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UNITED STATES DORTMENT OF AGRICULTURE • , v <br /> SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE 318 4th Street, Castle Rock, CO 80104 <br /> November 6, .1980 <br /> RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RECLAMATION OF THE "HOGBACK <br /> OPEN-PIT MINE" FOR THE ROBINSON BRICK S TILE CO. <br /> Locations NW}, Section 20 Township 7 South, Range 69 West, <br /> SW}, Section 35, Township 6 South, Range 69 West, <br /> Approximate Acreages 18 <br /> Present Land Use Soils and Ve station: The area is currently used for <br /> livestock grazing and wildlife ha itat. The soils are classified as <br /> stony steep land (SV) and range from cobbly and gravelly sandy loam to <br /> clay loam in texture. Significant amounts of topsoil are very limited. <br /> Slopes vary from 30-50 percent. The soils, climate and topography <br /> support a shallow foothill range site with the major grasses being big <br /> _ and little bluestem, mountain muhly, side-oats grams, prairie eandreed, _ <br /> and needle-and-thread. Frequent shrubs are mountain mahogany, skunkbush <br /> sumac, waxcurrent, snakeweed, and fringed sage. Average annual production <br /> for a site in excellent condition is 400 pounds per acre. <br /> Post-mining Land Use; Livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. <br /> Re r�adiogt As each stage is mined, the spoil will be placed on the pro- <br /> coding stage in a benched configuration. This benching will consist of <br /> 12-14 foot wide 5sl slopes and 6 foot wide 1:1 slopes. There will also be <br /> a 6 foot high sandstone wall at a 1/2:1 slope, left at the top with ade- <br /> quate size rip-rap at the base of this wall. <br /> The 5:1 slopes will have a surface layer of crushed sandstone and clay and <br /> will be revegetated. If significant amounts of topsoil are encountered then <br /> this topsoil should be salvaged for use as the surface layer in some of the <br /> 5:1 slopes. It will be very important during regrading to make sure the <br /> rip-rap on the 1:1 slopes is of adequate size and is stable. In addition, <br /> all regraded layers must be tied into each other well so no soil slippage <br /> results. <br /> At the end of mining, a 50 foot highwall approximately 100 feet wide will <br /> be left at both ends. Slope of the highwalls will be 1/2:1. Blasting will <br /> shear some rock off the face of this wall and deposit the rock at the <br /> base of the highwall. This should prevent any erosion problems that might <br /> result. <br /> Seed-bed preparation, fertilizing, and seeding: After each atagv is <br /> regraded, the top 3-5 inches of soil on the 5:1 slopes will need to be <br /> roughened to alleviate compaction. This will increase water infiltration <br /> and root penetration. Ater roughening the area, fertilizing will be done. <br /> 0 <br /> 25 <br />