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cheatgrass population is lower than in the other reclaimed units on the mine where the growth medium is <br />predominately composed of topsoil material. Additionally, this unit displays good shrub diversity and <br />vigor of individual plants. <br />3.7 2 West Portal - West <br />Ground cover of 2 West Portal - West area consisted of 29.6% live vegetation, 11.9% rock, 7.2% <br />litter, and bare soil exposure of 51.3% (Table 3b). Perennial cover across the unit averaged 17.6% <br />(down from 22.7% in 2006) with annual and biennial cover averaging 12.0% (up from 11.1% in 2006). <br />Dominant taxa were cheatgrass and Russian wildrye with 10.8%, and 8.5% 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 (Table 1). However, it passes when only perennial <br />cover is compared. <br />The 2 West Portal - West 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 <br />grasses is sufficient to pass the required minimum values, and there are no planted species with greater <br />than 70% relative cover. <br />Qualitative analysis indicates that the revegetation in 2 West Portal - West area is in average to <br />good condition overall. This unit exhibits good diversity of grasses and shrubs and good quality of <br />growth media. <br />3.8 Cameo RDA No. 1- 2002 Seeding <br />Ground cover of the 2002 seeding of the Cameo RDA No. 1 consisted of 35.9% live vegetation, <br />16.1% rock, 19.1% litter, and bare soil exposure of 28.9% (Table 3b). Perennial cover across the unit <br />averaged 18.2% (down from 21.2% in 2006) with annual and biennial cover averaging 17.7% (down <br />from 18.6% in 2006). Dominant taxa were cheatgrass, fourwing saltbush, Russian wildrye, filaree <br />(Erodium cicutarium), and shadscale with 15.4%, 11.4%, 2.9%, 2.3%, and 2.1% average cover, <br />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 2002 seeding of the Cameo RDA No. 1 currently passes only two of the four diversity standards. <br />There is sufficient cover of perennial cool-season grasses to pass the required minimum values, and there <br />CEDAR CREEK ASSOCIATES, Inc. Page 20 Snowcap Coal Co. - 2008 <br />Revegetation Evaluation