2012-07-19_REPORT - C1981014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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A determination of species diversity will be evaluated using data collected from the cover data sampling data of the reclaimed area. The Permit requires that "species diversity shall be considered adequate when the four (4) dominant species, based upon plant cover, comprise no more than 80 % of the total species composition. The two dominant warm season grass species shall collectively comprise at least 50 % of the total plant cover." Timin . The Southfield Mine Permit does not address the time of the vegetation sampling effort. Therefore the recommendations found in the Vegetation Guideline which states on page 5 that the revegetation monitoring should correspond with the period of "peak production of the dominant species. As a practical manner, sampling in most areas can be conducted from July through September." Given the fact that this Permit emphasizes the importance of warm season plants in the revegetation success criteria, sampling will be done toward the middle or end of this sampling period. Sampling will commence on the refuse pile reclamation and reference area and will commence on the portal reclaimed areas, thereafter. The Portal reference area will not be sampled until approval is obtained from the CDRMS. Transect Locations. Each vegetation transect will be located in the office prior to going to the field using a random coordinate generating system. At each transect starting point, the orientation or bearing of the transect will be randomized, based upon selecting a random number between zero and 360 degrees. PROPOSED VEGETATION SAMPLING METHODS. Plant Cover. According to Permit Page 2.05.4 -26, plant cover will be measured utilizing "total herbaceous vegetative cover" which will be measured by a "point intercept method." with transects typically being 50 meters in length. However, the approved Permit also states that "vegetation monitoring will involve the use of similar methods to those utilized in the collection of the vegetation baseline data ... " Examination of the Baseline Vegetation Study found in Exhibit 11 Vegetation Inventory of the Permit reveals that the length of the cover transect line was 230 cm. The CDRMS has required in other revegetation sampling efforts involving significantly larger reference areas, that transect lengths of 5 or 10 meters, rather than the typical 50 meter transect length must be used. Since the Permit so clearly states that the reclamation monitoring effort "will involve the use of similar methods to those utilized in the collection of the vegetative baseline data" EFCI has the understanding that use of transect lengths less than 50 meters in length are already approved. A minimum of at least 100 data points will be collected along each cover transect. Data will be collected as first hits. , with each point be recorded as to the plant species present, whether there is litter, bare ground or rock present. The 100 data points will be summarized into a single datum for purposes of producing a transect cover value. Along each cover transect a total of 10 randomly generated intervals will be calculated in the office prior to going to the field and will be used to measure plant cover. At each random interval along the tape, a total of ten observations will be collected. On the reclaimed areas, a 50 meter transect length will typically be used and on the smaller reference area a 5 or 10 -meter transect length will be used. A 5 meter transect length is consistent for cover sampling at Rule 4.15.10(1)(a)(ii) and woody plant density sample at Rule 4.15.10(1)(c)(I) Herbaceous Production. The regulations at Rule 4.15.10(1)(b)(I) require that the "current annual growth of herbaceous, non - woody, species" be clipped on each production plot. According to Permit Page 2.05.4 -27, herbaceous production will be obtained wherein "all plant species will be clipped." Therefore, at each clip plot, the vegetation will be clipped by general plant life form categories, including perennial grasses, perennial forbs, annual grasses and annual