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TAB 9 <br />• SOIL BASELINE STUDY <br />Introduction <br />This report presents information about the soil resources on the Seneca Coal Company ISCCI <br />Seneca 11-W Mine, II-W South Extension Area, and the Tie-Across Haul Road corridor study area <br />(hereafter referred to as study area)in Routt County, Colorado. Soil maps and data contained <br />in this report have been prepared to assist SCC and the Colorado Division of Minerals and <br />Geology IDMG) in examining the soil resources of the area with respect to their potential use in <br />mined land reclamation efforts. <br />This report is a synthesis of seven separate detailed soil survey investigations conducted within <br />portions of the study area from September 1979 through October 1997. The first Order 1 soil <br />survey, with sampling, was conducted by Western Ecological Services Company (WESC01 of <br />San Rafael, California on 4,428.8 acres. The 1979 survey covered most of the tie-across haul <br />road corridor, all projected mine pit disturbance areas, and additional area for sediment pond <br />sizing and future mine expansion (north mining block, south mining block, Haul Road G, Pond <br />005, and portions of Pond 009, Pond 010, and the north haul roadl. Topsoil depth verification <br />surveys were completed by SCC in September 1983 and September 1984 to evaluate and <br />revise or confirm the topsoil resource information previously collected in 1979. These surveys <br />were conducted in the mine pit and haul road disturbance areas. SCC completed soil survey <br />and sampling in May 1985 and April/May 1989 to expand the tie-across haul road corridor by <br />56.5 acres. SCC also completed soil survey and sampling during June through September <br />1990 for 755.5 acres, which included the remaining portions of the north haul road, Pond 009, <br />and Pond 010. Supplemental soil profile description sites were also placed within the 1979 <br />survey area to verify the map unit composition. <br />In 1997, a topsoil depth verification survey was completed by Mr. James Nyenhuis, a Certified <br />Professional Soil Scientist and Soil Classifier, on the entire Seneca II-W South Extension Area. <br />The purpose of the survey was to evaluate and confirm or revise the topsoil resource <br />information previously collected. Forty-three holes were dug and soil profile descriptions were <br />completed for each site. In addition in 1997, detailed Order 1 soil mapping, soil profile <br />description, and soil sampling for laboratory characterization was conducted on lower portions <br />of Hubberson Gulch in the N %, Section 21, T5N, R88W, and W %, Section 16, T5N, R88W. <br />The northern portion of this area was included in previous Seneca II-W Soil Surveys although <br />the southern portion was not. Even though none of the Hubberson Gulch area would <br />• <br />1 Revised 9/98 <br />