organic matter. The vegetation community was visually dominated by the woody shrub Artemisia filtfolia (sand sage), and cool season graminoid Stipa viridula (green needlegrass). Three additional warm season grasses were also common within the reference area, Calamovilfa longifolia (prairie sandreed), Bouteloua gracilis (blue grams), and Andropogon ha!!ii (sand bluestem). Bromus tectorum, an annual undesirable grass was also present in significant numbers. Nme forb species were encountered during cover sampling this growing season. The number of species represented in cover sampling increased from seven in 2000 to seventeen this year (Table 1) (Savage and Savage, 2000). Specific sampling information for the reference area is contained in Tables 2 and 6. Vegetation Cover Total vegetation cover of the reference area was 48.80 percent. Graminoids provided 20.0 percent mean cover (36.78% relative cover), forbs represented 5.6 percent mean cover (8.91% relative cover), one succulent providing 0.40 percent mean and 0.57 percent • _~