Laserfiche WebLink
3.2 Soutfi Fan Area <br />Ground cover of the South Fan Area consisted of 18.55% live vegetation, 17.9% rock, 10.8% litter, <br />and bare soil exposure of 52.75%. Perennial cover across the unit averaged 13.8°k with annual and <br />biennial cover averaging 4.75%. Dominant taxa were fourwing salli~ush, halogeton (Halogeton <br />glomeratus), shadscale, and Gardner saftbush (Atriple~r gardnen) with 6.25%, 4.SS%, 2.4%, and 1.7% <br />averege cover, respectively. This unit passes the revegetation success criterion of 90% of the reference <br />area value when only perennial cover is compared with the 2001 cover data for the Shadscale reference <br />area. Since cheatgrass is found in very low levels in the South Fan area (0.4% cover) in comparison to <br />the reference area (18.5% cover), this unit fails when both perennial and annual cover is combined. The <br />South Fan area currently passes three of four diversity standards. There is sufficient cover of perennial <br />cool-season grasses and perennial forts or sub-shrubs; and there are no planted species with greater <br />than 70% relative cover. However, the present relative Dover of perennial warm-season grasses (0%) is <br />insufficient to pass the revegetation success standard (2.0%). <br />Woody plant density was not surveyed in this unit in 2004, although direct observation and analysis <br />of cover data indicates that this unit will readily exceed the standard of 600 shrubs per acre. Similarly, <br />production was not measured in this unit in 2004, however, it is estimated that perennial herbaceous <br />production in this unit will be comparable to the Shadscale reference area, although production from <br />annuals is estimated to be considerably lower due to the near absence of cheatgrass in the reclamation. <br />It should be noted that heavy grazing by domestic livestock and / or wildlife in this unit is suppressing <br />perennial grass cover and production values, and may eventually lead to their disappearance from the <br />redaimed area. This phenomenon has already occurred in undisturbed areas adjacent to the South Fan <br />and 2 West Portals areas. <br />3.3 2 West Portals Area <br />Ground cover consisted of 14.8% live vegetation, 18.35% rock, 14.15% litter, and bare soil <br />exposure of 52.7%. Perennial cover across the unit averaged 9.25°k with annual and biennial cover <br />averaging 5.55%. Dominant taxa were shadsole, cheatgrass, Russian thistle (Salsola australis), <br />fourvving saltbush, halogeton, and galleta (Pleuraphis~amesiQ with 3.2%, 2.1%, 1.95%, 1.8%, 1.5% and <br />1.25% average cover, respectively. This unit passes the revegetation success criterion of 90% of the <br />reference area value when only perennial cover is compared with the 2001 cover data for the Shadsple <br />reference area. Since cheatgrass is found in knv levels in the 2 West Portals area (2.1% cover) in <br />SNOWCAP COAL COMPANY Page 14 Revegetatlon Evafuetlon 2004 <br />