ESCO Associates
is a small firm specializing in technical work relating to plant ecology.
Specific work is typically in the areas of quantitative vegetation measurements
in baseline surveys or in monitoring of reclaimed areas, rare species
surveys, and wetland delineation and mitigation design. Such work has
been conducted in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana,
California, and Texas. ESCO has extensive experience in quantitative
sampling of vegetation especially for the establishment of databases to
be used in answering questions. For example, restoration adequacy, vegetation
stability, and potential effects of pollutants or other toxic materials.
We have strong expertise in plant taxonomy, experience in study design,
determining the strengths and weaknesses of different quantitative methods,
careful quality control, and the capacity to cost-effectively conduct
the required work under varying site conditions.
Included below are brief descriptions of examples of ESCO work in the
categories listed:
Coal Mine Revegetation
Success Assessment
Peabody Black Mesa/Kayenta Mine Complex - From 1992 through 2002, ESCO
has conducted quantitative studies of revegetated areas at this large
coal mining complex in Navajo County, Arizona, assessing percent plant
cover, biomass production, woody plant density, and species diversity.
ESCO has also assisted in the field collection of plant samples for the
purpose of selenium analysis at these sites. Baseline studies have also
been completed by ESCO.
Seneca Coal Company Seneca II and II-W Mines - From 1987 through 2002, ESCO has conducted quantitative studies of revegetated areas at these coal mines in Routt County, Colorado, assessing percent plant cover, biomass production, woody plant density, and species diversity. ESCO has delineated wetlands and completed vegetation baseline studies for these mines.
Big Sky Coal Company - Big Sky Mine - From 1993 through 2002, ESCO has conducted quantitative studies of revegetated areas at this coal mine in Rosebud County, Montana, assessing percent plant cover, biomass production, woody plant density, and species diversity. ESCO has completed a pre-bond release overview inventory to be used in discussions with MDEQ.
RAG Coal Company - From 1995 through 2002, ESCO has conducted revegetation monitoring at the Belle Ayr Mine in Campbell County, Wyoming for the purpose of assessing percent plant cover, biomass production, and species diversity. Wetland monitoring and assessment work has also been completed by ESCO.
Wetland Delineation
Rocky Mountain Arsenal - In 1999, ESCO surveyed approximately 26 square
miles of wetlands within the Rocky Mountain Arsenal (RMA). RMA is a CERCLA
site in Commerce City in western Adams County, Colorado. Wetlands were
delineated using the 1987 COE Delineation Manual criteria and the 1998
USDA and NRCS Field Indicatiors of Hydric Soils in the United States.
Guanella Pass Road Improvement Project (FHWA) - In 1995 and 1996, ESCO surveyed an area 200 feet to either side of the existing road and to either side of the centerline of proposed realignments along the 24 mile length of the road for the presence of wetlands. Wetlands were delineated using the 1987 COE Delineation Manual criteria.
Cottonwood Pass / Taylor River Road Improvement Project (FHWA) - In 1996, ESCO surveyed areas to either side of the existing road and to either side of the centerline of proposed realignments along the 30 mile length of the road for the presence of wetlands. Wetlands were delineated using the 1987 COE Delineation Manual criteria.
Other Clean Water
Act, Section 404 Experience
Beyond the delineation of wetlands at the "front" end of the
404 process, ESCO has worked with both design and construction of mitigation
wetlands and the quantitative and qualitative monitoring of wetlands constructed
as a result of Section 404 regulations.
Boulder Reservoir Wetland Design and Construction - 11 ac. of wetland restoration was undertaken in compensation for expected impacts of the expansion of Boulder Reservoir in Boulder Co., Colorado. ESCO designed the project and oversaw the earthwork and seeding of this very successful project.
Galleria Wetland Monitoring - ESCO designed and conducted quantitative monitoring of the Galleria Metropolitan District mitigation wetlands near Cherry Creek Reservoir in Englewood, CO during the period of 1994 through 1995, until the area was released from liability by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Colorado Centre Metropolitan District Mitigation Wetlands - ESCO designed and conducted planting of 12 ac. of wetlands in El Paso County, CO in a flood water detention structure. Until financial demise of the developer, monitoring was also undertaken on this project.
Surveys for Rare
Plant Species
Surveys for Well-Pad Sites in the Piceance Basin in Rio Blanco County
- 2001 and 2002, ESCO surveyed the proposed project area for occurrence
of federally listed, BLM sensitive, and other rare plants.These searches
included Dudley Bluffs bladderpod (Lesquerella congesta), Piceance
twinpod (Physaria obcordata), in addition to several other state
rare and BLM sensitive species such as Piceance bladderpod (Lesquerella
parviflora).
Guanella Pass Road Improvement Project (FHWA) - In 1995 and 1996, ESCO surveyed an area 200 feet to either side of the existing road and to either side of the centerline of proposed realignments along the 24 mile length of the road for the presence of Federally listed, US Forest Service Sensitive, or Colorado Natural Heritage Inventory-listed rare or imperiled plant species.
Cottonwood Pass / Taylor River Road Improvement Project (FHWA) - In 1996, ESCO surveyed areas to either side of the existing road and to either side of the centerline of proposed realignments along the 30 mile length of the road for the presence of Federally listed, US Forest Service Sensitive, or Colorado Natural Heritage Inventory-listed rare or imperiled plant species.
Surveys for Ute Ladie's-tresses Orchid (Spiranthes diluvialis) - Over the period since its listing as threatened by USFWS in 1991, ESCO has conducted numerous field searches for this plant in areas of El Paso, Jefferson, Boulder, Larimer, and Weld Counties in Colorado and in Campbell Co., Wyoming. Some of these searches have included other sensitive species such as the Colorado butterfly weed (Gaura neomexicana ssp. coloradensis).
Copper Mine Reclamation
Assessment
BHP (Magma) Nevada, Robinson Project - In 1995 and 1996, ESCO performed
several studies related to revegetation of disurbances associated with
this long-term copper mining area in White Pine County, Nevada. Natural
plant succession on waste rock piles as old as 70 years was examined and
related to soil conditions. In another study, test plots assessing varying
revegetation methods and materials were quantitatively examined and compared.
Yet another study assessed the effects of an inadvertant release of copper
tailing on
native sagebrush community on plant comunity composition and the metal
content of plants were compared to undisturbed areas.
BHP (Magma) Pinto Valley Mining Division - In 1996, ESCO assisted BHP Pinto Valley in Pinal County, Arizona in establishing permanent sample sites for the quantitative assessment of revegetation of copper tailing sites. Soils information from many of these sites is also being reviewed for the purpose of interpreting revegetation results and assessing appropriate levels of cover to achieve desired erosion control on the tailing sites at Pinto Valley.
Riparian Inventory
ESCO Associates was the vegetation subcontractor for a "Greenline"
survey of portions of the San Rafael and Price River drainages in East-central
Utah. This work used the BLM-developed method to ascertain "functional
condition" of riparian ecosystems of the study area. It combined
quantitative and qualitative data collection and the challenging logistics
of accessing remote stream reaches.