2009-04-01_REPORT - C1980005 ‎(3)‎

• Permit No: C1980005
• IBM Index Class Name: REPORT
• Doc Date: 4/1/2009
• Doc Name: 2008 Annual Revegetation Monitoring Report
• From: Seneca Coal Company
• To: DRMS
• Permit Index Doc Type: Reveg Monitoring Report
• Email Name: DTM
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

• As can be seen in Figure 2, all reclaimed areas sampled far exceeded 90 percent of the
herbaceous production standard. The data in Figure 2 in the right-hand side of the paired
columns are corrected for "allowable" production (i.e. subtracting production from noxious weeds
and annual / biennial species that exceed 10% of total production).
Woody Plant Density
Figure 3 graphically presents "background" shrub density averages for reclaimed areas sampled
in 2008. As can be seen, the both the 2001 reclamation the 2006 reclamation exceed the 90
stem per acre background standard. Although shrub concentration areas within the 2001 and
2006 reclamation areas will not be identified until such time as a bond release test is undertaken,
it would appear at this early date that the occurrence of shrub density levels over 900 stems per
acre (90% of the shrub concentration standard of 1,000 stems per acre) is likely in from 20 to 30
% of the areas (well exceeding the required 5%).
Species Diversity and Composition
With regard to Mandatory Test A, that no single species comprise greater than 60% relative
cover, reference to Table 1 shows that in the 2001 reclamation the most abundant single species
• (orchard grass, Dactylis glomerata) had -24% relative first hit cover, below the 60% threshold of
concern. Reference to Table 4 shows that in the 2006 reclamation the most abundant single
species (western wheatgrass, Pascopyrum smithii) had -18% relative first hit cover, below the
60% threshold of concern. Hence Mandatory Test A) is passed.
With regard to Alternative Test B), the Total Species Density test, the following is calculated for
the 2001 and 2006 reclamation (this test does not include noxious weeds):
Mountain Brush (MB) reference mean species density: 34.3 species per 100 sq.m.
mean - 1. 1 5*s = 34.3 - 1.15 (7.4) = 34.3 - 8.51 =25.8
Sagebrush (SB) reference mean species density: 28.2 species per 100 sq.m.
mean - 1. 1 5*s = 28.2 - 1.15 (3.4) = 28.2 - 3.91 =24.3
Area weighted reference mean species density (Reference Area derived standard):
0.9*[(0.83*MB)+(0.17*SB)] = 0.9[(0.83*25.8)+(0.17*24.3)] = 23.4 species/100 sq.m.
Mean total species density in 2001 Reclamation (not including noxious weeds) = 35.0
Mean total species density in 2006 Reclamation (not including noxious weeds) = 31.8
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