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1995 RECLAMATION AREAS <br />• The 1995 reclamation areas encompass a total of approximately 32 acres of reclamation in <br />six distinct areas within the Keenesburg Mine permit azea. The azeas are found <br />throughout the disturbance area of the mine and include; a road corridor from the <br />northwest corner of the long term spoil storage azea to the northwest boundazy of the <br />permit area, an area between the sediment pond and the 1985 reclamation area which was <br />used for spoil storage, an area west of the sediment pond, the former tipple area north of <br />the shop building, the east half of A pit, and an area immediately east of the western pazcel <br />reclaimed in 1987. In 2001, sampling was undertaken in each of the six distinct parcels <br />reclaimed in 1995. Vegetation cover transects and herbaceous production quadrats were <br />distributed within the areas based on size. The 1995 reclamation areas are nearly flat with <br />a gentle slope (<1°) to the north and east. Reclamation and coincident revegetation within <br />this area took place in 1995. Replaced soils were sandy in texture. Specific sampling <br />information for the 1995 reclamation azeas is contained in Tables 3 and 7. <br />Vegetation Cover <br />Overall vegetation cover within the 1995 reclamation azeas was dominated by warm and <br />cool season graminoids. Nine graminoid species contributed significantly to vegetation <br />cover in the 1995 reclamation areas. Of these, only one was an annual "weedy" species. <br />The number of species represented in cover sampling increased from 19 in 2000 to 23 this <br />year (Savage and Savage, 2000), largely due to a corresponding increase in forb species <br />numbers. <br />• Total mean vegetation cover of the 1995 reclamation areas was 48.60 percent. <br />Graminoids provided 41.20 percent mean cover (86.10% relative cover) and fortis <br />accounted for 6.20 percent mean cover (10.88% relative cover). One woody shrub <br />species was encountered in the 1995 reclamation areas during the cover sampling. Total <br />cover values within and between the parcels within the 1995 reclamation was relatively <br />consistent. Of the six pazcels sampled, the highest level of total vegetation cover was <br />found in the pazcel east of the 87W reclamation with mean total cover of 60 percent, <br />lazgely due to a significant Bromus tectorum contribution. Mean total vegetation cover in <br />the remaining parcels ranged from 46 to 52 percent, with significant representation by <br />perennial warm and cool season graminoids. Ambrosia psilostachya (ragweed) was the <br />dominant forb and appeared in Sve of the six pazcels. Median vegetation cover was 46 <br />percent. <br />Overall within the 1995 reclamation azeas, Bromus marginatus (mountain brome) <br />accounted for the highest total vegetation cover with 9.40 percent mean cover and 16.62 <br />percent relative cover. This native cool season perennial grass was found in all 1995 <br />reclamation azeas. Bromus tectorum and Calamovilfa longtfolta were subdominants, <br />providing 8.40 percent (14.80% relative) and 6.60 percent (14.50% relative) cover, <br />respectively. Nme additional species contributed significantly to cover, including <br />Agropyron dasystachyum (thickspike wheatgrass) with 3.$0 percent mean cover and 8.46 <br />percent relative cover, Agropyron intermediam (intermediate wheatgrass) wntributing <br />• 3.00 percent mean and 6.34 percent relative cover, Agropyron cristatum (crested <br />-7- <br />