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greasewood, and shadscale, with 1.6 %, 1.4 %, and 1.2% average cover, respectively. Current total <br />annual herbaceous production was 225.4 pounds per acre, with perennials contributing 174.2 pounds per <br />acre. Woody plant density averaged 1,717 shrubs per acre and was primarily composed of four -wing <br />saltbush, greasewood, and shadscale (Table 10). There were an additional 18 shrub species encountered <br />during the 2012 sampling effort. The unit exhibited 15.5% total perennial cool- season grass cover and <br />14 species were observed; a total perennial warm - season grass cover of 7.0% with 3 species observed; <br />and a total perennial forb and sub -shrub cover of 21.6% with 24 species observed. There were no <br />species that exceeded 70% relative cover on the Shadscale Comparison Revegetation Areas in 2012. <br />3.4 Greasewood Reference Area <br />The Greasewood Reference Area was established as a new comparison area in 1999 and is located <br />approximately 1,500 feet northwest of the Cameo Refuse Disposal Area No. 1 along the east - facing <br />colluvial toe slope adjacent to the BLM Bookcliffs access road and an ephemeral drainage (Map 1). In <br />2011, average ground cover in this area consisted of 73.6% live vegetation, 1.8% rock, 18.7% litter, and <br />bare soil exposure of 6.0 %. Perennial cover across the unit averaged 13.2% with annual and biennial <br />cover averaging 60.4 %. The dominant taxa were Cheatgrass, greasewood, and annual wheatgrass with <br />55.8 %, 6.1 %, and 3.8% average cover, respectively. Sub - dominant species include galleta, Sandberg <br />bluegrass (Poa secunda), and alkali sacaton (Sporoboius airoides) with 2.7 %, 1.5 %, and 1.1% average <br />cover, respectively. Current annual production on the Greasewood Reference Area totaled 982.4 pounds <br />per acre, with the perennials contributing 103.8 pounds to forage production. <br />Greasewood Reference Area - 2011 & 2012 <br />2011 <br />2012 <br />Average Live Vegetation Cover <br />73.6 <br />41.7 <br />Average Rock Cover <br />1.8 <br />1.5 <br />Average Litter Cover <br />- -- - -- - - <br />18.7 <br />-- - -- <br />- <br />48.4 <br />- - - - -- <br />8.5 <br />Average Bare Ground Exposure <br />6.0 <br />Average Perennial Cover <br />13.2 <br />9.5 <br />Average Annual and Biennial Cover <br />60.4 <br />32.1 <br />Dominant Taxa and % Average Cover <br />Cheatgrass <br />55.8% <br />Cheatgrass <br />31.6% <br />Greasewood <br />6.1% <br />Greasewood <br />5.1% <br />Annual wheatgrass <br />3.8% <br />Galleta <br />2.5% <br />Sub- DominantTaxa <br />Galleta <br />2.7% <br />Alkali sacaton <br />0.7% <br />Sandberg bluegrass <br />1.5% <br />Annual wheatgrass <br />0.5% <br />Alkali sacaton <br />1.1% <br />Green molly <br />0.3% <br />Herbaceous Production Total (lbs /acre) <br />982.4 <br />278.6 <br />Perennial Production Total (lbs /acre) <br />103.8 <br />66.1 <br />Ratio of Total Production to Perennial Production <br />9.5 <br />4.2 <br />Species exceeding 70% Relative Cover (Y /N) <br />Yes (Cheatgrass) <br />Yes (Cheatgrass) <br />In 2012, average ground cover in this area consisted of 41.7% live vegetation, 1.5% rock, 48.4% <br />litter, and bare soil exposure of 8.5 %. Perennial cover across the unit averaged 9.5% with annual and <br />CEDAR CREEK ASSOCIATES, Inc. Page 21 Snowcap - Phase III Bond Release <br />Evaluation - 2012 <br />