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made by CDMG that a vegetation rnmmuniry be selected which cloxly represents the <br />type of vegetation community which would be expected to be established by the <br />approved rechtmation and rovegetation plan for the West Elk Mine. This vegetation <br />oommuniry would then be quantitatively sampled for three growing seasons for <br />tevegetation suaxss paruneters. After collecting three growing seasons darn, the mean <br />values from each paramettr for each of the three years would be averaged o0 obtain a <br />historic rocord tevegetation success standard far each pararneur. <br />In order to obtain a reprexntative record of the variability of the micrncliarau of the <br />area, and therefore the effect oa vegetation growth, it was determined that the three <br />years comprising the historic record should represent the variability of precipitation to <br />be encountered at the siu. For the purposes of the historic record; one low, one <br />average, and one high precipitation year would be represented, based on precipitation <br />records from a weather recording station in the area. Determination of the year type <br />(low, average, high) would be made based on the precipitation sum precsdiag the <br />growing xason (i.e., the sum of precipitation from October of the previous year to <br />Apri] of the current year). Low and high precipitation yeah were defined as years <br />where the precipitation sum differed by 10 petrent or more from the average <br />ptecipttatioa sum for the October-April time period. <br />Selection of the Target Past-Mlne Vegetation Community <br />Mountain Coal Company proposed to evaluau and xlect a vegetation community <br />which most closely represents the type of vegetation cotamtariry which can be expected <br />to be reestablished at the West Elk Mine. Selection of the target vegetation <br />communiry was based on the following criteria; topography, elevation, aspect, soils, <br />seral stage, predominant plwt species, land tree, and management MCC proposed that <br />the vegetation communiry reflect a predominantly herbaceous, gtaminoid dominated <br />meadow or old field. Based on the above crieria for the target vegetation community, <br />MCC and CDMG reviewed foar poundal target communities. The fast area was a <br />clearing, appoximauly three acres in siu, immediately east of the current dry meadow <br />reference area, on a urrace above Sylvester Gulch. The second community was an old <br />field south of the existing surface Facilities in an area slated originally for development <br />as a refux pile. The third area was a homestead clearing east of the second <br />community, above Sylvester Gulch. The fourth caadidau community wan the former <br />ski area south of the North Fork of the Gunnison River, approximately throe miles east <br />of the mine. Based on visual inspection of each candidate community, the second area <br />(old field south of existing facilities) was selected by CDMG and MCC as the target <br />vegetation community. An area five acres in siu within the target eommumry was <br />fenced for management purposes. <br />Z <br />