2015-03-31_REPORT - C1982057 (3)

Home Browse Search

SENECA II -W MINE 2014 ANNUAL RECLAMATION REPORT 2014 DISTURBANCE AREA There zero (0) additional acres disturbed during 2014. The total disturbance reported in 2013 was 1,290.2 acres. The attached 2015 Planned Reclamation map portrays the physical disturbance boundary. Historically in Colorado bond release tracking has been done using maps generated in an AutoCAD format. Similar maps were recreated over the years or existing maps were modified depending on need. This has led to an excessive accumulation of copies of the same spatial layers (bond release polygons) with data stored in maps rather than in individual layers. The Colorado Bond Release Tracking Initiative was initiated by SCC in 2014 to improve management of bond release polygon data and increase the efficiency and accuracy in the way bond release is tracked. A GIS (Geographic Information System) was developed to allow for past and present data to be kept in one updated layer. Use of GIS allows the ability to relate tabular (table/ spreadsheet) information in a spatial context and to reach conclusions about this relationship; in particular, acreages. Polygons from past maps done in AutoCAD were consolidated into one polygon layer as a base GIS shapefile. The AutoCAD generated seed maps included annual reclamation report maps, bond status maps, veg sampling maps, bond release maps, seeding maps, etc... Attribute information was created from information taken from the same maps in addition to past Annual Reclamation Reports and Bond Release Submittals. Other information came from existing staff and was added to a comments field in the attribute table. The polygons were analyzed for gaps and overlaps and new acreages were assigned to individual polygons. Once the process was complete a new disturbance area calculation was generated totaling 1,291.5 acres. A copy of the Yoast Bond Release database has been provided to the Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety (DRMS). Approval of the polygon areas and attribute data should be completed as a part of review of this report. Once approved, the master copy of the database will be kept at Seneca and edits to the database will only be made by a Seneca representative. Any updates or changes will be approved by the DRMS and an updated copy of the database will be provided by Seneca. The database will also be provided to private contractors conducting vegetation studies so that acreages and attribute information remain consistent. BACKFILLING AND GRADING There were 0 acres graded in 2014. TOPSOIL AND SPOIL MONITORING SCC is required by Permit C -82 -057 to monitor the salvage, storage, and redistribution of topsoil and spoil handling operations at the Seneca II -W Mine. In 2014 no topsoil was redistributed and no topsoil monitoring was conducted. • Topsoil Recovery Documentation There was no additional topsoil recovered during 2014.