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shelves per acre on each outslope, similar to those built in 1999. Concurrent with shelf <br />construction, bands of trees were planted mid-slope at most of the outslopes. Originally, <br />this activity had been planned for each slope, however, during construction it was <br />determined that the trees would serve the goals of the project better if they were more <br />concentrated in some areas, while increasing the number of shrubs to be planted at the <br />outslopes from which the trees had been eliminated. <br />Bands of trees were planted at Mine 1 East outslope (500 trees), Mine 3 upper outslope <br />(500 trees) Mine 3 lower outslope (300 trees) and the Mine 5 fan outslope (300 trees). <br />The trees were planted in an offset pattern on a five feet spacing both horizontally and <br />vertically. This pattern was chosen in an effort to maximize the number of trees that <br />would be intercepted if a line was drawn at a random spot on the outslope, and extended <br />pazallel with the fall of the slope through the tree band. Using this approach, it is <br />assumed that the flow of water is most disrupted, and that the potential for the tree roots <br />to hold soil in place is maximized. <br />Following tree planting, shrubs were planted at the base of the outslopes in a tight pattern <br />at specific areas. The planting azeas were selected based upon the observed tendency of <br />any one area to channel runoff from the outslope. Areas that appear to carry significant <br />volumes of runoff were tazgeted for shrub planting, as these aze the conduits through <br />which sediment is moved from the site to receiving streams. The shrubs were planted on <br />a four to five feet spacing in random patterns, with caze being exercised to plant in a <br />manner that assures water will contact the maximum number of plants in its course down <br />slope. Six hundred shrubs were planted at the Mine 1 east outslope, 1,000 at the Mine 1 <br />west outslope, 1,000 at the Mine 3 upper outslope, 900 at the Mine 3 lower outslope, and <br />500 at the Mine 5 fan outslope. <br />A spring occurs at the base of the Mine 3 south outslope. The runoff from the upper and <br />lower portions of the Mine 3 outslope passes through the drainage Swale of the spring as <br />it flows toward a tributary of Dutch Creek. This Swale is an important vector for <br />sediment transport from the site. It was desirable to establish a stand of vegetation at this <br />location to act as a vegetative sediment barrier in order to slow sediment-laden runoff <br />prior to it flowing toward Dutch Creek. Straw wattles impregnated with rooted willow <br />cuttings were planted in the swale at the base of the Mine 3 lower outslope for a distance <br />of approximately eighty feet. These wattles were placed diagonally in the Swale to <br />provide as much contact area as possible, so that the flow velocities will be slowed to the <br />point that sediment readily drops out of suspension. <br />Following the preparatory work, seeding and mulching of the outslopes was <br />accomplished. The seed mixture (Table 2; 2004 Mine Bench Outslope Seed Mixture) is <br />somewhat modified from that used in 1999. In order to help provide an opportunity for <br />germination of the perennial species, a sterile wheat seed was included in the mixture. <br />The sterile wheat was included in the mixture because it tends to germinate early in the <br />spring, providing a degree of slope stabilization in order that other species can become <br />established. <br />10 <br />