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RECLAMATION PLAN <br />erosional damage and therefore provide more protection for the future reservoir. With that area filled, flood <br />water would flow over the land rather than collect, possibly develop a swirling motion and break into the <br />main channel. So, this minor change in the original plan provides greater protection for the site than would <br />have been established if the depression was left in the plan. <br />Materials Handling -Backfilling <br />Backfilling will be done with overburden, waste, and possibly some wash fines from the processing <br />of the gravel. The preference is for most of the material being overburden. As was pointed out in <br />Amendment 1, because of the construction of a reservoir there will be an excess of overburden that can be <br />used for backfilling. <br />Backfilling will be done with a fairly loose structare, that is, no more corry~action will be done than <br />is necessary to accomplish the task. This is important in helping establish the final vegetation. Very heavy <br />or compacted material will not allow proper growth of cottonwood trees and will limit the amount of <br />groundwater flow through the backfill. North of this areas, closer to the location of the slurry wall, greater <br />cormaction will be used to provide additional strength for the slurry wall. <br />Prior to final configuration of the backfilled area the protective berm around the amendment area <br />will be removed and consumed in the backfilling. <br />Backfilling will return the land to its original elevaton, LESS an amount equal to the amount of <br />soil depth that will be placed. That is, the final elevation after backfilling AND topsoiling will be very close <br />to its original elevation. This is important as a lower elevation would provide a more easily accessed <br />overflow route by the river. Backfilling too high though would shunt floodwaters further south into the <br />meander peninsula which could have adverse effects on the wetlands there. <br />Water -Groundwater Specific Requirements <br />This amendment is not expected to have any additional groundwater impacts that are not already <br />associated with and addressed in the existing plan. Also, because the mining and backfilling will not affect <br />the forest along the river and will be done in the winter there should be only minimal impact on cottonwood <br />trees along the river. <br />Wildlife Considerations <br />There will be a temporary irr~act on the amount of available forest for nesting birds and some deer <br />use, but that will be replaced in the reclamation. This may cause some temporary displacement of some <br />species, but the desirable habitat will be increasing rapidly after reclamation. <br />Pueblo East Pit Amendment 2 (2004) Exhibit E Page 3 of 7 <br />