REP48873 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

The reclaimed areas on the Lone Pine Gulch Portal Site exhibit an impressive amount and diversity of vegetative cover, especially considering the drought conditions present on the site throughout the summer of 2002. Vegetative cover estimates were determined by Chuck Florian of Greystone Environmental Consultants, Inc. Table 2 presents the estimated total cover and cover per vegetative species within the vicinity of each soil-pit location. The total estimated cover in the vicinity of soil-pit TS-1 is 26 percent, but the surveyor noted that 22 percent is a more accurate estimate of total vegetative cover for the entire topsoil storage area. Total vegetative cover for the entire reclaimed portal area is estimated to be 19 percent. Table 2 Estimated Total Vegetative Cover Lone Pine Gulch Portal Site Sam le Number TS-1 REC-1 REC-2 REC-3 A o ron s 16% 18% 10% 5% Bromus mar inatus 3% 6% 7% 3% Achnatherum menoides 2% 3% <1% 2% Festucaarizonica 3% 1% 3% <1% Poa ratensis <1% 1% <1% <I% S haeralcea ossularii olia <1% <1% <1% <1% Total Estimated Cover 26% 29% 22% 12% A species list of vegetation observed on the reclaimed area was compiled and is included in Table 3. Table 3 Vegetation Species List Lone Pine Gulch Portal Site Scienti5c Name Common Name A ro ron s • wheat ass Bromus mar inatus Mountain brome ass Achnatherum menoides Indian rice ass Festuca arizonica Arizona fescue Poa ratensis Kentuc blue ss S haeralcea ossularii olia Goosebe leaf lobemallow *Multiple species' ofwheatgazs were applied to the reclaimed areas during seeding. Cover estimates for Agropyron spp. include: thickspike wheatgrazs (Agropyron dasystachyum), bluebunch wheatgrazs (Agropyron spicamm), western whea[gmss (Agropyron smithii), streambank wheatgrazs (Agropyron riparivm), slender wheatgrazs (Elgropyron trachycaulum), pubescent wheatgmss (Agropyron trichophorum), and beardless wheatgrazs (Agropyron inerme). CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The first year of reclamation on the Lone Pine Gulch Portal Site is highly successful. Topsoil replacement depths are more than adequate across the reclaimed azea extent. Placement of erosion control blankets on the steepest portions of the portal site have controlled potential erosion problems. Although abelow-average concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus was detected in the topsoil, another application of (30-15-5 NPK) fertilizer in the spring of 2003 should resolve the problem. ~~..