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<br />Williams Fork Mines Prepared by: R. Reilley M.S. GISP <br />C1981044 5 November 2018 <br /> <br /> <br /> 26 <br />mining operation shall not be adversely affected; and 3) that the operation's reclamation plan <br />provides for the reestablishment of the appropriate vegetation. Locations of these structures <br />were shown on Permit Map 26. Stream buffer exemption signs have been posted at appropriate <br />locations. <br /> <br /> <br />III. Topsoil <br /> <br />Baseline soils information is presented in Section 2.04 and Exhibits 12 and 13 of the permit <br />application. Maps 19 and 19a show the locations of the soil mapping units. The topsoil handling <br />and management plan is given in Section 2.05.3 of the permit application. Final reclamation <br />plans, including soils information, are given for the Williams Fork Strip Pit in Exhibit 24. <br />Topsoil stockpile locations are shown on the structures and renewable resources map (Map 25). <br />These locations are verbally described on Tables 58 through 62. <br /> <br />The permit area has had a long history of surface and underground mining resulting in many <br />areas of disturbance where no topsoil was salvaged. In other areas, subsoil and topsoil have been <br />stripped and stockpiled. Some limited areas may be disturbed in the future; in these areas, the <br />suitable soil will be stripped and stockpiled. The majority of the soils which have been salvaged <br />or will be salvaged in the future vary in texture from clay or silty loams to sandy loams. Most of <br />the soils tested were silty clay loams. Most soil material which has been or remains to be <br />stripped is rated as fair, with the major limiting factor being the somewhat high clay content. <br />Effective rooting depth varies from 20 to 60 inches, with the most productive soils found in the <br />bottomland areas. Soil reaction is neutral to slightly alkaline, with the exception of small <br />scattered sodic substrata. These small isolated areas probably formed in place from weathered <br />sodic shales. <br /> <br />In the areas where topsoil is available for replacement, the replacement depth will vary from 6 to <br />18 inches (Permit Tables 58 through 62). The material is suitable for seedbed material. Because <br />of the lack of available topsoil in some of the previously disturbed areas, the utilization of <br />overburden material as a plant growth medium has been approved. These areas include the No. <br />5A Portal area and portions of the old shop, temporary office and some other areas of the No. 5A <br />Portal area (see Table 59 in the permit application). <br />Stipulation No. 2 was formerly attached to the permit. It required the operator to submit results <br />of overburden sampling to the Division for overburden proposed for use as plant growth media. <br />The former operator, BTU EC, satisfied this stipulation with submission of the required <br />information in Technical Revision No. 8 in October 1987. <br /> <br />A. The Division has waived the requirement for clearing of vegetation cover prior to <br />topsoil removal. The applicant has demonstrated that inclusion of vegetation cover in salvaged <br />topsoil is necessary or desirable to ensure soil productivity consistent with the post-mining land <br />use (4.06.2(1)). Large shrubs and woody plant species will be removed prior to topsoil salvage. <br />Generally, no effort will be made to remove grasses, forbs, and smaller shrubs and woody plants <br />prior to recovery. The Division has approved incorporation of this vegetative material into the <br />topsoil because it helps provide mulch material within the replaced topsoil and provides a source