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RECLAMATION PLAN EXHIBIT F (CONT.) If the seed is broadcast, the amount will be increased by 75% and spread on a rough surface. The seeded areas will then be dragged or raked thoroughly to set the seed. It is important to keep cattle off the revegetated areas until the grasses have been established for at least three growing seasons. If this is not done the grasses will not be established adequately and may require reseeding. The cattle tend to utilize the new grass growth heavier than surrounding areas thus damaging the seeded area. It has been our experience on other operations that the seeded area will have a heavy cover of weeds after the first year. The second year there are fewer weeds as the grasses start to take hold. By the third year the weeds are mostly gone and the grass has established itself so it will grow in future years. These weeds also tend to shade the seedbed, retain snow in the winter and act as a wind break for the newly emerging grasses. WEED CONTROL The revegetated areas will be monitored closely each spring for the first two years to determine if noxious weeds are invading the area. Weed control will be initiated if the problem becomes serious or if an excessive weed cover is still present at the end of the second year. In no way should this be taken to mean that we will try to eradicate all the weeds from the site. Some weeds are beneficial to the upland game species in the area, they provide important protection from the elements during winter and nesting sites during the spring. Total eradication of weeds from the site is not necessarily desirable, so we will be using controls on the noxious weeds and letting the rest grow in select areas. It may be necessary to control weeds by mowing after the first year, the feasibility of chemical weed control methods will be studied should other forms not work. Control of noxious weeds is important to the state so we will follow USDA Extension Service recommendations to control them. IRRIGATION No irrigation is planned for the revegetated area in the pit. It makes the vegetation dependent on water and does not promote a vegetation cover that is diverse and capable of self regeneration. No irrigation water is used on the site at this time so none is planned in the future. RECLAMATION PERFORMANCE STANDARDS The ogerator intends to mine the property in compliance with the Reclamation Performance Standards of Rule 3. Grading will be done to create a final topography that is compatible with the intended final land use. Most slope areas will be mined to the final slopes. These slopes will be 3:1 to retain the present drainage pattern across the property. A sign that conforms to the requirements in Rule 3.1.12 ~isse~ is currently on the gate at the entrance to this facility. The material used to create the slopes will be native material found on the site at this time. It consists of sand, gravel, minor amounts of overburden and topsoil. The pit will be reclaimed so 14