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slightly higher are~the alfalfa and grass mixture ~s maintained itself well <br />and produces an excellent hay. Most interesting is that the heavy growths of <br />cocklebur and other weed species which infested the area after the first <br />• growing season have essentially disappeared or been reduced to less than 5'b of <br />the total production. <br />This method of reclaiming the Hobson Ranch Pit is continuing. In summary, <br />by backfilling with sediment from the washing of the gravel and covering the <br />sediment with overburden to a carefully controlled depth, hay production can be <br />established on mined out areas within two years of completion of mining. <br />Furthermore, the hay production requires no irrigation, little if any <br />fertilizer, and exceeds former production rates by at least two times. In the <br />opinion of Castle Concrete, the landowner, as well as the Reclamation <br />Specialists who have observed the site, the revegetation has been a great <br />success. Now if we could achieve that kind of success everywhere, it would be <br />wonderful, but on the other operations, such successes are not always so <br />apparent and sometimes, by comparison, are dismal failures. In our experience <br />one cannot judge success only by the production rate but must use a standard <br />appropriate to the site conditions. The 4ueen's Canyon Quarry is one of those <br />sites where a totally different standard of success must be used. <br />DESCRIPTION QF OPERATION HISTORY: The Queen's Canyon Quarry began operation in <br />the late 1950's. The operation was rather small at first, but soon grew to <br />occupy a considerable amount of land. By the latter part of the 1960's concern <br />was growing in Colorado Springs over the visual problems presented by the <br />quarry. Stuart Udall even referred to Colorado Springs as the "city with the <br />scar on the mountain." In response to this public concern, Castle Concrete <br />began a reclamation program about 1967. By 1969, about 12 acres had been <br />graded, terraced with erosion control benches, seeded, and an experimental <br />planting of trees placed on the quarry. Unfortunately, the revegetation did <br />not develop as rapidly as was hoped. As a result, public interest groups <br />criticized the effort as being a public image ploy. It is a common story and <br />one that has resulted in undeserved severe headaches for the company. There <br />• 7 <br />