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wetland plants. Dominant species will be determined using the 50/20 rule and the COE <br />hydrophytic vegetation dominance test (COE 2008a). <br />5. At least 50% total survival cover of the tree/willow cuttings will have lived through at <br />least two consecutive growing seasons during the monitoring period and will have <br />increased average stem length by at least six inches. <br />6. The presence of no more than 5% total vegetative cover consisting of weedy species, as <br />defined by the State noxious weed list. <br />B. Hydrology <br />1 To be considered successful, monitoring wells have maintained consistent water <br />elevation within the constructed wetlands. <br />2. Primary indicators of achieving adequate water balance will be the extent of capillary <br />fringe and the condition of vegetation. <br />C. Soils <br />1. To be considered successful, the rate of soil erosion present at the site must be less than <br />or equal to that of the surrounding area. <br />2. Formation of redoximorphic soil conditions, i.e., oxidation along root channel and pore <br />spaces in capillary fringe and anaerobic reducing conditions at or below the water table, <br />will indicate successful creation of wetland conditions. <br />IV. PROPOSED MITIGATION SITE <br />A. Location and Size <br />1. The proposed mitigation site is located in the southwest corner of Elam's 215 acre <br />Bunn Ranch Gravel Pit. Elam has proposed imposing a deed restriction on an <br />approximately 11.3 acre portion of the property to allow comprehensive reclamation to <br />take place and ensure protection of the created wetlands. The proposed wetland <br />mitigation area is in a small pond within the deed restriction area. The pond is a <br />remnant of past mining operations and the current surface water area is 3.62 acres. <br />Elam has been gradually filling this pond with overburden over the past few years. The <br />original reclamation plan approved by the DRMS identifies the post mine land use for <br />the Bunn Ranch Pit, which includes the proposed mitigation site as Private Recreation <br />(fishing, picnicking and boating). Once the EPA approves this mitigation plan for the <br />construction of wetlands, a Technical Revision will be submitted to the DRMS to <br />designate the 11.3 acres of the Deed Restricted Area as constructed wetlands. This will <br />remove the 11.3 acres from a "Private Recreation" land use and designate it as <br />"Wetlands". No residential use or development of the property will be allowed. No <br />grazing of livestock within the Property will be allowed. A gated wildlife friendly <br />fence will be constructed along the east boundary and connected to existing fences to <br />restrict domestic grazing. The remaining Bunn Ranch Pit property will retain a post <br />mine land use of Private Recreation. The approximate 11.3 acres of the proposed deed <br />restriction area includes nearly 4.5 acres of riparian flood plain, over 600 feet of river <br />front and wetland fringe, and 3.5 acres of transitional wetlands and upland. This site is <br />discussed in further detail in below (subsection vii.—Site 7). <br />WestWater Engineering Page 9 of 24 July 2012 <br />