Laserfiche WebLink
2006). Dominant taxa were cheatgrass, forage kochia, greasewood, shadscale, and annual wheatgrass <br />(Eremopryum triticeum), with 25.8%, 14.1%, 9.8%, 6.1%, and 6.0% average cover, respectively. <br />This unit passes the revegetation success criterion of 90% of the Greasewood Reference Area value <br />when both annual and perennial cover values are combined (Table 1). It also passes when only <br />perennial cover is compared. <br />The Roadside North Portal Facilities area currently passes only two of the four diversity standards. <br />There is sufficient cover of perennial forbs or sub-shrubs to pass the required minimum values, and there <br />are no planted species with greater than 70% relative cover. However, the present relative cover of <br />perennial warm-season grasses (1.5%) and perennial cool-season grasses (0%) is insufficient to pass the <br />required minimum values (2.0% and 0.5%, respectively). This unit has shown improvement, however, <br />from the last sampling effort in 2006, when the relative cover of perennial, warm-season grasses was <br />0%. <br />Qualitative analysis indicates the revegetation at the Roadside North Portal Facilities is in average <br />condition overall. This area exhibits a diverse shrub population, with most individuals appearing robust <br />and healthy. There is little diversity in the understory, however, due to prevalence of cheatgrass. <br />3.6 2 West Portal - East <br />Ground cover of 2 West Portal - East area consisted of 25.9% live vegetation, 34.2% rock, 8.6% <br />litter, and bare soil exposure of 31.3% (Table 3b). Perennial cover across the unit averaged 13.9% (up <br />from 12.1% in 2006) with annual and biennial cover averaging 12.0% (up from 9.5% in 2006). <br />Dominant taxa were cheatgrass, rubber rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus), and shadscale with <br />11.6%, 4.3%, and 3.4% average cover, respectively. <br />This unit fails the revegetation success criterion of 90% of the Shadscale Reference Area value when <br />both annual and perennial cover values are combined. However, it passes when only perennial cover is <br />compared (Table 1). <br />The 2 West Portal - East area currently passes all four diversity standards. The present relative <br />cover of perennial warm-season grasses, perennial forbs or sub-shrubs and perennial cool-season grasses <br />is sufficient to pass the required minimum values, and there are no planted species with greater than <br />70% relative cover. <br />Qualitative analysis indicates that this revegetation is in average to good condition overall. The <br />growth medium in this unit consists of mainly rocky material with some topsoil. Consequently, the <br />CEDAR CREEK ASSOCIATES, Inc. Page 19 Snowcap Coal Co. - 2008 <br />Revegetation Evaluation