2016-04-04_REVISION - M1993035 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Large heavy equipment (track excavators, dozers, and 6-wheel off road articulated haul trucks) will be used to contour the valley bottom and excavate a new channel alignment. Onsite material will be stockpiled and processed (sorted/screened/crushed) to produce specific materials (fine mineral soils, gravel and cobbles) used for restoration features. Processed materials will then be hauled back and placed to form new restoration features. A majority of the surface grading and new channel excavation work will be completed with groundwater and stream flows directed around active earthwork areas. However localized drainage and minor flows are anticipated within the new channel work and will be discharged through Best Management Practices (BMPs). Once the new channel is completed, flows will be introduced and the existing channel abandoned and backfilled. The new channel alignment will require installation of an open bottom culvert bridge for Tiger Road and re- alignment of a section of Muggins Gulch Road. Muggins Gulch Road will be shifted north providing adequate room for the new channel alignment. An arched open bottom culvert will be installed in Tiger Road to accommodate the new channel, replacing the current failing pipe culverts conveying stream flows through Tiger Road. Minor utilities within the existing Tiger and Muggins Gulch Road will be relocated, but remain within the road alignments. Large scale revegetation efforts will focus on developing a suitable growth medium to cap dredge spoils and the contoured land surface in order to establish native riparian and upland vegetation communities. Reclamation Goals and Objectives Summit County has embarked on a detailed and progressive approach to management and restoration of the overall, Swan Valley, the County Open Space Property and specifically for the Swan River Resource. The County has coordinated with many agencies including Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), US Forest Service (USFS) White River National Forest, Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), Blue River Watershed Group (BRWG), Trout Unlimited (TU) and other local interested individuals. The proposed reclamation restoration plan has been developed based on this coordination. In addition, the current proposed restoration reclamation approach has undergone numerous iterations to develop the most appropriate restoration project that meets project goals and objectives within limitations of M-1993-035.This process has developed an overall valley restoration plan that incorporates numerous reaches and phases as dredge spoils are managed with significant stakeholder consideration. Reclamation of the Swan River is being broken into four phases (Reaches A—D). Reaches A and B coincide with the Swan River Resource permit boundary. Please refer to attached project location map for additional detail on the restoration reaches. The attached restoration reclamation design represents the first phase (Reach A) of the future restoration within the permit boundary, as well as areas upstream of the Swan River Resource. From the planning efforts to date, the mine operators have developed generalized concept principles and guidelines for restoration activities of the entire valley and specifically the Swan River Resource.The primary project goal is to restore the channel and adjacent areas within the permit boundary, returning them to a natural and functional state. Generalized goals for the project included the following: • Create a natural, stable channel based on existing and anticipated flows and sediment loads; • Eliminate stream flow losses through the dredge spoils and maintain natural perennial stream flows; • Establish instream aquatic habitat including pools, riffles, glides, spawning and rearing areas and • promote aquatic macroinvertebrate populations; • Restore riparian and floodplain function and habitat;