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SENECA II-W MINE 2005 ANNUAL RECLAMATION REPORT 2005 DISTURBANCE AREA There were 14'.2 additional acres disturbed in 2005. The Seneca 11-W mine azea was reviewed and revised to accurately portray the categories of activities; the final disturbance boundary revised to match the aerial photography disturbance; permanent roads and ponds were delineated. The total disturbed area has been revised to 1,382.8 acres. This acreage change is reflected on the CDMG Annual Report Form and is included in the text of the following report. The 2005 Reclamation Map portrays the revised disturbance boundaries but does not include or show the Tie-Across-Haul road. BACKFILLING AND GRADING A total of 238.7 acres were graded in 2005. Backfilling and grading operations occurred in the South Wadge and Sage Creek/Wolf Creek pit areas. This area is shown on the Seneca II-W Mine 2005 Grading Map. TOPSOIL AND SPOIL MONITORING SCC is requited by Permit C-82-057 to monitor the salvage, storage, and redistribution of topsoil and spoil handling operations at Seneca II-W Mine. Spedfic programs include documenting topsoil recovery, verifying topsoil redistribution thickness, detectnining final graded spoil suitability, determining topsoil fertility, evaluating plant rooting characteristics, recording the source of replaced topsoil, and completing an annual topsoil balance. The following sections present the soil and spoil monitoring data for the 2005 calendar year, The results of topsoil/spoil monitoring for 2005 are included in the attached Soils Report. • Topsoil Recovery Documentation TopsoIl recovery was documented by daily observation by the grading foreman. and pit supervisor. This quality control information is used to verify topsoil salvage estimates predicted from the baseline soil survey, confirm soil map unit types, justify salvage thickness, and evaluate topsoil suitability, Topsoil salvage occurred in advance of the Sage Creek and Wolf Creek pits during the 2005 field season as shown on the 2005 Topsoil Removal Map. Observations within the aspen, sandstone- derived soils indicated very suitable loamy soil was salvaged down to the fractured sandstone bedrock. The thickness of recovered topsoil ranged from 1.0 foot on ridge tops to about15.0 feet in Swale or drainage landscapes. Recovered topsoil was directly hauled to graded spoIl of South Wadge pit. • 2005 Topsoil Replacement Thickness i SCC is required, by Permit C-82-057 and Section 4.06.4(2)(6) of Colorado's Regulations for Coal Mining, to document and record the topsoil replacement thickness for each reclamation block using a minimum sampling intensify of one hole per five acres. The topsoil replacement thickness information is used to adjust topsoil salvage depths, if necessary, and for bond release purposes, Sampling is conducted on a 500-foot grid. There were 36 samples taken on a 500 ft. grid over the 2005 topsoil replacement area, which indicated an average topsoil replacement thickness of 2.9 feet (22.9 inches). See the Soil/Spoil Sample Locations Map and Table 05.6, Seneca II-W Topsoil Depth • Samples for further doarmentation