2009-06-02_PERMIT FILE - C1982057A (8)

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• • • 4.0 DATA COLLECTION Weather and Soil Data - A weather station will be located at the study site to measure temperature, precipitation, and rainfall. Additional emitters will be installed at randomly selected locations from each soil type in each drip system grid. Water will be collected in containers at some of these locations to verify the amount of water delivered. Soil moisture (within the rooting zone) will be monitored by periodically sampling soil from other non-tree emitter locations and randomly selected locations in the control block, for weighing and oven-drying to obtain moisture contents. Multiple samples will be collected in a grid pattern at selected non-tree emitter to quantify the area affected by irrigation. Differences in soil conditions between reclaimed soils in the study area and those under nearby undisturbed aspen clones will be quantified by comparing physical and nutrient characteristics of soil samples from both the normal and augmented reclaimed soils to those of the natural soils. Monitoring and comparing soil moisture during the growing season in undisturbed clones to that of un-irrigated portions of the study site will investigate effects of reclamation on soil moisture regimes. Differences in nutrient availability between augmented and un-augmented reclaimed soil and undisturbed soils under aspen clones will be documented by use of buried resin bags in each soil type. Aspen Data -After planting, the heights and basal caliper of all trees will be measured to the nearest millimeter. In addition, the length of the terminal leader and length of each lateral branch will be measured to the nearest centimeter. At the conclusion of the first growing season after transplanting, all planted trees will be checked for survival and the current year's growth of the terminal leader and lateral branches measured. Any dieback, damage, or disease will be noted. Ten randomly selected trees in each watering treatment will be excavated by washing soil away from roots with a pressurized water hose connected to the storage tank. The lengths of all new growing roots will be measured. All roots less than 5mm in diameter will be collected, oven-dried, and weighed. All leaves will be collected, their area measured, and oven-dried and weighed. Tree survival and growth data will be compared between watering treatments using analysis of variance. Individual tree leader growth will be regressed against original tree size to investigate the influence of transplant size on survival and growth. 5.0 PROPOSED RESPONSIBILITIES SCC and Rocky Mountain Research Station will share responsibilities for this study in order to take advantage of our respective resources. SCC will assume responsibility for obtaining the saplings, contracting equipment and manpower to transplant trees, constructing the drip irrigation system, and fencing the study site. Rocky Mountain Research Station will supervise the transplanting, design the drip irrigation system, and monitor irrigation system performance. SCC will furnish a 2,000 gallon water tank to feed the system, and keep it supplied with water. Rocky Mountain Research Station will provide environmental monitoring instruments, collect, process, and analyze all measurements and data, and produce a summary report of results to be submitted by SCC to the CDMG. The timing and initiation of this study and plan is predicated on the cooperation and signed agreements between SCC and the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRSI. 6.0 SCHEDULE OF WORK Select and survey study site Place modified topsoil treatment Contract negotiations with SCC & RMRS Select trees to be transplanted Install irrigation system Plant trees Summer 2003 Summer, 2003 January-March 2004 Summer 2004 Prior to Planting-Fall 2004 Fall 2004 TR-47 22-3-4 Revised 01/04