2013-02-27_REPORT - C1981028 (12)

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Vegetative litter (prior years growth and other biologic organic material) comprised 50.60 percent ground cover overall within Reclamation Area 30 this season. Bare soil accounted for 20.60 percent of the ground cover. No rock or cryptogams were encountered during the cover sampling this year. 3.3.2 Herbaceous Production Total herbaceous production within Reclamation Area 30 was 124.1 g /m (1 106 lb /ac) this year. Of the total herbaceous production, perennial grasses accounted for 99.92 percent and annual grasses, 0.08 percent. 3.3.3 Species Composition Cover sampling identified one lifeform and ten species within Reclamation Area 30. Of the species encountered in Reclamation Area 30, eight were native and two were introduced. Perennial species outnumbered annual species by eight to two. Both warm and cool season species contributed to the seasonality of the area. Warm season species outnumbered cool season species by six to four. Reclamation Area 30 had seven species contributing greater than three percent relative cover this year. The species contributing greater than three percent relative cover included six perennial grasses and one annual grass. These species included Ccdamovilfa longifolia (39.52% relative cover), Orvzopsis h_vinenoides (18.56% relative cover), Andropogon licit /ii (13.17% relative cover), Bromus tectorum (8.38% percent relative cover), Bouteloua curtipenchda (7.19% percent relative cover), Agropyron smithii (4.19% relative cover), and Bollteloua gracilis (3.59% relative cover). 3.4 QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION: RECLAMATION AREA 31 Reclamation Area 31 encompasses 11.92 acres of reclamation in one parcel within the Keenesburg Mine permit area. Reclamation Area 31 was formerly part of the B Pit mining area and was reclaimed to a gently east - sloping landform blending into the native undisturbed area to the west and the reclaimed mining and operational areas to the east. Final revegetation seeding with the permanent seed mix took place in the fall of 2009. Specific vegetation information for Reclamation Area 31 is contained in Tables 1, 5, and 6. 3.4.1 Vegetation Cover Total mean vegetation cover of Reclamation Area 31 was 25.80 percent this season. Granunoids provided 25.00 percent total vegetation cover (96.84% relative cover) and fortis accounted for 0.80 percent total cover (3.16% relative cover). The most frequently encountered species was CalainoviNi iongifolia, present in all transects. Bron tectori was present in 80 percent of transects. Agropyron .sniithii was encountered in 60 percent of cover transects and Schizachyrium scopariwn (little bluestem), a warm season native was found in 50 percent of transects. Nine additional species were encountered in four or fewer transects. Coors Energy Company Keenesburg Mine Page 13 2012 Revegetation Monitoring Report