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• CMLRB -Exhibit I <br />Soil Information <br />Page 3 <br />Otero soils are coarse loamy, mixed (calcareous), mesic Ustic Torriorthents, deep and <br />well rained, formed on terraces, rolling uplands, and valley slopes in loamy alluvium and <br />wind-laid materials. Typically, the surface layer is a strongly calcareous brown sandy loam <br />about 6 inches thick. The subsoil is a pale brown sandy loam about 6 inches thick. The <br />substratum material is a strongly calcareous light yellowish brown sandy loam, extending to a <br />depth of 60 inches or more, with lime concretions in the upper parts. <br />Valmont soils are clayey over loamy-skeletel, montmorillonitic, mesic Aridic Argiustolls, deep <br />and well-drained, formed on old, high terraces in wbbly and gravelly loamy alluvium. The <br />surface layer is a grayish brown light clay loam, with varying aomounts of gravel and cobbles, <br />about 4 inches thick. An upper subsoil layer of brown clay loam about 3 inches thick overlies <br />a middle subsoil layer of brown light clay about 13 inches thick. The lower subsoil is a <br />calcareous light brown gravelly clay loam about 4 inches thick. Below this, a layer of <br />pinkish-white and light brown very gravelly loam extends to a depth of 60 inches or more. <br />• Impacts on Soils and Ve lion <br />The vegetation of the Dowe Flats azea that will be disturbed by the proposed mining operation <br />is largely agricultural, either currently in cultivation, or having previously been plowed and <br />planted to European or Asian forage species. What remains from the native vegetational cover <br />is present on the approximately 75 acre crest and upper slopes of "Limestone Ridge". This area <br />has a substantial array of native plant species, though none considered rare, threatened or <br />endangered. <br />During the course of mining, the vegetation of the site will be removed, so that the existing <br />value it has as an agricultural resource and as wildlife habitat will be absent. Upon regrading <br />and the onset of reclamation, vegetation will be restored to the site that will comprise far more <br />diverse biological communities, occurring in more diverse topographic settings than exists <br />presently, limited as they aze by the present homogeneous, nearly flat topography and a history <br />of biological simplification for the purpose of improved agricultural utility. <br />Soils of the site are not suitable for cultivation due to erosion hazard and slow permeability; <br />nonetheless they have been cultivated historically, and have suffered some degradation of surface <br />• horizon thickness as a consequence. The highest use of these soils is in support of a cover of <br />perennial vegetation, whether for support of livestock grazing, or wildlife habitat, or both. <br />