Laserfiche WebLink
Ms. Katie Fendel May 25, 1005 <br />Leonard Rice Engineers Page 3 <br />• and may adversely affect the growth of native species. The costs of these <br /> amendments should be included in the cost estimates. <br />• Erosion control methods should include hydromulching with tackifier, and use <br /> of a variety of erosion control blankets. <br />• The xeric seed mixture is generally acceptable, although it may need to be <br /> altered to be more site-specific. The xeric mixture includes big bluestem, a <br /> species that requires a iot of moisture. Also, the mix does not include many <br /> rhizomatous grasses such as western wheatgrass. Rhizomatous grasses have <br /> root systems that help stabilize steep slopes and would be especially desirous <br /> on the steep slopes of these sites. <br />• The applicant plans to seed using hydroseeding, which is not the most <br /> appropriate method for seeding dry sites. For hydroseeding to be successful, <br /> the site must have enough water to keep the seeds moist; as a general rule, <br /> hydroseeding is unsuccessful in areas receiving less than 20 inches of <br /> precipitation a year. The average precipitation in this area is between 9 and 12 <br /> inches a year. <br />• Because of the dry and steep conditions of the area, portions of the site may <br /> need to be reseeded several times, especially ifhyrdoseeding is used. <br />• Many of the upland shrub species such as mountain mahogany are difi'icuit to <br /> establish. These slow-growing species will probably require supplemental <br /> watering, protection from browsing, miccorhyzal inoculations, and other <br />• techniques to encourage successful establishment. <br />• The stated planting medium of 2 or more feet of fine materials with a very thin <br /> layer (2 to 4 inches) of topsoil may not be an adequate medium for growth of <br /> the shrubs and trees described in the plan. <br />• The reclamation cost estimates (Mazch 23, 2005) are very low for topsoil <br /> placement, grading, seeding and planting. These cost estimates are not <br /> adequate for the successful establishment of wildlife habitat. For example, a <br /> CDOT project in Black Hawk in 2000 had a seeding bid of $1,600/acre; the <br /> MM1tR quarry project reclamation plan is estimated at only $400/acre for <br /> seeding. The average bid For deciduous shrub costs for planting and <br /> installation on CDOT projects in 2000 was $21.88 per shrub, which is much <br /> higher than the $4.35 to $8.80 cost proposed for this quarry project. <br />• This reclamation plan does not address noxious weed control. Noxious weed <br /> invasion could detrimentally impact the stated goal of re-establishing the pre- <br /> existing wildlife habitat. Also, the Colorado State Noxious Weed Control Act <br /> requires weed control for particulaz species. <br />• This reclamation plan does not include monitoring to determine if wildlife <br /> habitat has been established. Success criteria should be established for <br /> percentage of native species cover establishment and native shrub survival. <br /> The site should be monitored annually to determine if the success criteria <br /> outlined in the monitoring plan has been met. Also, noxious weed species <br />• cover should be monitored, and methods for weed control should be outlined. <br /> Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment <br />