2012-06-20_PERMIT FILE - C2010089 (40)

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A detailed delineation of the vegetation types found within the proposed New Horizon - North Mine Permit Area is shown on Map 2.04.10 -1, Permit Area Vegetation Map. This map was prepared at a map scale of one inch equals 200 feet and has a five -foot contour intervals. This map shows the extent of the Garvey Intensively Managed Irrigated Pasture vegetation type which will be affected by proposed mining activities. The map used in this "historic record" sampling record approach sampling program was prepared by taking the original permit Map 2.04.10 -1, Permit Area Vegetation Map and by using only those areas corresponding to this vegetation type. The map used for this vegetation type mapping is enclosed as Appendix Map 2.04.10 -5, 2010 Intensively Managed Irrigated Pasture - Vegetation Transect Map. This map shows the proposed limits of mining disturbance as well as the location of each vegetation transect location used to evaluate plant cover, herbaceous production and shrub density which were sampled in this second year's vegetation baseline monitoring program. In this evaluation, the vegetation parameters of production, plant cover, species diversity and shrub density were sampled. It is anticipated that these vegetation sampling efforts will be ultimately be useful in the evaluation of the successfulness of revegetation efforts with respect to plant cover, herbaceous forage production, species diversity, and shrub density. Transect Locations. To ensure that all of the areas within the Intensively Managed Irrigated Pasture area being evaluated, had an equal chance of being sampled, each vegetation type, often consisting of multiple polygons, was treated as a single sample unit and a totally randomized sampling effort was implemented. Utilizing the prepared vegetation maps, the extreme north, south, east and west boundaries of each vegetation site sampled were converted to the 1927 Colorado State Plan South Zone (NAD 27) coordinate system. The interval used in the state plan 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. 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 features 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. 1