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3.1.2 1995 RECLAMAITON AREAS <br />• The 1995 reclamation azeas encompass a total of approximately 36 acres of reclamation in six <br />distinct azeas within the Keenesburg Mine pemut area. The areas aze found throughout the <br />disturbance azea of the mine and include; Area 1 (the former tipple area north of the shop <br />building), Area 8 comprising the east third of A pit, Area 24 (a road corridor from the <br />northwest comer of the long term spoil storage area to the northwest boundary of the permit <br />azea), Area 26 (located south of the sediment pond), Area 27 (an area between the sediment <br />pond and the 1985 reclamation area which was used for spoil storage), and Area 28, an area <br />west of the sediment pond. In 2004, sampling was undertaken in each of the six distinct <br />pazcels reclaimed in 1995. Vegetation cover transects and herbaceous production quadrats <br />were distributed within the azeas based on size. The 1995 reclamation areas aze nearly flat <br />with a gentle slope (<1°) to the north and east. Reclamation and coincident revegetation <br />within this azea took place in 1995. Replaced soils were sandy in texture. Specific sampling <br />information for the 1995 reclamation areas is contained in Tables 4 and 5. <br />3.1.2.1 Vegetation Cover <br />Overall vegetation cover within the 1995 reclamation azeas was dominated by warm and cool <br />season graminoids. Ten perennial graminoid species contributed significantly to vegetation <br />cover in the 1995 reclamation azeas. Bromus tectorum, an annual introduced weedy grass, <br />also contributed significantly to cover this year. The number of species represented in cover <br />sampling increased significantly from 20 in 2003 to 26 this yeaz (Savage and Savage, 2003). <br />• Total mean vegetation cover of the 1995 reclamation areas was 39.47 percent. Oraminoids <br />provided 32.42 percent mean cover (83.37% relative cover), while forts accounted for 6.53 <br />percent mean cover (14.90% relative cover). One succulent was encountered, providing 0.11 <br />percent mean cover (0.22% relative cover). One woody shrub species was also encountered in <br />the 1995 reclamation azeas during the cover sampling, providing 0.42 percent total cover and <br />1.51 percent relative cover. Total cover values within and between the parcels within the <br />1995 reclamation were relatively consistent. Of the six pazcels sampled, the highest level of <br />total vegetation cover was found in Area 26 with a total cover of 48 percent. Total <br />vegetation cover in the remaining pazcels ranged from 30 to 46 percent, with significant <br />representation by perennial warm and cool season graminoids. Kochia scoparia (kochia) was <br />the overall dominant fort, though it was present in only 37 percent of the pazcels. <br />Overall within the 1995 reclamation azeas, Calamovilfa longifolia and Bromus marginatus <br />(mountain brome) were co-dominant, with contributions of 6.00 percent mean (17.06% <br />relative) and 6.53 percent (14.47% relative), respectively. Ten additional species contributed <br />significantly to cover, including Agropyron dasystachyum (thickspike wheatgrass) with 3.37 <br />percent mean (8.42% relative), Agropyron smithii (western wheatgrass) contributing 3.58 <br />percent mean and 7.99 percent relative cover, Kochia scoparia providing 3.47 percent mean <br />(7.99% relative), Bouteloua gracilis (blue grams) with 2.21 percent mean and 7.56 percent <br />relative cover, Oryzopsis hymenoides (Indian ricegrass) providing 2.00 percent mean (5.62% <br />relative), Bromus tectorum contributing 2.32 percent mean cover (4.97% relative), Bouteloua <br />• curtipendula (sideoats grams) with 1.58 and 4.75 percent mean and relative cover <br />respectively, Sporobolus cryptarrdrus (sand dropseed) contributing 1.47 percent mean total <br />Coors Energy Comparp~ Page 7 <br />2004 Revegetatdon Monitoring Report <br />