Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />PR-04, Colowyo Coal Mine C1981-019 54 August 2016 <br /> <br />On all affected lands within the permit area, Colowyo will establish a diverse, effective and <br />permanent vegetative cover that is necessary and desirable to achieve the approved postmining <br />land use of wildlife habitat and rangeland. Details of the mine's revegetation plan are discussed <br />in Section 2.05.4 of Volume 1. The permanent seed mixtures to be planted are found on Tables <br />2.05-7, 2.05-8, and 2.05-9, within the narrative of Section 2.05.4. <br /> <br />The primary seed mix (Table 2.05-7) is a diverse mix of cool season grasses, forbs, and shrubs. <br />All of the grasses and shrubs are native species; two of the eight forbs are introduced legumes <br />(Cicer milkvetch and sainfoin). Table 2.05-8 is a list of contingency substitutions, for use on a <br />case-by-case basis, if species in the primary mix are not available. Table 2.05-9 is a shrub mix, <br />to be planted in designated shrub-only planting areas. None of the species proposed for planting <br />are listed as poisonous or noxious plants. <br /> <br />CCC has submitted information which shows that the introduced species are desirable and <br />necessary to achieve the approved post-mining land uses of rangeland and wildlife habitat. The <br />introduced species make up less than 7 percent of the total mix on a seed per square foot basis, <br />and are considered desirable and necessary to provide a component of leguminous forbs. Prior to <br />2002, introduced species made up a significantly higher percentage of the primary seed mix, <br />based both on relative number of introduced species, and seeds per square foot in the mix. <br /> <br />Seeding of forbs, shrubs, and grasses will be accomplished primarily by drilling during the fall, <br />with broadcast seeding of wet or steep slopes. Small seeded species such as sagebrush are to be <br />dribbled on the surface using open drill drop tubes, when drill seeding is employed. Bare root, <br />containerized and mature stock and shrub clumps will be used to establish shrub and tree species. <br />When necessary, chemical fallowing will be used to eliminate vegetative competition, and <br />fencing will be used to eliminate animal predation. Grazing of reclaimed sites will not be <br />initiated without Division approval. <br /> <br />Inclusion of aggressive introduced grass species in the primary seed mix prior to 2002 resulted in <br />large areas dominated by a relatively small number of species, particularly smooth brome and <br />intermediate wheatgrass, with relatively low diversity and low woody plant density. TR-52 seed <br />mix changes approved in April 2002 have resulted in improvements in diversity and woody plant <br />density. <br /> <br />Additional specialized revegetation strategies have been approved to enhance vegetative <br />diversity and woody plant establishment on the reclaimed landscape. Beginning in 2010, CCC <br />conducts variable topsoil depth replacement. Topsoil replacement depth is thinnest (0-4 inches <br />deep) on the ridge tops and flatter (less than 10 percent slope) terrain. Steeper slopes will have <br />topsoil increasing from thin at the top of the slope to deeper depths down the length of the slope. <br />The approved seed mix to be planted into the variable topsoil areas reflect the planned <br />community re-establishment, sagebrush steppe, or grassland. CCC worked with the Division and