2010-02-01_REPORT - M1983194 (2)

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6.3.5 Vegetation Monitoring Results for 2009 Per NSI's Comprehensive Monitoring Plan, reclaimed areas were monitored and evaluated by a qualified specialist. The following summarizes the findings of Mr. Rusty Roberts: NSI's permit requires monitoring vegetative production, composition and cover of representative undisturbed sites for use in evaluating the success of reclamation efforts on disturbed sites. In order to achieve bond release on a disturbed site, the successful reclamation efforts must meet the minimum requirements of. • Vegetative production from herbaceous perennial species by category (grass, forb) on disturbed areas is equal to that measured on undisturbed sites. • Cover of all perennial species on disturbed areas is equal to that measured on undisturbed sites. • Perennial fortis on disturbed areas comprise at least 4 % of that measured on undisturbed sites. • Shrubs on disturbed areas comprise at least 12 % of that measured on undisturbed sites. NSI's monitoring plan requires initiation of quantitative data collection on reclaimed areas within their fourth growing season. Quantitative vegetative data was collected in 2009 from native rangeland (undisturbed control) and from three reclaimed well pad sites, IA-4HI, 3A-4H and 4-3H. Ground cover, above ground vegetation biomass production and plant species composition were collected from nearby native rangelands and from the three reclaimed sites. Site IA-4HI was within the fifth growing season since being reclaimed; Sites 3A-4H and 4-3H were both within the sixth growing season since being reclaimed. Additionally, the same data was collected on two recently reclaimed sites, combined well pads 93-44 and 4A-4V within their third growing season and combined well pads 93-3V and 4-2V within their second growing season. Data was collected on these additional sites to evaluate the progress of the reclamation effort. Vegetation Monitoring Results for Native Rangelands (undisturbed control) Above ground biomass production, plant species composition and ground cover data were collected from nearby native rangelands on July 23 and 24, 2009. The data were collected from within twenty 9.6 square foot quadrates at the peak of production for most native plant species. Quadrates were protected by enclosures to prevent vegetation removal by grazers and browsers. The enclosures are relocated each growing season to prevent multiple years of protection. Above ground vegetative biomass production was measured using a double sampling procedure of estimates adjusted by actual values from representative samples. Six of the twenty quadrates were estimated then clipped to obtain an actual weight correction factor to adjust estimated weights. Clipped samples were oven dried to obtain an air-dry weight correction factor for green weights. Ground cover values were made from visual observations of cover type within each quadrate and reported as a percentage of total ground cover. A summary of the data collected 2009 in comparison with data collected from previous years is presented in the tables that follow. Ground cover data is presented in Table 6-3, biomass production in Table 6-4 and species composition in Table 6-5. The data presented in these tables is summarized from the quantitative data collected in 2009 and presented at the end of this 2009 Annual Report 14 of 33