2010-01-22_REVISION - C1981008 (2)

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C-1981-008 22-Jan-2010 PR-06 PAR Page 15 of 26 Species Cultivar PLS lbs/ac Fairway Crested Wheatgrass Pubescent Wheatgrass Russian Wildrye Alfalfa Western Wheatgrass Ephraim 0.6 Luna 2.3 Bozoisky 1.0 Spreador 2 0.6 Arriba 1.6 Total 6.1 Please revise the seed mix as recommended. Also, NRCS has noted that alfalfa is adapted to coarse textured, well drained sites, and the notation under Site Variation Adaptability of Seedmix #8 indicating that it is not so adapted, should be deleted. 47. NRCS has indicated that they do not concur with the statement in Item 4 of subsection 6.2 listing of reasons for why the 1.50 ton per acre technical standard was set too high (i.e. that recent droughts had lessened the water availability in the CC Ditch). Please revise the narrative in light of the NRCS December 8, 2009 letter. 48. Revised narrative in subsection 6.3 on page (e)-76 of the redline version of the text addresses dryland pasture seeding procedures. The amended narrative indicates that Seed mix 2 annual grain cover crop would be used in lieu of mulching. We recommend either that a standard 2 ton per acre certified weed free straw mulch be crimped in after seeding of the dryland mix, or that a sterile hybrid annual triticale ("Quickguard") be used in place of the annual grain cover crop, in order to minimize potential for volunteer and resulting competition with the perennial species. If the quickguard alternative is used, it should be seeded either in the fall preceding a summer perennial planting the following year, or in the spring preceding a fall dormant seeding of the perennial species later the same year. Fall dormant seeding should be delayed until after October 25, and we would recommend that dormant seeding be completed by the end of November to avoid delays associated with snow cover, frozen ground, muddy conditions, etc. Please consider these recommendations and revise the narrative as warranted. 49. Revegetation monitoring is addressed in subsection 7.0, on page (e)-87 of the redline version. We note that narrative indicates statistical sample adequacy would be achieved for cover and productivity sampling, and we point out that sample adequacy is not a requirement for interim monitoring (unless the data is to be used for bond release). WFC may wish to provide a plan for interim monitoring that would provide representative data, but which would be less intensive than sampling required for bond release demonstration. Also, since alfalfa cropland success demonstration would include visual assessment for species composition verification, and total harvest bale weight/counts for production, we