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III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 999 STATE OF COLORADO DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY Department of Natural Resources 1317 Sherman St., Room 215 Denver, CO 80203 Phone: (303)866-3567 FAx: 1303) 832-8106 December 7, 1993 os cow R~ 4 H~% ~~ •.~q . Roy Romer Governor Michael B. Long Drvnion Director To: Susan Burgmeier From: Janet Binns .i~~ Re: 1993 and 192 evegetation Monitoring Reports for the Meadows Mine: Grassy Creek P operty (C-81-029) I have reviewed the 1993 and 1992 revegetation monitoring reports submitted by Sun Coal for the Meadows Mine. 1993 sampling was conducted between July 26-28, 1993. I was the Division representative present on July 26th for data collection methodology verification. The report was prepared by Agricola and field sampling was conducted by Cedar Creek Associates. General condition of the site was good with a good stand of perennial cool season grass species..9stragalus titer was the dominant forb species present. Excessive rilling was not observed. Final seeding of the site was accomplished in 1984. Anew sagebrush/grassland reference area was approved by the Division in 1992 for success comparison to the reclaimed Grassy Creek property. Light grazing by cattle of a portion of this reference area occurred early Spring of 1993 prior to the operator fencing the area. Discussion in the field with Steve Viert of Cedaz Creek Associates concluded that sampling of the reference area would avoid the grazed portion and concenVate on the area that had not been impacted by grazing. Telephone conversation with Mr. Tom Colbert of Agricola on December 6, 1993 discerned that the 1992 sampling data would not be directly utilized for projected bond release application due to reference area concerns, however this data is useful in tracking vegetation success progression during the liability period. The Grassy Creek reclaimed area was sampled for vegetative cover and production. The sagebrush/grassland reference area was sampled for the same pazameters in the same manner. Reclaimed property owned by Mr. John Eilts was not sampled in 1993. No woody plant density standard is applied to the Grassy Creek property. Vegetative cover standard is >_ 90% of the reference area cover at 90% confidence. Likewise, productivity success standard is ? 90% of reference area productivity at 90% confidence. Species diversity has been set at 5 species with relative importance >_ 3%, with the sum of the 5 not exceeding 75% relative importance, nor any one species comprising > 40% relative importance. Relative cover data was used to assess the diversity success.