2010-06-28_REVISION - C1981019 ‎(5)‎

• Permit No: C1981019
• IBM Index Class Name: REVISION
• Doc Date: 6/28/2010
• Doc Name: Exhibit 2 2008 Phase III Bond Release Evaluation -Year 2
• From: Colowyo Coal Company
• To: DRMS
• Type & Sequence: SL5
• Email Name: JRS
• Email Name: SB1
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................ ............................... 1
2.0 Methodology for Vegetation Sampling / Comparison Methods .......... ............................... 10
2.1 Sample Site Selection / Location .......................................................... ............................... 10
2.2 Determination of Ground Cover ........................................................... ............................... 11
2.3 Determination of Woody Plant Density ................................................. ............................... 11
2.4 Determination of Current Annual Production ......................................... ............................... 13
2.5 Sample Adequacy Determination ......................................................... ............................... 14
3.0 Results ................................................................................................... ............................... 15
3.1 Phase III ........................................................................................... ............................... 15
3 .2 Reference Areas ................................................................................. ............................... 16
3.2.1 Mountain Shrub Reference Area .................................................. ............................... 16
3.2.2 Sagebrush Reference Area .......................................................... ............................... 17
4.0 Success Evaluation ................................................................................ ............................... 31
4.1 Ground Cover and Production .............................................................. ............................... 31
4.2 Diversity ............................................................................................ ............................... 32
4 .3 Woody Plant Density ........................................................................... ............................... 32
In -Text Tables, Charts, Figures, and Maps
Table P — Precipitation at the Colowyo Mine, 2001 - 2008 ............................... ............................... 3
Chart P — Precipitation by Growing Season at the Colowyo Mine, 2001 - 2008 .. ............................... 3
Map 1a — Vegetation Sampling Unit Locations - 2007 ..................................... ............................... 4
Map lb — Vegetation Sampling Unit Locations - 2008 ..................................... ............................... 5
Map 2a — Vegetation Sampling Point Locations — Mountain Shrub Reference Area — 2007 ................ 6
Map 2b — Vegetation Sampling Point Locations — Mountain Shrub Reference Area — 2008 ................ 7
Map 3a — Vegetation Sampling Point Locations — Sagebrush Reference Area — 2007 ........................ 8
Map 3b — Vegetation Sampling Point Locations — Sagebrush Reference Area — 2008 ........................ 9
Figure1 ................................................................................................... ............................... 12
Chart i — All Sampled Areas — Average Ground Cover by Lifeform - 2007 & 2008 .........................
19
Chart 2 — All Sampled Areas — Relative Ground Cover (Composition) by Lifeform - 2007 & 2008....
19
Chart 3 — All Sampled Areas — Perennial Ground Cover Comparison - 2007 & 2008 ......................
20
Table 1 — All Sampled Areas — Average Ground Cover by Lifeform - 2007 & 2008 ..........................
21
Table 2 — All Sampled Areas — Relative Ground Cover (Composition) by Lifeform - 2007 & 2008 .....
23
Table 3 — Vegetation Production — Summary of Areas Sampled - 2007 & 2008 ..............................
25
Chart 4 — Summary of Current Annual Production by Unit and Lifeform - 2007 & 2008 .................
25
Table 4 — Vegetation Cover — Diversity Summary - 2007 & 2008 ................... ...............................
26
Chart 5 — Number of Grass Species with between 3% & 50% Relative Cover (by Area) ................
26
Chart 6 — Perennial Forb Relative Cover (by Area) - 2007 & 2008 ................ ...............................
26
Table 5 — Woody Plant Density — Phase III Shrub Plots - 2008 ...................... ...............................
27
Chart 7 — Woody Plant Density — Stems per Acre - 2008 ............................. ...............................
28
Chart 8 — Woody Plant Density — Woody Plant Population Area - 2008 ......... ...............................
28
Table 6 — Woody Plant Density — Phase III - 2007 ....................................... ...............................
29
Table 7 — Woody Plant Density — Phase III - 2008 ....................................... ...............................
30
Table 8 — Success Testing — Phase III — 2007 & 2008 .................................. ...............................
33