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immediately south of the haul road and Area 25, north and west of the haul road. The 2002 <br />reclamation area parcels are both flat. Initial seeding (Area 23) or reseeding (Area 25) with <br />• the permanent seed mix took place in November 2002. Specific vegetation information for <br />the 2002 reclamation areas is contained in Tables 1, 2, and 4. <br />3.1.1.1 Vegetation Cover <br />Total mean vegetation cover of the 2002 reclamation areas was 61.20 percent. Graminoids <br />provided 19.80 percent mean cover (32.01% relative cover) and forbs accounted for 41.40 <br />percent mean cover (67.38% relative cover). Total cover values were variable between the <br />individual parcels within the 2002 reclamation areas and ranged from 46 to 82 percent. The <br />most frequently encountered species was Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass), present in all <br />transects. Helianthus annuus (sunflower) and Kochia scoparia (kochia) were present in 90 <br />percent of transects. Seven species were encountered in only one transect. <br />Overall within the 2002 reclamation areas, Kochia scoparia was dominant, with <br />contributions of 18.80 percent mean and 30.18% relative cover. Six additional species <br />encountered contributed three or more percent relative cover including; Bromus tectorum <br />with 13.20 percent mean (21.95% relative cover), Helianthus annuus contributing 8.60 <br />percent mean total and 14.33 percent relative cover, Ambrosia psilostachya (ragweed) with <br />5.20 percent mean cover (8.23% relative cover), Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweetclover) <br />providing 3.00 and 4.57 percent mean and relative cover, Calamovilfa longifolia (prairie <br />sandreed) contributing 2.20 percent mean and 3.35 percent relative cover, and Nuttallia nuda <br />is (blazingstar) providing 1.80 and 3.35 percent mean and relative cover, respectively. <br />Vegetative litter (prior years growth, dead wood, and other biologic organic material) <br />comprised 26.60 percent ground cover overall within the 2002 reclamation areas. Bare soil <br />comprised 12.20 percent of the ground cover. No rock or cryptogams were encountered <br />during the cover sampling in the 2002 reclamation areas. <br />3.1.1.2 Herbaceous Production <br />Total herbaceous production within the 2002 reclamation areas was 190.88 g/m2 (1701 <br />lb/ac). <br />3.1.1.3 Species Composition <br />Cover sampling identified two lifeforms and twenty-one species within the 2002 reclamation <br />areas. The lifeforms included seven species of perennial grass, two annual grass species, four <br />perennial forbs, one biennial forb, and seven annual forbs. Of the species encountered on the <br />2002 reclamation areas, thirteen were native and eight were introduced. Perennial species <br />outnumbered annual species by eleven to nine, with one biennial. Both warm and cool <br />season species contributed to the seasonality of the 2002 reclamation areas. Warm season <br />graminoids outnumbered cool season graminoids by five to four. Cool season forbs prevailed <br />by a margin of eight to four. <br />• <br />Coors Energy Company Keenesburg Mine Page 9 <br />2009 Revegetation Monitoring Report