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3.0 <br />• 3.5.1 Soil pH <br />The pH for all soil samples was near-neutral and ranged from 7.7 to 7.9. The State of Wyoming <br />Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) has established criteria for evaluating whether <br />overburden material is considered suitable for use as topsoil material (WDEQ 1984). These criteria, <br />shown in Table 13, can be used as guidelines to assess whether a material has the potential to <br />support vegetation based on its physical and chemical properties. According to the WDEQ criteria, <br />soils having a pH ranging from 5.5 to 8.5 are generally considered suitable. All soil samples <br />analyzed as part of this study have a suitable pH levels. <br />3.5.2 Soluble Salts <br />Soluble salts aze measured by the electrical conductivity of a soil extract, and aze reported in <br />mmhos/cm. Soils having electrical conductivities ranging from 0 to 8 mmhos/cm are considered to <br />be acceptable by WDEQ. The electrical conductivity of soils collected from the Survey Area ranged <br />from 0.4 to 1.1 mmhos/cm. As a result, all soil samples analyzed were found to have suitable <br />soluble sail levels. <br />3.5.3 Organic Matter <br />Organic matter provides soil nutrients, contributes to cation exchange capacity, and improves soil <br />• structure. Organic matter can be calculated as a percent of total soil. Organic matter values for soils <br />ranged from 1.8 percent to 3.5 percent. Organic matter concentrations below 1 percent are <br />considered to be low. <br />3.5.4 Nitrogen <br />Nitrogen is typically measured as nitrogen as nitrate (N03-N). Nitrogen as nitrate is soluble in water, <br />and is readily available for plant uptake. Concentrations ofN03-N in soil samples ranged from 2.~ <br />parts per million (ppm) to 10.7 ppm. Concentrations of N03-N greater than 12 ppm aze generally <br />considered to be suitable. As a result, all soil samples were found to have low concentrations of <br />nitrogen. <br />Based on the analytical results, fertilizer recommendations were developed for future reclamation <br />programs (Table 12). A nitrogen application rate of 20 to 40 pounds (lbs) of nitrogen/acre is <br />recommended for soils having similar properties to those samples collected from the Strrvey Area. <br />Application of an organic source ofnitrogen is recommended because it will slowly release nitrogen <br />• to soil and because it will also add organic matter to the surface soil layer. <br />3.5.5 Phosphorus <br />Phosphorus concentrations in soil samples ranged from 2.2 ppm to 3.5 ppm. Concentrations of <br />phosphorus between 0 and 3 are considered to be low and concentrations ranging from 3.1 to 5.0 are <br />considered to be mazginal. As a result, most soil samples were found to have low concentrations of <br />RevegetntionSurveyReport-RPr(626pterl.dodS<ptcmber b, 2001 t3 <br />