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• As can be seen in Figure 1, the allowable total "all hiY' herbaceous cover observed in the <br />2001 reclaimed areas fell slightly short of 90 percent of the standard set by the Seneca <br />II-W reference areas. The growing seasons of the first two years of development of this <br />reclamation were very dry, especially 2002, meaning that these stands got off to a slow <br /> <br />stag. Although the average allowable herbaceous cover for the two-year old 2003 <br />reclamation area is below 90°k of the standard, it has been typical that development of <br />adequate allowable cover is a process extending sometimes through most of the liability <br />period. <br />Herbaceous Production <br />Observed production values and derivation of the 2005 herbaceous production standard <br />are compiled /documented in the table below: <br />Yoast Mine 2005 i <br />Using the Seneca II-W Mine 2005 <br />Phase III Herbaceous Production Standard <br /> <br />Vegetation Type Mean Herbaceous <br />Production (Ib/ac) % of Affected <br />Area <br />Sagebrush/Snowberrye 1,547 31.3 <br />Mountain Brushy 1,367 34.5 <br />Aspen Woodlands 1,736 11.0 <br />Steep Mountain Brush 748 12.8 <br />Alkali Sage/West <br />Whtgni.b 1,411 10.4 <br />2001 Reclamation Area 1,868 NA <br />2003 Reclamation <br />Area 1,900 NA <br /> <br />J <br />Herbaceous production performance standard (weighted by percent of affected area) =1,389 Ib/ac. <br />90 percent of performance standard = 0.9 x 1,389 = 1250 Ib/ac <br />a Seneca IIW extended reference area values from data collected in 2005 <br />° Seneca IIWS extended reference area values from data collected in 1997; it is likely that values <br />from 2005 would have somewhat lower, so the calculated standard is probably somewhat high. <br />13 <br />