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1 :' <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 inspection <br />and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action. <br />At the RSRDA borrow area, the power company had replaced a damaged pole near the perimeter of the <br />reclaimed area. The old pole had been left on site, and insulators and parts of the pole had fallen onto the <br />reclamation. Also, in one location equipment had been driven very close to the reclaimed area perimeter and <br />had impacted a collection berm associated with one of the riprapped channels. Clean-up of the power pole <br />debris and grading to repair the ruts along the perimeter of the reclamation is warranted. <br />Topsoil <br />Remaining topsoil stockpiles are properly stabilized. <br />At the north portal reclamation area, revegetation in the vicinity of the backfilled portal decline appears to have <br />been severely impacted by excessive soil salinity, as noted in previous reports. A surficial salt crust was evident <br />in the bare area at the time of the inspection. <br />Wildlife <br />Deer sign was relatively abundant in the various reclaimed areas, and both deer and elk sign was evident at the <br />North Decline area. Bighorn sheep sign was observed in the North Portal reclaimed area. <br />Reveaetation <br />The status of revegetation was not closely assessed due to the season. Please see the September and June <br />inspection reports for qualitative assessments of vegetation establishment. <br />There are high densities of tamarisk along the Colorado River, and smaller pockets of the species in the vicinity <br />of other water sources in the permit area, including UTL and South Portal sediment ponds, seeps near the South <br />Portals, the lower section of the North Decline channel, and various other locations. Tamarisk is an invasive <br />woody plant adapted to riparian zones. It is likely that there will be tamarisk invasion into the recently reclaimed <br />conveyor corridor, and into portions of the rail loop when that area is reclaimed. It is recommended that the <br />operator contact Mesa County Pest Control for tamarisk control/management recommendations, and <br />initiate a tamarisk control program on disturbed and reclaimed areas, to prevent infestations from <br />becoming established on reclaimed areas that are at risk of invasion. <br />~~ <br />