Laserfiche WebLink
to be mapped. Preliminary soil map unit boundaries, based on obvious variations in topography, • <br />landform, slope, aspect, vegetation, and geology, were drawn on the air photos to guide field <br />mapping activities. <br />3.2 Soil Mapping (Order 1) <br />Jim Nyenhuis, an ARCPACS certified professional soil scientisUsoil classifier (ARCPACS# 2753), <br />mapped soils at the Order 1 level of intensity for all of the 2,960.2 acres of the project study area <br />(2,778.1 acres of the proposed mine permit area and an additional 182.1 acres of the haul road <br />corridor), as depicted on the soil survey maps. Soil map units were delineated on 1"=400' scale <br />topographic and photo base maps (dated 7-1-89 and 10-10-92) of the Yoast area supplied by <br />PWCC. <br />One purpose of the survey is to provide PWCC and SCC with a detailed soils map of the study <br />area that can be used for determination of soil salvageability. Therefore, site-specific <br />characteristics of the soils that may influence soil suitability, salvage, stockpiling, and <br />redistribution were emphasized. <br />Upon initiation of soils field work, each preliminary map unit delineation was investigated on the <br />ground. Within each unit, traverses andlor transects were walked to determine overall map unit <br />characteristics and to refine delineation boundaries. All soil auger hole locations received a brief • <br />soil pedon description. In addition, a selection was made of a representative pedon <br />description(s) and soil sampling location(s) characteristic of the dominant soil, or soils, of the <br />unit(s). These sites were characterized and sampled in detail as described in the following <br />section. <br />All auger hole pedon descriptions, including brief descriptions at all auger hole locations utilized <br />in mapping, and the more detailed descriptions completed at soil sampling sites, were numbered <br />in sequence, and located on the base maps. The numbers on the map correlate with the <br />associated soil pedon field survey notes. <br />All map units were site-specific and representative of the survey area. Map units were described <br />and delineated according to the following specifications: <br />• If soils were dissimilar (i.e., highly contrasting in physical and/or chemical <br />properties and/or thickness of suitable soil), consociations of a minimum size of <br />1.0 acre were delineated. <br />• If soils were similar (i.e., lowly contrasting in physical and/or chemical properties <br />and/or thickness of suitable soil), consociations of a minimum size of 2.0 acres <br />were delineated. <br /> <br />8 <br />