_INSPECTION - C1994082 (77) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Fish and Wildlife During the course of the inspection, two small herds of elk and one solitary buck antelope were observed on revegetated areas. Revegetation Most revegetated areas at Yoast were observed during the course of the inspection, including the various fenced woody plant establishment areas and some of the unfenced shrub establishment areas. On the morning of June 18, 1 accompanied Bob Musselman of the Rocky Mountain Research Station and Skip Smith of the CSU Forestry Department, to view experimental plots within two of the fenced woody plant establishment areas (SP07-1, adjacent to LU3A Road in the Neck Pit area; and SP07-2, along lower YPM-10 in the North Pit area). SCC is cooperating with RMRS on a study involving the effect of weed-guard fabric on establishment, growth, and survival of seedling aspen and serviceberry, Replicated plots are located within the two fenced planting areas noted at Yoast, and within additional fenced planting areas at Seneca II-W. There are two replicated plots within different portions of each of the planting areas used in the experiment. The weed fabric study is an outgrowth of an aspen study initiated at the Seneca II-W Mine in 2004. In the SP07-1 plots there has been heavy annual weed competition and a striking difference between treatment and non-treatment survival of aspen and growth of serviceberry. There is less weedy competition in the SP07-2 plots, and the visual differences between treatment and non-treatment plantings is less pronounced, though the aspens do appear to be more robust in the weed-guard plantings. In addition to the two fenced sites noted above, various other woody plant establishment sites were observed, including the unfenced 2002 upland planting site in the North Pit area, and fenced sites SP06-2, SP06-1, SP05- 1, and SP06-3. The unfenced 2002 site is one of the better unfenced shrub areas at any of the Seneca operations; good survival and better growth than normally observed of various planted shrub species and a few aspen. Chokecherry appeared to have fared particularly well, with a high density of robust plants up to 24" high, some of which were flowering. Several patches of seeded big sagebrush were scattered through the site as well. Woody plant survival and growth in the various fenced plots observed varies from fair to excellent, with the best apparent over-all establishment of both planted and seeded shrubs in SP05-1 and SP06-3. Numerous healthy looking aspen were observed in SP06-1 and SP06-3. Some fence maintenance warranted at SP06-1. Reclaimed areas with three or more seasons of growth generally exhibit an effective, diverse cover, with a significant sagebrush component in many areas. More recently reclaimed areas exhibit lower cover with a higher annual forb component, and higher frequency of rills, but generally appear to be progressing toward a satisfactory perennial stand. The operator has identified one small area in the YPM-5-1 watershed for inter- seeding, due to relatively poor initial establishment, and another area in the YPM-6-1 watershed for complete reseeding (this is the steep slope site to be graded and topsoiled, discussed previously). These areas are marked on the 2009 Rill and Gully Map. Noxious weeds, primarily Canada thistle, are present in various locations, most prevalent along roadsides, sediment ponds, channel and gully repair areas, and similar locations subject to on-going or repeated disturbance. Weed spray operations were in progress during the inspection. Noxious weed patches were noted in the following locations, though the listing here is not intended as a full accounting of weed infestations • Whitetop along lower YPM-21 • Canada thistle along YPM-21 B • Whitetop patches between YPM-9 and YPM-13, 300 yards up from Pond 11A • Canada thistle along repaired channel between Ponds 11 and 11A • Small patch dalmation toadflax Pond 11 embankment • Canada thistle on graded spoil in lower Pond 12 watershed • Canada thistle along steep pitch of YPM-14 and along YPM 3-2A down to Pond 14 • Canada thistle on Pond 13 embankment • Canada thistle in Shrub establishment area SP07-1 6