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Section 780.21(c) Continued. <br />After the topsoil has been replaced on disturbed areas and until the <br />soil is stabilized by new plant growth, runoff will continue to be <br />somewhat higher than normal, due to the lower infiltration rates of <br />reclaimed soils (Lusky and Toy, 1976, and Gilley, 1977). This effect <br />will be mitigated through the use of contour furrowing, mulching, and <br />land configuration techniques as described in Section 780.21 and <br />780.18. The precipitation which falls on reclaimed lands will be <br />retained as much as possible within the reseeded areas. <br />Sediment Load <br />Increased runoff and accompanying erosion during operations will <br />result in higher total suspended solids concentrations in runoff from <br />the disturbed and reclaimed areas. Data generated by Lusky and Toy <br />(1976) and Gilley (1977) indicate that sediment yield from newly <br />reclaimed areas can be several times that of undisturbed areas. The <br />reasons given for higher sediment yield from newly reclaimed sites <br />are more runoff, greater percent slope, greater clay content in <br />topsoil, less vegetative cover and less root density. However, both <br />sources mention that these problems are rectified with time as the <br />reseeded areas develop with plant root growth and as the fresh <br />topsoil becomes settled and stabilized. <br />Displacement of pit water accumulations as pits are backfilled any <br />result in suspension of solids in ponded water and pumping or gravity <br />discharge will result in some re-suspension of fine colloidal <br />materials. Suspended solids in pit water discharge will be <br />controlled by settling basins, sediment fences, straw bales, <br />flocculents and other measures used individually or in combination. <br />The effluent limitation on total suspended solids is set at 30 mg/1 <br />by Kerr's NPDES Permits. This effluent limitation will have the <br />effect of requiring Kerr Coal's mining operations to release water <br />which is actually lower in sediment load than natural baseline <br />levels. This condition may, in turn, have the effect of causing <br />C:...1830TA10.REV <br />09/02193 Som 780.124R Revised September 1993 <br />