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season species. <br />LOADOUT RECLAMATION <br />Plant Cover. The results obtained from the sampling of the 10 plant cover transects on this site <br />in 2010 are presented in Table 9, Loadout Reclamation - Plant Cover. Total plant cover on this <br />site averaged 51.30 percent and litter averaged 26.10 percent (Table 9, Loadout Reclamation - <br />Plant Cover). <br />Perennial grasses dominated the seeded vegetation on this site contributing 41.20 percent of the <br />vegetative cover or 80.31 percent of the total relative cover on this site. Sand Dropseed and Blue <br />Grama were the most commonly encountered grasses, contributing 40.94 and 19.10 percent, <br />respectively, of the total relative cover found on this site. Perennial forbs contributed 1.00 <br />percent of the total plant cover and accounted for 1.95 percent of the total relative cover on this <br />site. Cicer Milkvetch was the most commonly encountered perennial forb on this site, <br />contributing 0.39 percent of the total relative cover. Shrubs contributed 6.43 percent of the total <br />relative cover on this site. Rubber Rabbitbrush was the most commonly encountered shrub, <br />contributing 3.70 percent of the total relative cover on this reclaimed site. Annuals and biennials <br />contributed 11.31 percent of the total relative cover on this site. Annual forbs, consisting <br />primarily of Russian thistle, Tumbling Mustards and Yellow Sweetclover, contributed 6.43, 2.34 <br />and 1.17 percent, respectively, of the total relative cover on this site. <br />When sampled in 2006, total plant cover averaged 44.67 percent and litter averaged 16.80 <br />percent. Perennial grasses dominated the seeded vegetation on this site contributing 24.07 <br />percent of the vegetative cover or 53.88 percent of the total relative cover on this site. Sand <br />Dropseed and Blue Grama were the most commonly encountered grasses, contributing 34.92 and <br />11.34 percent, respectively, of the total relative cover found on this site. Perennial forbs <br />contributed 5.40 percent of the total plant cover and 12.09 percent of the total relative cover on <br />this site. Western Ragweed was the most commonly encountered perennial forb on this site, <br />contributing 9.25 percent of the total relative cover. Shrubs and subshrubs contributed 6.42 <br />percent of the total relative cover on this site. Fourwing Saltbush was the most commonly <br />encountered shrub, contributing 4.33 percent of the total relative cover on this reclaimed site. <br />Annuals and biennials contributed 27.16 percent of the total relative cover on this site. Annual <br />forbs, consisting primarily of Russian thistle, Summer - cypress and Prostrate Spurge, <br />contributing 14.02, 6.72 and 6.27 percent, respectively, of the total relative cover on this site. <br />The final revegetation success standard for plant cover for this site is to be determined based <br />upon the sampling of the Loadout Reference Area. Prior to the initiation of the 2006 sampling <br />effort, the Division verbally directed IME and the regulations say that Reference Area sampling <br />was unnecessary for interim reclamation monitoring and no relevant data is available for the <br />Loadout Reference Area. The original baseline sampling completed in 1980 involved "basal <br />cover sampling" and is not comparable to total plant or canopy cover sampling. However, based <br />upon the historic sampling of the Grassland Reference Area at the Southfield Mine Area, where <br />sample adequacy was obtained in 1987 and 1997 sampling which yielded a value of 40.50 <br />percent. Ninety percent of this value would be 36.45 percent. <br />11 <br />