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Herbaceous production will be measured by a quadrat sampling method that meets the provisions <br />of DRMS Regulation 4.15.11(1)(b)(i). The observational unit will be a rectangular or circular plot <br />frame at least '/4 square meter and large enough to encompass individual plants of the larger <br />species being sampled. Current year growth of herbaceous non -woody species will be clipped <br />within each quadrat. The sampled plant material will be bagged and taken to the laboratory for <br />drying and weighing. Samples will be oven -dried at 105 degrees C to a constant weight. <br />Sampling points for cover and herbaceous production will be located by using a random number <br />generating procedure to create up to 50 random transects within each study area (reclaimed sites <br />and the reference area). These random coordinates will be entered into a (GPS) unit and by means <br />of the navigation feature, the transect coordinates will be located in the field. The transect starting <br />point will be located at the exact GPS coordinates. Cover transects will be oriented along a <br />preselected random compass bearing and the transect tape will be laid out. When production <br />sampling is done along the same transect tape, then a minimum of at least one, but possibly three, <br />predetermined randomly selected intervals will be used as the production sampling points. Even <br />numbers will be located along the right hand side and odd numbers will be located along the left <br />hand side of the transect tape. Cover will be calculated as percent total plant cover for each <br />transect, and the mean cover for the specific area being studied will be calculated by averaging all <br />of the transects collected for the study area. Production will be calculated by averaging the <br />individual clip plots collected along each transect into a transect value and all of the transects from <br />a specific area will be averaged into an area value. Data will be reported as both grams per 1/4 <br />square meter and in pounds of air dry forage per acre. Cover will be calculated as percent total <br />cover for each transect, and the mean calculated for the study area. Cover sampling along a <br />transect will be conducted prior to production sampling along the same transect. <br />4.5.2 Irrigated Pastureland Reference Area Characterization and Management <br />With TR -58 a new reference area of 6.81 acres immediately south of the mine office was added to <br />evaluate Reclaimed Irrigated Pastureland reclamation success. This reference area is shown on <br />Map 2.05.4(2)(e) -2. A detailed discussion of reference area characteristics and management is <br />presented below: <br />(June 2013 MR 86) 2.05.4(2)(e) - 27 <br />