Laserfiche WebLink
Throughout the PSCM permit document, it is stated that operations are conducted in a manner <br />that minimizes or avoids environmental impacts. The straw bale placement and methods <br />demonstrate that commitment and it is believed that it is consistent with the permit and COE <br />requirements. The bales were staged during snow pack using snow mobiles and sleds and then <br />were physically moved and placed by hand using innovative low impact techniques. This was <br />done before the active growing season and before the higher snow -melt runoff. The very rapid <br />change in conditions that resulted in quick snow melt and the subsequent start of spring run-off <br />dictated that rapid action to place the bales was needed. Disturbance was minimal, if any, and <br />was reduced to that of foot traffic only. <br />This project has diverted a portion of the flow of water from the central channel portion of the <br />wetland and distributed the flow over a much larger area of the designated wetland. The <br />redirected water will be distributed entirely within the wetland system and encourages a more <br />effective movement of water through a larger portion of it. Lateral movement of the water from <br />these outlying drier phase wetland areas will flow towards the channel area and the tributary <br />flow pattern of the system to Grassy Creek. <br />Additional enhancement activities to the wetland are planned in the future. These activities <br />include seeding and planting of adapted and characteristic wetland species within select portions <br />of the wetland where water distribution and enhancement has occurred or where the current <br />wetland vegetation could be enhanced. The seeding and planting plan will be developed in <br />consultation with the CDRMS and COE. <br />An additional benefit of the enhanced wetland is passive treatment of discharges to protect the <br />hydrologic balance outside of the permit area. The CDRMS rules (Section 4.05.2 (1)) allow for <br />other treatment facilities or systems at surface coal mines to achieve compliance with the rules <br />for protecting the hydrologic balance while providing an additional measure of potential water <br />treatment to protect the hydrologic balance outside of the permit boundary during and following <br />mining. The enhanced wetland below Pond 002 will aid in meeting this requirement. <br />PSCM Permit App. 2.04-147A Revision 12/17/09 <br />