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August 10, 2010 C-1981-037/GEC Strip Mine JHB <br />and cacti were not clipped. No noxious plant species were encountered within the production quadrats. Plants that <br />were rooted in and whose vegetative parts were within the quadrat boundaries were collected. Plants were clipped <br />to as close to the soil surface as possible, without damage to the root crown. <br />Cover data was collected using a 10 point laser point bar. Cover points were collected every 10 meters with the <br />laser point bar set perpendicular to the tape, and on the left side of the tape. First hit of the laser was collected for <br />plant species, bare ground, litter, or rock. Litter was defined as vegetative material that was not 2010 production. <br />Rock was defined as gravel size or larger. 50 vegetation points were collected per transect, then the results <br />multiplied by 2 to calculate the percent cover per transect. <br />Cover samples were collected to sample adequacy. 19 cover transects were collected. 30 production quadrats <br />were collected. Adequacy calculations will be conducted on the production samples after they have been dried. <br />Production samples will be dried in a drying oven at 110 degrees for 48 hours prior to weighing. <br />No reclamation success standards have ever been established in the permit. <br />REVEGETATION - Rule 4.15 <br />? Vegetative Cover; Timing: <br />Vegetation sampling was conducted to adequacy for vegetative cover. The vegetation on the mine site exhibited <br />good diversity with a lack of noxious species. One small patch of Russian knapweed was encountered along the <br />access road on the north side of the East pit. Division staff dug all visible plants up by the root, bagged the <br />knapweed, and disposed of the plants and seed heads off site. <br />Preliminary mean cover was measured at 28% total vegetative cover. Some slopes appear stable with this level of <br />cover, others show continued evidence of sediment transport. Occasional bare areas were visible, though most of <br />the bare areas were limited in extent. <br />Gullies exist on the steeper slopes of the site. If cover or production samples fell within a gully, the location was <br />sampled with no adjustments. One production quadrat landed in the bottom of a gully (# 23), and one station of <br />one of the cover transects was located in the bottom of a gully. Some of the gullies remain active, as evidenced by <br />continued down-cutting, yet other gullies show signs of stabilization with vegetation establishment along the <br />bottoms and sides. <br />Most of the gullies encountered were less than 2.5 feet deep, though several were considerably deeper and <br />impeded walking across the slope. <br />TOPSOIL - Rule 4.06 <br />[]Removal 4.06.2; Substitute Materials 4.06.4(4); Storage and Protection 4.06.3; Redistribution 4.06.4: <br />Some areas of the slope show that top growth media was been washed downslope. Grey spoil material is exposed <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 0 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 1 <br />Page 4 of 9