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Reclaimed Unit <br />1984 Wedge <br />1984 Wolf Creek <br />1987 Wedge <br />1987 Wolf Creek <br />Wedge Pasture <br />AUM's /acre <br />1.5 <br />1.1 <br />1.4 <br />1.2 <br />1.8 <br />Reference Areas AUM's /acre <br />Mountain Brush 0.4 <br />Sagebrush 0.8 <br />The above calculations were based on a proper use factor of 50 percent and one animal unit <br />requiring 810 pounds of forage per month. <br />The SCS has estimated annual production values for the mountain loam range site (corresponding to <br />the Sagebrush type) and the brushy loam type (corresponding to the Mountain Brush type). These <br />estimates are contained in the range site descriptions for these units. For the mountain loam range <br />• site, production of sites in excellent condition during an average precipitation year is 1,125 <br />pounds/ acre or 0.7 AUM's /acre (with 50 percent proper use). The brushy loam range site under <br />similar conditions has a calculated proper stocking rate of 0.8 AUM's /acre. <br />It can be seen that production in the reclaimed areas has resulted in greater allowable stocking <br />rates than either of the reference areas. The reclaimed area allowable stocking rates also exceed <br />those based on the SCS-estimated potential production of native vegetation in excellent condition, <br />as presented in the mountain loam and brushy loam range site descriptions. <br />Alfalfa is a species of particular interest in the Seneca II Mine reclamation. The contribution of <br />alfalfa to total production was high in the reclaimed areas seeded in the early end mid 1980's <br />(1984 Wedge, 1984 Wolf Creek, and Wedge Pasture). Beginning in tall 1986, the alfalfa component <br />of the seed mix was reduced to 1/4 Ib per acre, and the results are clear in these 1991 data, <br />where alfalfa is less than 10 percent of total production in the 1987 Wedge and 1987 Wolt Creek <br />areas. <br />The Wedge Pasture, was sampled in 1988 and 1989 (see 1988 and 1989 Seneca II Revegetation <br />Monitoring Reports) and had 51 percent and 50 percent, respectively, of the annual production <br /> <br />15 <br />