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<br />2008 Recl aura ti on Report <br />Southfield Mine <br />Agency sprayed the Knappweed with the certified herbicide during 2005 and again in the 2006 <br />season. During 2007, given the heavy vegetation growth in the region that season and the resulting <br />demand on the county weed control agency, the agency had insufficient time to treat the Knappweed <br />at Southfield. Consequently, EFCI pulled and disposed of many of the Knappweed at the mine site. <br />During midsummer 2008, the Fremont County Weed Control Agency again sprayed the Knappweed <br />with the appropriate certified herbicide. By the 2008 fall season, the Knappweed was showing no <br />green growth at the ground surface. <br />During 2006, Dr. Corley as land owner of the Corley property, sprayed Tamarisk shrubs along the <br />mine entrance road and adjacent to the Magpie Diversion ditch. Given that the spraying was <br />executed by the land owner, EFCI does not have information on details of the spraying procedure <br />used. EFCI will continue to inspect these areas and will implement necessary weed control <br />measures consistent with approved management plans. <br />Conclusions <br />As stated above, 2008 seasonal vegetation growth started slowly given the relatively dry winter and <br />spring, but midsummer rains increased the response and the vegetation did well. The early, cool <br />season grasses were less than norm but the later warm season varieties did well. The trees and shrub <br />seedlings are becoming more noticeable as they grow among the numerous rabbit brush and other <br />shrubs. Varying numbers of Elk (12 to 50 head) continue to frequent and graze the entire mine area. <br />An estimated 60 head of Elk was witnessed on the north slope of the Newlin Creek Mine <br />reclamation site during the early summer season. <br />As reported previously, subsequent to the Southfield Mine 2006 Revegetation Monitoring Report <br />generated by IME, Inc. of Yampa, Colorado, IME recommends that EFCI requests the DRMS to <br />modify the existing revegetation success standards in the Southfield Permit Document. The <br />recommendation to modify is based on IME's 2006 report that found inconsistency of woody plant <br />density and species diversity in comparing the mine Portal Area (Facilities Area) to the existing <br />undisturbed vegetation found adjacent to the reclaimed Facilities Area. It should be noted that IME <br />has determined that the majority of the areas adjacent to the mine Facilities Area have been pre- <br />disturbed prior to or perhaps during the pre-law or interim law periods, 1977 - 1983 respectively.