Laserfiche WebLink
1991 Reclamation Activities: <br />No additional acreage was newly disturbed by mining or construction activity during the <br />1991 calendar year. Reclamation activities conducted were primarily confined to interim <br />stabilization seeding and mulching operations on topsoil piles and subsoil piles in the vicinity of the <br />West Ridge waste pile (See exhibit 7). Soil storage piles in this area saw additions of materials due <br />to the topsoil and subsoil stripping operations required to access gob for sale and shipment. Topsoil <br />piles were seeded with temporary seed mix (see mixture #6) and mulched. Subsoil piles were only <br />seeded and were left in a roughened condition to prevent erosion. <br />One additional pile located at the parking lot area (See Exhibit 6) and consisting of <br />windrowed subsoil material isolated for future reclamation purposes was seeded with temporary seed <br />mix in response to NOV 91-004. <br />1990 Reclamation Activities: <br />No additional acreage was newly disturbed by mining or construction activities during the <br />1990 calendar year. Small acreages on both the east and west ridge waste disposal areas were re - <br />disturbed to accommodate repairs to the West Ridge waste pile. <br />This report will serve as the baseline reference document for all future reclamation reports. <br />The report summarizes available information concerning the current reclamation status and <br />reclamation history of both the Orchard Valley and Orchard Valley West mine sites. <br />Reclamation History <br />An extensive reclamation project was initiated in the fall of 1977 to address the Orchard <br />Valley upper mine area, middle mine area, mine roads, and the new country road alignment near the <br />existing coal stockpile. The reader is referred to the following document for a complete discussion <br />of the details of this program: "Final Report, Reclamation, Colorado Westmoreland, Inc., Orchard <br />Valley Mine, Paonia, Colorado, January 1978, by Thorne Ecological Institute", and "History <br />Revegetation, Orchard Valley Mine, 1977-1982, April, 1983, Prepared for CWI, Orchard Valley <br />Mine, Paonia, Colorado, by Hamer and Associates." <br />Revegetation of cut and fill slopes was accomplished in 1978 on previously seeded but <br />sparsely vegetated and eroded slopes stemming from excessive water runoff caused by the lack of an <br />effective water diversion system. <br />In 1979, a diversion channel and four sedimentation ponds were constructed to divert water <br />away from the main mine facilities. Access roads to the sedimentation ponds and parking lot were <br />also constructed. The Revegetation program of 1979 addressed disturbed areas associated with these <br />facilities and encompassed approximately 12 acres of reclamation. <br />Reclamation activities in 1980 focused on revegetating lands disturbed through minor <br />construction activities conducted in 1979. The areas addressed in 1980 included the Orchard Valley <br />Mine water pipeline, exploration drill pads, and miscellaneous roadways. The majority of the <br />acreage reclaimed in 1980, approximately 3.5 acres, was associated with reclamation of the water <br />line. <br />The 1981 revegetation program encompassed minor disturbances consisting of miscellaneous <br />roadways, Steven's Gulch well field structures, and the scale house and truck scales near the truck <br />dump station. <br />17 <br />