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<br />plant growth is provided in the following sections for the Piceance Site, the project <br />pipeline corridor, and the Parachute Site. The soil series that occur at each of the sites <br />are described in Table I-1. Supporting soils characteristics data related to erosion <br />potential are presented in Table I-2. Soil salvage and reclamation characteristics of each <br />soil type are listed in Table I-3, with a summary of limitations for soil salvage and <br />reclamation for each soil type given in the last column. Soil suitability criteria, which <br />define unacceptable limits and restrictive features of various soils parameters relative to <br />soil salvage and reclamation potential, are presented in Table I-4. Because the Piceance <br />Site will support all the project mining activities, it is the project area that will <br />experience the greatest disturbance to soils, and, therefore, a soils map of the Piceance <br />Site is also provided in Figure I-1. The tables and the soils map of the Piceance Site <br />summarize information compiled in the process of developing the Bureau of Land <br />Management (BLM) Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Yankee Gulch <br />Sodium Minerals Project (Yankee Gulch Project) Commercial Mine Plan (Mine Plan). <br />The tables primarily summarize information presented in the SCS soils surveys cited <br />above (i.e., SCS 1982 and SCS 1985). <br />Summaries of project-related soil disturbance are also provided. Table I-5 gives the <br />total acreages estimated to be disturbed for constuction (temporary disturbance), <br />mining operations, and project facilities (long-term disturbance) for the Piceance Site, <br />the pipeline corridor, and the Parachute Site. Acres of soils that would be impacted by <br />construction of project facilities at each project site are broken down by soil type in <br />Table I-6, and acres of soils that would be impacted by mining are given by soil type in <br />Table I-7. Again, these tables summarize information compiled in the process of <br />developing the BLM Draft EIS for the Yankee Gulch Project Mine Plan. <br />I.1 Piceance Site <br />Impacts to soils at the Piceance Site would be dominated by disturbance related to <br />development of the solution mining well field over the proposed 30-year project life. <br />Disturbance will be based on development of discrete geographical areas at <br />approximately 5-year intervals ("5-year mining panels"), with subsequent reclamation <br />on a revolving basis as mine panels are retired. Such development would involve a <br />total of approximately 483 acres over the life of the project. Long-term disturbance to <br />accommodate project facilities such as the initial processing plant, the evaporation <br />pond, and access roads would total an additional approximately 72 acres at the Piceance <br />Site. Construction activities for installation of the project piping system, an electrical <br />transmission line, and a natural gas line would result in temporary disturbance of 219 <br />acres of Piceance Site soils. <br />Prevalent soil types at the Piceance Site are Rentsac channery loam, Torriorthents-Rock <br />outcrop complex, and Yamac loam, with Redcreek-Rentsac complex and Barcus <br />channery loamy sand occurring as minor components. Hagga loam and Havre loam <br />occur only on the Piceance Creek floodplain and alluvial valley floor and would not be <br />affected by the project. The distribution of these soils over the Piceance Site is <br />I-2 <br />