2018-05-30_REVISION - M1983035 (3)

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Uplands (very compacted): These areas are, without question,the most troublesome surface type on the site. Years of compaction from heavy equipment has prevented the development of much vegetation and, in some areas, no vegetation. The soils are so tight that water penetration is extremely limited and plant roots are unable to penetrate the hard soils or even acquire enough water to survive. The result is that these soils exhibit a sheet erosion with some rilling where the water flows into more definite streams during and after thunderstorms. That eroded material is then deposited where vegetation is trying to develop. This buries the bases of the plants with a granular, abrasive sediment that has no real nutrient value and when it dries out tends to seal the surface of the soil making life difficult. Thus,the reclamation of these areas requires breaking up the tight surface layers and covering with soil that can actually grow something that will reduce the erosional loss. If this is done,the beneficial effects elsewhere will be great. It is the same principle used in wetland rehabilitation where surrounding uplands are degraded. If one takes care of the uplands the wetlands will take care of themselves because burial with sediment is one of the greatest factors in the degradation of wetlands. Northwestern Basin: This shallow basin in the northwestern corner of the pit floor is somewhat problematic. Here is located the remains of the scale house,the scale footings, some small concrete pads, and a water well. The structures could be removed,the well head extended upward with a pipe extension and the whole area backfilied. Or the floor of the basin could simply be cleaned up, topsoiled and revegetated. The problem is,the basin has walls on the north and west that are up to about 40'to 45'high and slopes that probably should not even be standing except that the bottom of the slope is composed of the semi-lithified remains of the material that was mined and is holding up the steep soil and overburden cap. Some of those friable, semi-lithified sandstone faces are heavily eroded and nearly vertical. Those must be corrected and their correction basically dictates what will happen in the basin. In short, it will all be corrected with a combination of backfilling and surface loosening followed by using the visual berm material adjacent to the basin to topdress the area. Conclusion to this Section of the Plan: In general, the South Berm, except for its eastern end adjacent to the mined land, is in good condition and requires little if any additional work. In fact, except for the eastern end, it might be a better idea to simply leave the South Berm alone as it has been there for 33 years and has shown no problems in the way of instability. Trying to make it a little better,might actually inflict more damage than the problem of configuration presents. Nevertheless, a minimal treatment will be recommended if it is determined that some corrections are needed. Vollmer Pit Technical Revision June 2018 Updated Reclamation Plan Page 7 of 26