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• during the 1994 field season (Exhibit 94.1>. Observations within the mixed brush <br />sandstone-derived soils indicated very suitable loamy soil was salvaged down to the <br />fractured sandstone bedrock. The thickness of recovered soil ranged from 0.5 feet on <br />ridgetops to about 7.0 feet in swele or drainage landscapes. Observations within the <br />grassland shale-derived soils in the North mine block and east end of [he "A" pit, lower <br />mine block indicated 0.5 feet of suitable soil had been salvaged. <br />SCL will continue to closely monitor soil handling operations during the 1995 field <br />season. Only suitable sources of soil within the disturbance area will be salvaged to <br />ensure the reclaimed areas are restored to the desired postmine land uses. SCC will <br />obtain variances pursuant to Rule 4.06.2(2) and Permit C-82-057 whenever suitable soil <br />cannot be selvaged exclusively from any map unit because of equipment limi ta[ions or <br />operator safety concerns. <br />Soil Redistribution Thickness. SCC is required by Permit C-82-057 and Section <br />4.06.4(2)(b) of Colorado's Regulations for Coal Mining to document and record the soil <br />redistribution thickness for each reclamation block using a minimum sampling intensity of <br />• one hole per five acres. The soil replacement thickness information is used to adjust <br />soil salvage depths, if necessary, and for bond release purposes. Soil replacement <br />thicknesses were measured September 11, 1994 for reclaimed areas which had soil replaced <br />during 1994 (SZ.0 acres). Sample sites were selected by using reclamation progress <br />survey data, the 1993 1"=400' scale topo, Exhibit 93.2 presented with the 1993 <br />reclamation report, and the 1"=400' scale aerial phot o,~ Exhibit 94.3 presented with this <br />reclamation report. <br />A 2-3/4-inch bucket auger was used at each site to excavate a pilot hole through the <br />entire soil strata. An abrupt boundary, defined by color and texture, occurred at the <br />topsoil/subsoil interface. The replaced soil thickness was measured through the pilot <br />hole immediately after encountering the spoil. <br />Data was collected from ten sites during the 1994 field season. Sample sites are shown <br />on Exhibit 94.2. Soil thickness for the 1994 reclamation blocks ranged from 0.9 to 2.0 <br />feet as listed in Appendix A. The mean soil replacement thickness for 1994 was 1.6 feet. <br />• <br />2 <br />