PERMFILE71712

• Permit No: C1980001
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 4/22/2003
• Section_Exhibit Name: 4.3 Topsoil Management
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

• 3) Nutrient Conservation-The organic material incorporated into the
soil represents a large nutrient pool that will be released slowly
over time as incorporated materials decompose;
9) Erosion Resistance-The erodibility of the soil is improved through
the addition of plant materials;
5) Woody Plant Establishment-The potential for woody plant
establishment is increased through retention of more woody
material in salvaged materials.
Therefore, the Rotoclear method was used preferentially, based on equipment
availability and field conditions.
When it was necessary to prepare topsoils for salvage and the
Rotoclear method was unavailable, the bulldozer clearing method was
employed. In the second method bulldozers bladed the area as close to the
surface as possible, while limiting disturbance to the soil to the extent
physically and operationally possible. Most of the woody vegetation was
removed to increase scraper efficiency. The cleared brush was disposed of
• in the abandoned pit and covered with overburden. Roots, suckers, and
seeds contained in the soil, or on the soil's surface, were generally left
in the topsoil and had the potential to establish volunteer vegetation on
reclaimed areas.
Once brushing operations were completed topsoil was salvaged using
scrapers. Caterpillar 637D scrapers were utilized for this purpose.
Generally, soil salvage operations were not conducted on excessively wet
soil or frozen ground, because to do so was operationally inefficient, had
a detrimental impact on soil structure and could unnecessarily compact the
soil. An exception to this operating preference occurred if the soil had
to be moved or else lost due to the need to disturb an area for ongoing
operations.
Topsoil was salvaged down to at least the minimum required depth.
The topsoil removal depth was normally determined by a change in soil color
which existed at the interface between the A and B soil horizons, or in the
case of some of the very shallow soils, the A horizon was underlain by
bedrock which then controlled stripping depth. As an additional guide,
topsoil profile islands were left for regulatory inspection to adequately
demonstrate that all suitable topsoil material had been salvaged.
• After the topsoil was removed it was either: 1) immediately
redistributed ("livehandled") on a graded area, 2) transported to and
Renewal-3 4.3-2 June 13, 1997