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reclaimed area is routed through ditches into this pond. The inspection confirmed the <br />existence of all of these drainage and sediment control features and confirmed that they <br />were functioning properly. The berms) around the reclaimed area should keep <br />undisturbed runoff from reaching the disturbed area and disturbed runoff from reaching <br />the undisturbed areas. It appears that the Loadout has been graded so that all of the <br />disturbed runoff will end up in the sediment pond. There was water in the irrigation ditch <br />on the Southwest side of the loadout (going into the sediment pond). There were no <br />erosion problems noted at the reclaimed Loadout. The drainage and sediment controls <br />meet [he requirements of Rule 3.03.1(2)(a) For Phase I Bond Release. <br />Summary and Conclusion -Based upon a review of the mine permit and approved <br />reclamation plan, the bond release application and the site inspection, the Division finds <br />that KCC has successfully completed backfilling, grading and drainage <br />control/reestablishment at the loadout. <br />Phase II Bond Release for the 720 Pit <br />The Operator is requesting a 25%o ($904,674.00) Phase II Bond Release for the 720 pit. <br />The total estimated cost for reclamation of the 720 pit was $3,618,694.00. The <br />backfilling and regrading was completed in 1993 and the reseeding was completed in <br />1995. The criteria that need to be met for a Phase II Bond Release are topsoil <br />replacement, vegetative cover and hydrologic reclamation (sedimentation). <br />Topsoil Replacement -The permit requires that a minimum of six inches of topsoil be <br />replaced on the reclaimed 720 Pit. The Operator did not provide any data on topsoil <br />replacement in the Bond Release Application so the Division took several field <br />measurements. A total of six holes were dug to measure the topsoil replacement depth. <br />The depths ranged from seven inches to eleven inches with an average depth of 9.7 <br />inches. The first two of these holes were about 500 feet West of Pond A with depths of <br />10 and 11.5 inches; the second two holes were about 1000 feet North (of the first two <br />holes), both having depths of 11 inches; the third two holes were about 300 feet North of <br />drainage PD2 and 250 feet East of the edge of the highwall with depths of seven inches <br />and 7.5 inches. The field measurements of the topsoil replacement depths confirmed [hat <br />the topsoil was replaced in accordance with the permit requirements. Field <br />measurements were also taken in July 1996 (see 3 July 1996 inspection report) with a <br />range from 5-14 inches and an average topsoil depth of nine inches. The two sets of <br />topsoil depth measurements are in agreement. <br />Establishment of Vegetation - To evaluate establishment of vegetation, the Division <br />requires a statistically adequate sample of vegetation cover collected during a single year <br />from each reclaimed area and each reference area. Vegetation establishment is <br />considered acceptable if the cover of the revegetated area is at least 90 percent of the <br />cover from the reference area or other standard with 90 percent statistical confidence. <br />Species composition is evaluated using the relative cover of each species to determine <br />whether the revegetation exhibits seasonality and species composition supportive of the <br />post mining land use. Planting or seeding of woody species is to have been completed in <br />Marc Mine SL-02 4 <br />