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<br />locations due [o their differing amounts of past disturbance. Site specific reclamation plans will <br />be developed for the Parachute Facility well in advance of final closure. However, preparing <br />such a plan a[ this time is premature. For instance, future disturbances may create <br />opportunities to salvage additional soil materials for topdressing previously disturbed areas <br />where soil was not stockpiled. Also. since the minimum Yankee Gulch Project life is estimated <br />to be thirty years, it is impossible to determine what the adjacent postmining land uses will be <br />and how best to reclaim the facilities area to enhance adjacent property values and to <br />compliment their uses. When the reclamation plan is prepared it will follow the general <br />sequence detailed above. <br />The reclamation of the Piceance Site facility will proceed similarly to that previously described. <br />The main differences will be tha[ the scale of disturbance will be much smaller, and unlike the <br />Well Field mine panels, this facility area will be permanent and it will not periodically relocate <br />across the project surface. [t is anticipated that the evaporation pond at the Piceance facility will <br />be reclaimed using one of two potential methods. The residual in the bottom of the pond <br />would be tested at closure. Depending upon their nature these materials would then either be <br />hauled to a landfill for disposal (including the Iinerl or the liner would be ripped, the site <br />covered and revegetated. <br />x.1.1 Backfilling and Grading <br />Grading operations will return areas to approximate original topography to tale extent this is <br />physically and operationally possible. Fill materials will be graded back into cuts. The <br />interface between undisturbed and disturbed areas will be feathered to create a smooth <br />transition to the extent this is possible. Grading will establish positive drainage and provide <br />adequate reconswcted channels to ensure that runoff is safely passed though and off of the <br />disturbed area (see Section 3.0). Roads. access routes and other :tress that are excessively <br />compacted will be ripped or otherwise loosened to promote plant growth. The graded surface <br />will be scarified and rouehened to avoid the creation of slippage planes between the subsoil and <br />topdressing materials. Terraces and other erosion and sediment control structures that require <br />placement and cons ruction will be constructed during grading operations and prior to soil <br />reeonswction. To the fullest extent physically possible, final surtiace manipulations during <br />grading operations will proceed along the contour in an effort to minimize features that might <br />promote surface or subsurface erosion or instability t Figure 13). <br />5.1.2 Soil Reconstruction <br />Soil reconstruction involves the redistributron and selective placement of soil reeonswction <br />materials. the application of materials or pertormance of practices that promote surface <br />stabilization, and the analysis of soil fertility and timely application of appropriate soil <br />amendments that promote the establishment and growth of a pettnanent. diverse vegetation <br />community capable of supporting the pos[mining land use. After final backtilling and grading <br />has recontoured a site to its final topography. soil reeonswction materials will be distributed. <br />Soils used in reeonswction will be direct hauled from salvage areas and immediately <br />redistributed or "live handled" whenever this is physically possible. Livehandling provides a <br />number of benefits including maximizing the potential for volunteer growth from residua! pion[ <br />materials and the retention of viable soil microbial populations. Live handling also rnittimius <br />soil handling and reduces soil management costs. <br />Reconswcted soil thickness for a given area will be determined by the original volume of <br />suitable soil available for salvage, the type of reeonswction material used and the growth <br />requirements of the vegetation community to be established. Normally, deeper soils with better <br />American Soda. L.L.P. 5-2 <br />Soil Conservation. PAS10n and Sediment <br />(:onwl. Rclamu~on and ReveBeurion Plan <br />October 28. 1998 <br />Revised Apnl 9. 1999 <br />