2021-01-14_PERMIT FILE - C1981019A (3)

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RULE 2 PERMITS to progress in these areas over long-term time horizons. In wildlife habitat (sagebrush steppe) targeted areas (flatter areas with less than 10% slopes), topsoil replacement depth will target an average of four inches, with a more uniform application depth to encourage proper seeding depth and conditions for sagebrush establishment.To encourage snow capture and increase spring soil moisture, reclamation techniques will attempt to take advantage of site-specific opportunities for the development of convex and concave surfaces along with the potential development of small berms along the contour and approximately perpendicular to prevailing winds. General Topsoil Handling Procedures Colowyo will ensure proper topsoil resource management through various quality assurance and control procedures. Procedures utilized to account for topsoil volumes include an annual analysis of the topsoil balance, accounting for volumes in stockpiles, current and following year's reclamation areas, the total disturbance area, and the results of topsoil stripping activities each year. Detailed soil maps for the permit area assist operations and guide management in preparation and scheduling for topsoil salvage activities. Topsoil resources are generally segregated by area (East Pit,West Pit, Section 16, South Taylor Area, facilities, Gossard Loadout, etc.),to ensure that these resources are reapplied to the general areas from which they came. During topsoil removal in advancement of the mining operations, dozers will be utilized to pile up the topsoil so it can be loaded and hauled to stockpile or immediately to a reclamation area. Scrapers may also be employed for topsoil removal as deemed appropraiote. Topsoil salvage is guided by the existing soil maps and resources available to Colowyo personnel. Topsoil salvage is avoided during times of soil saturation, as a best management practice to avoid overly compacting the soil. Topsoil stockpiles are revegetated as soon as is practicable to prevent losses from wind and water erosion. Stockpiles are seeded with a mix of native reclamation species to stabilize the stockpile. All stockpiles are properly labeled as topsoil to avoid mishandling, and detailed as- built information is collected to accurately calculate stockpile volumes as a quality control procedure. All topsoil stockpiles are protected with a ditch and berm around their perimeter to conserve the resource. When topsoil is to be reapplied following stockpiling, topsoil is normally loaded from stockpile with loaders and trucks, and then hauled to the backfill reclamation areas, where it is dumped and graded for final placement. Topsoil hauled in trucks will be dumped strategically to minimize handling and disturbance, and then pushed out with dozers and/or scrapers until spread to the appropriate locations and depths. Reapplied topsoil will be graded in a manner that maintains surface roughness to help minimize sheet flow and erosion while also creating microtopography to assist vegetative diversity on the reclamation. On steeper slopes (typically greater than 10% slope) Colowyo will also employ the use of contour furrows and cross ripping following topsoil laydown to create slope breaks and increase surface roughness on otherwise long and straight slopes. At the discreation of Colowyo, native soil, collected from the local ecosystems, will be used to Rule 2 Permits 2.05-19 Revision Date: 10/27/20 Revision No.: TR-143