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<br />management plan evaluates the topsoil resources and describes salvage depths and techniques, <br />storage, redistribution, and maintenance or testing procedures necessary to restore the disturbed <br />areas to the desired postmine land use. <br />Evaluation of Topsoil Resources. The soils found in the New Horizon 2 Mine permit area are typical of <br />soils found in the semi-arid Colorado Plateau Physiographic Province, Canyon Land Section. The soils <br />within the New Horizon 2 Mine disturbance area support either pastureland, hayland, or wildlife <br />habitat. Hayland soils are predominantly moderately deep (20 to 40 inches) to deep (40 to 60 <br />inches) and have developed in local alluvium and slopewash colluvium. Most of the hayland soils are <br />Ustollic Haplargids. The pastureland soils are typically shallow (10 to 20 inches) and have developed <br />in residuum from sandstone. The pastureland soils are Lithic Ustollic Calciorthids and Lithic Ustic <br />Torriorthents. Also found in the study area are Lithic Haplaquolls and Typic Haplaquolls. These <br />somewhat poorly to poorly drained soils provide wildlife habitat and occur on drainage channels, <br />swales, and low areas and have formed from streamlaid alluvium with same slopewash. <br />The best sources of topsoil material within the New Horizon 2 Mine disturbance area are the D70B <br />and 30C mapping units. These units occupy about 50 percent of the projected disturbance area. <br />Generally, those soils which have a very high percentage of coarse fragments (greater than 35 <br />percent by volume), very shallow bedrock (D to 10 inches), and shallow ground water (less than 1 to 2 <br />feet), have Tittle suitable topsoil to be salvaged. No topsoil is available to be salvaged from existing <br />roads, ponds, residences, or farmyards. <br />Topsoil Salvage Depths. The suggested salvageable depths of topsoil material presented in this <br />section are based on laboratory data and extensive field observations, and represent on the most <br />suitable sources of topsoil material. No unsuitable sources of topsoil will be salvaged and used during <br />reclamation activities. Table 2.05.4(2J(d}1 summarizes topsoil salvage depths, volumes, and <br />characteristics by map unit for the New Horizon 2 Mine disturbance area. <br />Topsoil Selvage Techniques. Before any area at the proposed New Horizon Mine 2 site other than a <br />topsoil stockpile site is signrficantly disturbed, the suitable topsoil material wilt be removed to the depth <br />spec'rfied in Table 2.05.4(2](d}1 and Map 2.04.&1. Suitable topsoil will be salvaged from all sign'rficant <br />disturbance areas including sediment ponds (includes pond area, embankment, and spillway), mining <br />actvities, haul roads, access roads, mining area (includes box cut spoil and highwall reduction area), <br />shop area, and diversion ditches. Topsoil will be removed from all cut and fill slopes. No topsoil will be { <br />salvaged from the light use roads utilized for environmental monitoring or power line corridors, except II <br />where cut and fills are required. Prior to topsoil removal, vegetation which is too large for <br />incorporation into the topsoil will be scraped away and combined with the overburden. The remaining <br />vegetation will be incorporated into the topsoil to help increase soil organic matter levels. To prevent <br />2.05.4(2J(d}6 <br />