Laserfiche WebLink
The reclamation plan accounts for the replacement of topsoil or other growth media and revegetation <br />of all areas disturbed by the above types of facilities, excepting the areas listed below: <br />a. Rock cuts having slopes steeper than 1.3:1 <br />b. Open water and water courses <br />c. Roadways and other access areas intended for use in the postmining period <br />V.D.2 General Specifications and Environmental Limitations. The vegetation of the Intermountain <br />Region is xeric in character and, as such, is adapted to conditions of extreme temperature ranges, low <br />precipitation, and poor-to-toxic soil environments. Revegetation plans must be flexible and be <br />designed to work within the constraints of these limiting factors, rather than to attempt to counteract the <br />effects of environment. The primary factors driving the design of the revegetation plan are: <br />a. Soil moisture (or lack thereof) is a limiting factor with a mean annual precipitation of about 9.5". <br />The relatively wet seasons occur in early spring with April-May receiving the greatest amount of <br />early precipitation and again in the fall with September-October being the wettest fall months. <br />Precipitation received during the summer months is rapidly lost to evapotranspiration with <br />daytime high temperatures averaging around 90 degrees F. <br />b. Soils are generally poor in quality with weak structure, low fertility, and contain little organic <br />matter. Salinity can also be a limiting factor on some soils. <br />c. Competition from weedy annual grasses and (orbs can be severe. Cheatgrass (Bmmus <br />tectorum), Russian thistle (Saisoia iberica), Kochia (Kochia iranica), and Tumble mustard <br />(Sisymbnum altissimum) have presented the greatest amount of competition in the past. <br />d. The requirement to establish a shrub component on the reclaimed areas also influences the <br />design of the revegetation plan. Special consideration must be given to shrub establishment <br />since an aggressive stand of annual or perennial grasses can severely limit shrub <br />establishment. <br />e. The resulting stand of vegetation must be suitable for the postmining land use. <br />General revegetation practices used to address these factors include: <br />a. Species are selected that are adapted to the area. Consideration is given to many factors <br />including drought tolerance, compatibility with soils being revegetated, origin, longevity, <br />competitiveness, and desirability for the postmining land use. The seed mix would generally <br />include numerous species with diverse traits. Short lived perennials or annuals are included to <br />assist in initial site stabilization and to provide competition against the aggressive weedy <br />ExhibitE-Reclamation Plan Rio Blanco Special UsePermit#81.1 September2000 <br />V-11 <br />