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Don Macdonald; CEC Page 4 of 6 <br />2011; ARR Review <br />April 3, 2012 <br />meet the species composition criteria. Based on the Divisions analysis of the cover data, two warm season <br />perennial grasses and one cool season perennial grass has a relative cover percentage meeting the species <br />composition success criteria. One additional perennial warm season grass is necessary for RA 29 to meet the <br />revegetation success criteria for species composition. <br />Area 30 <br />Vegetation Cover <br />The monitoring report indicates the total mean vegetative cover for RA 30 was measured to be 55 %. This <br />includes 37.2% cover contributed by graminoid species and 17.6% cover contributed by forb species and .2% <br />cover contributed by shrub species. The relative cover percentages reported on Table 3. of the vegetation <br />monitoring report does not appear to be correct. The Division recreated Table 3. and calculated a different <br />relative cover percentage for all of the species. The vegetation monitoring report indicated graminoids accounted <br />for 72.07% relative cover, forbs account for 27.33% relative cover and shrub accounted for .6% relative cover. <br />Based on the Divisions analysis, graminoids accounted for 67.64% relative cover, forbs accounted for 32% <br />relative cover and shrubs accounted for .36% relative cover. It is unclear how the reported relative cover <br />percentage was determined. <br />The reported total mean vegetative cover of 55% included contributions of Cheatgrass and several annual species. <br />According to the monitoring report, Cheatgrass accounted for 7.8% of the total mean vegetative cover (Table 3.). <br />Based on the Divisions analysis, 30.91% of the relative cover is contributed by annual species (not including <br />Cheatgrass). The Division subtracted out the percent cover contributions of Cheatgrass and the percent cover <br />contributions of annual plants in excess of allowed amount. Based off this, the Division determined the total <br />mean vegetative cover to be 34.92 %. <br />The dominant species reported at the site are Prairie Sandreed, Indian Ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides), <br />Cheatgrass, and Black Medic (Medicago lupulina). <br />CEC determined the 2011 success standard for cover to be 35.41% based on the precipitation measured for that <br />growing season in accordance with their approved permit. 90% of the success standard is 31.87 %. By a direct <br />comparison, RA 30 does not exceed the success standard for cover, however vegetative cover for a revegetated <br />area is considered successful if the measured cover is greater than 90% of the approved success standard. <br />Statistical adequacy was not considered in this review. <br />Production <br />The vegetation monitoring report indicated the total herbaceous production for RA 30 was 200.93/m ^2. The <br />production success standards for 2011 was reported to be 127.65g/m ^2 based on the approved predictive <br />equation. It is unclear if the success standard has been met for 2011 because the amount of production <br />contributed by noxious weeds or annual/biennial species was not reported. <br />Species composition <br />As indicated above, it is unclear how the relative cover percentage was determined in the vegetation monitoring <br />report. Based on the reported values, three perennial warm season grass and two perennial cool season grass meet <br />the species composition criteria. Based on the Divisions analysis of the cover data, two warm season perennial <br />grasses and two cool season perennial grass has a relative cover percentage meeting the species composition <br />success criteria. One additional perennial warm season grass is necessary for RA 30 to meet the revegetation <br />success criteria for species composition. <br />