2003-01-07_REPORT - C1981028 - Laserfiche WebLink

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INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: RYRON WALKGR FROM: / JANET BINNSr SUBJECT: KEEN ESBURG ~Op Ur\L RFCLAMA'I'ION REPORTS DATE: 01 j07 j03 CC; DAN PIHRNANDH% Coors Energy Company submitted the 2001 ARR on February 28, 2002. Submittal was two weeks after the February 15~h due date as stated in Rule 2.04.13. The Keenesburg Mine permit, C-1981-028, page 117, has committed to submitting the Annual Reclamation Report by the end of February each year. The submitted report is in compliance with the approved permit. Vegetative success is based on comparison with approved reference area; Osgood Reference area. Cover success is based on total vegetative cover, which includes woody plant cover. Production is based on herbaceous vegetative cover. Species composition is based on relative cover of the individual plant species compared to a composition standard. There is no woody stem density requirement for the Keenesburg Mine reclamation success standard. In 2001, total cover measured in the Osgood reference azea was 48.8%. CEC measured total vegetative cover in the 1995 Reclaimed area at 48.6%,1997 Reclaimed azea at 38.6%, and the 1998 reseeded/interseeded area at 51.0 %. Based on this data, all but the 1997 Reclaimed area would meet the cover standard. The data represents the 6~h growing seasons for the 1995 Reclaimed area and the 4°h growing season for the 1997 Reclaimed area. Herbaceous productivity measured in the Osgood reference area in 2001 was 119.7 grams/MZ (10671b/acre). Herbaceous productivity measured on the 1995 Reclaimed, 1997 Reclaimed, and 1998 Reseeded areas was 199.6 grams/Mz (1778 16/acre), 242.7 grams/MZ (21631b/acre), and 186.3 grams/Mz (1661 lb/acre) respectively. All three measured reclaimed areas exceed the herbaceous productivity standard. 2001 sampling data show that species composition was met for the 1995 Reclamed area. not even the Osgood reference area would meet the required vegetation diversity standazd found in the permit. The diversity standazd calls fox 7 perennial non-noxious species with greater than 3% relative importance but less than 40% relative importance. Of these 7 species, 4 should be warm season grasses and one shall be a forb. The 1995 Reclaimed azea had 12 vegetative species with greater than 3% relative cover during the 2001 sampling event. Four wam season grass species along with one forb species met the requirements for the diversity success standard. Based on the 2001 sampling event the 1995 Reclaimed area meets the diversity requirement. The 1997 Reclaimed area exhibited 8 species with greater than 3% relative coven Of these one was a perennial warts season grass, four were perennial cool season grasses, one forb, and one biennial forb. Other watts season grass species were measured in the sampling but they were less abundant than 3% relative importance. Cheatgtass has potential to become troublesome in this area measured at 13% relative cover. The operator will need to continue to monitor the proportion of Cheatgrass in the reclaimed area. If Cheatgrass continues to increase, control maybe necessary. Although Cheatgrass (Bromur tectonrm) is not considered a noxious species in Weld county it is contained on the state list of noxious species and can become very problematic.