2008-11-17_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1980006

Home Browse Search

cover was Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) with 9.98% relative cover. Lewis flax (Linum lewsii), a forb, and Big sage (Artemesia tridentata), a shrub, contributed the third and fourth highest relative cover of the species. The 2006 sampling measured the four dominant species as contributing 57.17% relative cover. Russian wildrye contributed the most relative cover in 2006 with 29.89%. Lewis flax contributing the second most relative cover per specie with 10.32% relative cover. Western wheatgrass, contributing 9.62% relative cover, and Fringed sage (Artemesia frigida) with 6.82% relative cover were third and fourth respectively. Noxious weed species were infrequent and the sampling in 2005 only encountered one species, Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), in one transect that contributed 0.20% relative cover. No noxious weed species were encountered during the 2006 sampling in the Pit 1 area. Woody Plant Density-The woody plant density (WPD) standard for the Marr Mine is 1500 stems per acre. Sampling of the woody plants during the vegetation sampling process consists of sampling the woody species within a 100 M2 quadrat. The WPD standard calculates to 37.07 stems per 100 M2 quadrat. The number of woody stems measured in the Pit 1 reclaimed area in 2005 was 51.03 stems/100 M2 quadrat, and 2006 sampling counted 85.4 Stems/ 100 M2 quadrat. Woody plant establishment in the Pit 1 area exceeded the required WPD standard. Summary and Conclusion - Based upon a review of the mine permit, the approved reclamation plan, the bond release application and the site inspection, the Division finds that KCC has successfully demonstrated that Pit 1 has achieved its approved vegetative cover, herbaceous productivity, species composition, and woody plant density. Phase III Bond Release for the 720 Pit KCC is requesting final Phase III Bond Release in the amount of $542,804.00 for the 720 Pit. This represents the remaining 15% of the total estimated cost for reclamation of the 720 Pit of $3,618,694.00. Mining occurred in the 720 Pit from 1978-1984. The backfilling and regrading was completed in 1993 and the reseeding was completed in 1995. Phase II bond release was approved for the 720 Pit with the approval of SL2 in the amount of $904,674.00 Establishment of Vegetation - To evaluate establishment of vegetation, the Division requires a statistically adequate sampling of vegetation cover collected during two years out of the last four years (Rule 4.15.7(5)) from each reclaimed area and each reference area. Vegetation establishment is considered acceptable if the cover of the revegetated area is at least 90% of the cover from the reference area or other standard with 90% statistical confidence. Species composition is evaluated using the relative cover of each species to determine whether the revegetation exhibits seasonality and species composition supportive of the post mining land use. Herbaceous productivity shall meet at least 90% of the production measured on the reference area or other standard with 90% statistical confidence. Planting or seeding of woody species is to have been completed in accordance with the approved plan, and appropriate woody species shall meet the approved woody plant density (WPD) standard. To demonstrate establishment of vegetation, KCC submitted two "Report of Findings, Reclamation Monitoring" reports prepared by IME. In these documents, IME reports the findings from reclamation sampling in 2005 and 2006 for three reclamation blocks at the Marr Mine [the pre-1986 areas, the 1995 reclaimed areas (720 Pit) and the 1996 reclaimed areas (Pit 1)], and from three reference areas (Sage-grass, Sage-gravel and Alkali sage). The reference areas were weighted based on the amount of disturbance from Marr Mine SL4