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With regazd to total herbaceous production, all reclamation areas significantly exceeded the <br />. total herbaceous production value from the Osgood sand reference area, therefore exceeding <br />the final revegetation success criterion for herbaceous production. <br />Species Composition (2004) <br />Success Osgood 1995 1997 1998 1999 <br />Standard Sand Ref: Rec Rec Areas Rec. <br />Total Perennial 7 1 11 4 3 7 <br />Soecies* <br />Warm Season 4 0 5 1 1 3 <br />Gasses* <br />Perennial Forbs* 1 0 0 0 0 0 <br />Relative Importance ~ S es All S res All S res All S es All S res All S es <br />(3%<a<40%) Peci 1?ce I~ Pcel P~ ]?~ <br />* Numbers reflect only those species meeting the relative importance percentage limitation <br />Of the azeas sampled in 2004, none of the reclamation areas met the final species composition <br />revegetation success criteria. Reclamation azeas fell short in the number of total perennial <br />species (1997 and 1998 reclamation areas), warm season grasses (1997, 1998, and 1999 <br />reclamation areas) and perennial forbs represented (all reclamation areas), while the Osgood <br />sand reference area did not contain the requisite representation by total perennial species, <br />warm season grasses, or perennial fortis with sufficient relative cover. The concern with the <br />• current species composition success criteria has been documented previously (Savage and <br />Savage, 1994- 2000, 2000x, 2001, 2002, 2003). <br />4.0 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS <br />Areas revegetated in 1995, 1997, 1999, and those reseeded or interseeded in 1998 were <br />quantitatively sampled in 2004 to evaluate revegetation establishment for monitoring <br />purposes, and identify any azeas that require implementation of additional measures to <br />ensure long-term revegetation success. The Osgood sand reference area was also <br />quantitatively sampled to provide the revegetation success criteria values for total vegetation <br />cover and total herbaceous production for the reclaimed areas governed by the requirements <br />of CDMG Rule 4.15.8. <br />4.1 2004 PRECIPTTATION 1tEGII1~IE <br />The climate of the mine and surrounding area is characterized by a wide temperattue <br />fluctuation; from below freezing in winter, to very warm in the summer months. Precipitation <br />in the area is provided by weather systems origutating in the Gulf of Mexico and is most <br />frequent and reliable during the spring and late summer months (Table 12). <br />Coors Energy Company has collected precipitation data at the mine for a number of years. <br />. This data represents the most complete record of precipitation from the mine azea. Table 12 <br />Coors EnergyCompary Page 16 <br />2004 RevegetatAon Monitoring Report <br />