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contributed 1.40 percent mean and 3.48 percent relative cover, and Agropyron smithii <br />(western wheatgrass), the cool season native graminoid, accounted for 1.80 percent mean <br />• cover (3.35% relative cover). <br />Vegetative litter (prior years growth, dead wood, and other biologic organic material) <br />comprised 27.10 percent ground cover overall within the 1985, 1986, and 1987 reclamation <br />areas. Bare soil comprised 12.10 percent of the ground cover. No rock or cryptogams were <br />encountered during the cover sampling in the reclamation areas. <br />3.1.1.2 Herbaceous Production <br />Total herbaceous production within the 1985, 1986, and 1987 reclamation areas (Table 4) <br />was 239.46 g/m2 (2134 lb/ac). <br />3.1.1.3 Species Composition <br />Cover sampling identified four lifeforms and twenty-two species within the 1985, 1986, and <br />1987 reclamation areas. The lifeforms included ten species of perennial grass, one annual <br />grass, three perennial fortis, five annual forbs, two succulents, and one shrub. Of the species <br />encountered on the 1985, 1986, and 1987 reclamation areas, sixteen were native and six were <br />introduced. Perennial species outnumbered annual species by sixteen to six. Both warm and <br />cool season species contributed to the seasonality of the 1985, 1986, and 1987 reclamation <br />areas. Warm season graminoids outnumbered cool season graminoids by six to five. Cool <br />season forbs prevailed by six to two. The two succulents were evergreen and the shrub was <br />is deciduous. <br />The 1985, 1986, and 1987 reclamation areas had nine species contributing greater than three <br />percent relative cover this year. The species contributing greater than three percent relative <br />cover included six perennial grasses, two annual forbs, and one perennial shrub. These <br />species included Calamovilfa longifolia (24.10 percent relative cover), Bromus marginatus <br />(15.53%), Helianthus annuus (14.06%), Bouteloua gracilis (9.37%), Andropogon hallii <br />(7.50%), Kochia scoparia (6.83%), Sporobolus cryptandrus (3.88%), Artemisia filifolia <br />(3.48%), and Agropyron smithii (3.35%). <br />3.1.2 1995 AND 1997 RECLAMATION AREAS <br />The 1995 reclamation areas encompass a total of approximately 36 acres of reclamation in <br />six distinct areas within the Keenesburg Mine permit area. The areas are found throughout <br />the disturbance area 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 corner of the long term spoil storage area to the northwest boundary of the permit <br />area), 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. The 1995 reclamation areas are nearly flat with a gentle slope <br />(<1 °) to the north and east. <br />• <br />Coors Energy Company Keenesburg Mine Page 10 <br />2007 Phase III Vegetation Study