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has collected climatic information for 65 individual years at this same location. Table 1 <br />presents a summary of precipitation data collected from the Paonia 1 SW station from <br />1905 through 2005. A review of the data illustrates that precipitation is lowest during the <br />summer months (June through August) and higher from the autumn through late spring. <br />The months with the highest average precipitation are October and March. As is <br />illustrated by the maximum and minimum values (as well as the reported standard <br />deviations), precipitation on a monthly basis can be highly variable. Calculations yielded <br />an average mean precipitation total of 11.45 inches for the months October through May, <br />from the years of record at the Paonia 1 SW station. Based on precipitation records from <br />all locations of the Paonia 1 SW station from 1905 through 1995, the CDRMS calculated <br />a total "pre-growing season" precipitation total of 11.08 inches. This CDRMS value was <br />accepted as the mean value for "pre-growing season" precipitation for the purposes of <br />discussion. <br />Table 2 illustrates the precipitation prior to the 2010 growing season for the Paonia 1 SW <br />station. Total "pre-growing season" precipitation was 8.18 inches. This translates into a <br />26.2 percent negative departure from the CDRMS calculated mean precipitation amount <br />(11.08 inches). This precipitation amount falls into the designated "dry" range of "pre- <br />growing season" precipitation. <br />3.0 METHODS <br />3.1 SAMPLING DESIGN <br />A digital image of the study area was constructed from on-line aerial photography <br />(Google Earth) to delineate the study area this year. On a gridded overlay of the map, a <br />Cartesian coordinate grid (50x50 feet) was established. Computer generated random <br />numbers were used to establish a pool of random x,y coordinates. Initially, twenty-five <br />random sample locations were established within the study area. <br />Sample sites were located in the field through compass triangulation and pacing from <br />known landmarks or the fenced boundaries of the Historic Records Study Area. Figure 1 <br />illustrates the 2010 vegetation sample locations in the study area. <br />Four vegetation parameters were sampled to evaluate the vegetative condition of the <br />study area. Vegetation cover, total herbaceous production, species composition, and <br />woody plant numbers were the parameters for which quantitative data were collected <br />from the historic record vegetation community in 2010. <br />3.2 FIELD SAMPLING <br />3.2.1 Timing <br />Field investigation of the Historic Records Study Area was undertaken during the period <br />July 28-29, 2010. This time period coincided with anthesis and maximum development <br />of the majority of plant species found in the reclaimed areas at the mine site and adjacent <br />Mountain Coal Company, LLC Page 3 <br />Historic Record Study Area Vegetation Sampling Report: 2010