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Effectiveness of Reclamation <br />A full description of the reclamation plan sad its effects on <br />the hydrologic balance is provided under Rules 2.05.4 and 2.05.6 <br />(3). Restoration of surface and ground water systems to baseline <br />conditions, including those sytema which supply possible alluvial <br />valley floors, is an integral part of the reclamation plan. <br />Pertinent aspects of the plan as to the effectiveness of reclamation <br />in minimizing any long-.term impacts on possible alluvial valley <br />floors are discussed below. <br />The most prolonged and unavoidable impact of mining on surface <br />and ground water systems will be a slight elevation of dissolved <br />solids concentration. As discussed under Rule 2.05.6 <3), salt <br />loading ie caused primarily by leaching of overburden and by <br />evaporation from impoundaents. However, as previously discussed <br />under this Rule, salt Loading will not result in sufficiently high <br />salt concentrations so as to result in any material damage to <br />alluvial valley floors. The effect of reclamation on salt loading <br />will be to reduce weathering, infiltration and leaching of <br />overburden material by the replacement of topsoil and vegetation. <br />Thus, the causes of salt loading will be minimized to a large eatent <br />by reclamation. <br />Another effect of mining on possible alluvial valley floors <br />will be the reduction in surface water flow due to the impoundment <br /> <br />2.06-39 <br />