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soil was salvaged down to the fractured sandstone. The thickness of recovered soil ranged <br />from 0.5 feet on ridgeiops to about 4.0 feet in Swale locations. <br />Soil Pit-Soil Fertility-Spoil Oualitv. Soil fertility and spoil quality samples are <br />currently collected from shallow postmine soil pits which are placed near representative <br />revegetation monitoring sites.• The postmine soil pits are also used to evaluate plant <br />rooting characteristics and to compare soil/spoil profile data with site specific <br />revegetation data. <br />Postmine soil pits are placed within reclamation blocks that have been soiled and seeded <br />for a minimum of three years. Similar minimum time frames are used for monitoring postmine <br />vegetation. The permanent vegetation has generally established sufficiently after three to <br />four years to evaluate interactions between rooting characteristics and soil/spoil quality <br />(Schafer et. aL-, 1979). <br />Revegetation data presented in this section is limited [o rooting depth and pattern. Root <br />density and vegetation composition data are on file at Peabody's 4estern Division Office in <br />Flagstaff, Arizona. Detailed vegetation monitoring data for the 1987 through 1990 field <br />seasons have been submitted to Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division (CMLRD) (ESLO, <br />1989a; 1989b; 1990; 1991) and the 1991 data is submitted with this report (ESCO, 1992). <br />Historical soil and spoil quality data for the 1983 through 1986 reclamation blocks are <br />presented and discussed in previous Topsoil and Spoil Monitoring reports that have been <br />submitted [o CMLRD (PCC, 1987 and 1989). Annual soil replacement areas For Seneca II mine <br />from 1977 through 1990 are presented with previous reports submitted [o CMLRD (PCC, 1989, <br />1990 and 1991). Soil replacement for the 1991 season is shown on Exhibit 91.2. <br />The number of shallow soil pits sampled during 1991 was based upon the total area of <br />reveg eta n on completed during 1987 and 1988 as shown on Exhibit 90.3 and listed in Table 6 <br />of the 1990 Annual Reclamation Report (PCC, 1991). One shallow soil pit was selected for <br />each 25 acres of revegetation in the Wadge and Wolf Creek areas. <br />Replaced soil and final graded spoil were sampled on September 18, October 16, and 17, 1991 <br />at reclamation sites 87-W-1, 87-W-2, 88-W-1, 88-W-2, 88-W-3, 88-W-4, and 88-W-5 located in <br />r~ <br />2 <br />