2012-02-16_REVISION - M2002020 (9)

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Vegetation Information Introduction Vegetation information was gathered from the Soil Survey of Weld County, Colorado, Southern Part (United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, September 1980), and the ERO Resources Corporation report Biological Report Flatirons Property — City of Greeley, Weld County, Colorado (November 2011). Following disturbance from past mining activities, most of the proposed amendment area has only been partially reclaimed. Upon completion of mining activities, reclamation will resume by re- seeding disturbed areas with a mixture of native grass species and legumes. The individual species were selected based upon the diverse genetic characteristics that make each one uniquely suited to the soils and climate of the proposed permit area. Differences in and between marsh and slough, tall, short, and mixed grass prairie, stream and pond margin, and sedge meadow species were specifically chosen to add to the genetic potential for vegetation to adapt and thrive. Current Conditions Reclamation EXHIBIT J Due to the large area of disturbed surfaces, the occurrence of established native vegetation is limited. It is reasonable to expect growth and persistence of invasive species and annual weeds while mining operations are active or in areas where partial reclamation has occurred. Past reclamation activities have established sparse to dense vegetation growth in both upland and wetland /riparian areas. Please refer to Exhibit C -3, Vegetation Map, for an illustration showing existing vegetation conditons. Most of the uplands are sparsely covered with annual weeds such as cheatgrass (Anisantha tectorum) and Russian thistle (Salsola australis) and fast - growing native grasses such as sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus) and three -awn (Aristida purpurea). The slopes surrounding the ponds are more vegetated and consist of grasses such as sand dropseed, western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), three -awn, and blue grama (Chondrosum gracile). A few patches of trees dot the uplands, including a stand of young Siberian elms (Ulmus pumilus) and young plains cottonwoods (Populus deltoides subsp. monilifera) with mostly dead sandbar willow (Salix exigua) shrubs in a small depression. Along the edge of the four ponds is a mosaic of wetland and riparian vegetation assemblages ranging from stands of Siberian elm to plains cottonwood and peachleaf willow (Salix amygdaloides). Wetlands occur within and abutting the four ponds and vary from sandbar willow shrublands, to cattail (Typha latifolia) and common three - square (Schoenoplectus pungens) marshes, to submergent aquatic vegetation. Greeley 25`" Avenue Site DRMS 112 Permit Amendment Application Page 26