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1 <br />J <br />III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE <br />Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made <br />during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the <br />inspection and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action. <br />This was a phase II bond release inspection of the Chimney Rock Coal Mine <br />The site was wet from recent rain/snow storms (see attached precipitation report) <br />The contour ditches on the backfilled slopes appear to be stable. Gopher burrowing activity in <br />these furrows appears to be decreasing although there are a few rills, on the east side of the <br />east pit area, caused by these burrows. The contour furrows are nearly silted in so they no <br />longer collect water, causing concentrated flows to channel through the gopher burrows. This <br />appears to be the reason for decreased "blowout" of the furrows by precipitation events. <br />Vegetative cover on the furrows is not as successful as cover on the adjacent slopes. Past <br />maintenance of the furrows has routinely torn up the vegetation establishment on them. The <br />operator is encouraged to reseed the furrows, to help increase the stabilizing vegetative cover on <br />them. The furrdws do not appear to be necessary for future erosion control now that the slopes <br />have been stabilized with vegetation. The furrows should no longer need to be disturbed, <br />except for minor rill repairs. Therefore, the timing is right for final seeding of these furrows. <br />The permanent terrace across the Revision 1 Area is in the same condition as the contour <br />furrows and should be reseeded as well. Additional topsoil may need to be reapplied to portions <br />of this terrace to enhance the chances for revegetative success. <br />Some minor patches of bare ground exist on site. Generally, these patches coincide with areas <br />sprayed in the past for Russian knapweed. The operator is encouraged turn the soil over on <br />these patches and reseed them. <br />Noxious weeds existing on site are minimal. Some thistle was observed in minor amounts <br />Species diversity appears to be adequate sitewide. The warm and cool season grass <br />components and the perennial forb component were observed in all areas of the reclaimed site, <br />even in those areas where the phase II sampling did not "hit" any of these species. <br />Topsoil depth verification was conducted over the various areas of this site during previous <br />inspections. The topsoil replacement depth was determined to be adequate. <br />Some sediment deposition was noted in the sediment ponds. The sediment source appears to <br />be erosion of the ditches and not the reclaimed areas. It appears that reclamation of the ditches <br />and sediment ponds will effectively stop erosion by removing any areas which concentrate flows <br />on anon-vegetated area. The site appears to be stabilized by existing vegetation and appears <br />(visually) to meet the requirements for phase II bond release. However, hydrologic reports and <br />the phase II vegetation sampling data will need to be reviewed and analyzed to verify <br />reclamation success. <br />This report was not filled out on site during the inspection. The inspector needed to review the <br />content of portions of the reclamation plan, at the office, prior to report completion. <br />