2011-06-02_APPLICATION CORRESPONDENCE - C2010089 ‎(12)‎

• Permit No: C2010089
• IBM Index Class Name: Application Correspondence
• Doc Date: 6/2/2011
• Doc Name: Vegetation Survey
• Section_Exhibit Name: Section 2.04.10
• Email Name: MLT
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

•
•
•
extreme north, south, east and west boundaries of each vegetation site sampled were converted to
the 1983 Colorado State Plane South Zone (NAD 83) coordinate system. The interval used in the
state plane coordinate system is based on foot increments. Given the typical real -time accuracy
of this GPS unit of plus or minus one meter, all of the vegetation boundaries and sample transect
locations were field located at a sub -meter accuracy.
Once the boundaries of the proposed vegetation disturbance areas or reference area were
identified, then using a specially prepared computer program which generates random
coordinates, the potential transect location coordinates were identified. These coordinates were
then entered into the GPS unit and the transect location starting points were identified in the field
using the navigate feature of the GPS. At each transect location starting point, the transect
direction was determined by selecting a random direction based on the degrees of the compass (0
to 360 Once the transect orientation was determined, then the 50 -meter tape was laid out
across the site. All transects were kept within the sample unit boundaries. In situations where the
transect placement resulted in the transect alignment crossing a sample unit boundary, the
transect line was backed up for that portion of which crossed the boundary line 180 degrees.
Where the 50 -meter tape could not be placed within a narrow vegetation polygon due to
boundary constraints, then the transect alignment was changed 90 degrees at the point where the
boundary line was crossed to ensure that the entire transect alignment was located within the area
to be sampled.
Plant Cover. Plant cover was evaluated by randomly sampling ten previously identified
intervals along the outstretched 50 -meter transect tape. At each designated sample point, an
inclined metal ten -point frame, one meter in height was positioned perpendicular to the tape and
a sharpened metal rod was dropped. Each designated interval was sampled at approximately ten -
centimeter intervals along the ten -point frame. Even transect random numbers were sampled on
the right -hand side of the tape and odd numbers were sampled on the left -hand side of the tape.
In the wetland vegetation type, due to the long, often linear alignment of these polygons, where
the transect alignment would have resulted in multiple bends in the 50 meter transect tape, a
shorter 5 meter transect length was used. In these instances, the random sample intervals
generated for the 50 meter transect length were converted to decimeters.
Each observation was recorded as to the specific plant species encountered as the sharpened rod
was dropped. If no plant cover was encountered, then the observation was recorded as to the
presence of plant litter, rock, bare ground, lichens or cryptograms. Plant material produced in
the 2009 growing season which was still attached to the plant was considered as living plant
material and the dead plant material which had fallen to the ground was considered to be litter.
The 100 data points collected along each transect were then summarized into a single datum for
purposes of statistical analysis. Absolute and relative plant cover, species diversity, and plant life
forms were determined based upon the observations collected in sampling the plant cover.
Section 2.04.10 Page 3 April 2011