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CHRISTIAN PIT EXHIBIT E RECLAMATION PLAN Reclamation of this land will be relatively easy. Slopes are generally gentle to non-existant, soil materials readily available, and a record of past successful revegetation efforts all speak to an ability to reclaim this Zand. However, the somewhat droughty conditions tend to slow the vegetation develop- ment such that 4 or 5 years are needed to achieve good growth. The format of presenting the reclamation plan will closely follow Rule 6. Parts of the plan are based upon the recommendations of the Soil Conservation Service, as included in the December 8, 1977, report by Donald E. Nielsen (see Appendix A). Heavy reliance on this report is not done because it was not dl-afted according to Rule 6. However, it contains some useful recommendations. FINAL LAND USE: This site is marginally rural, but it is rapidly becoming suburban a:: Colorado Springs continues to grow. What the future holds for this land is very indefinite. It could become a residential area or industrial area. It could also be annexed to Fort Carson Military Reservation which currently lies just to • the west. The most likely final land use that can be identified is for limited grazing and marginal wildlife uses. Because this is the only final land use that can be clearly identified, further discussion of the plan will be from this view- point. RECLAMATION TERM: The floating bond for this operation is designed to provide for a maximum of 5 years of growth from the time of planting. It may require only 3 or 4 years if the years are relatively wet with moisture at the correct time and intensity. But 4 or 5 years is a safer figure. The area is in the rainshadow of Pikes Peak and although it can receive severe thunderstorms, generally the climate is considerably drier than it is just a few miles to the north. ' GRADING: Grading of the land shall create a topographic configuration that will be little different from that which existed prior to the operation. Drainage • will continue to be from the northwest to southeast on a slope of about 1~. The only differences will be the elevation and the edges of the pit. The e.Ievation will be about 30 to 35 feet lower than it currently is. This results from removal of the gravel beds. After removal of the gravel it is apparent that the edges of the pit will be slopes leading upward to the surrounding area. These slopes will be graded to a 3:1 slope, topsoiled and revegetated. No backfilling as such will occur other than the replacement of soil. Therefore, the compaction of the material under the soil will approximate the original conditions. No highwalls will be left after mining although they will exist on the working face during mining. Because the slope of the land will be so gentle, drainage will be similar to what it was in the pre-mining condition. That is, runoff will be very slow and generally the percolation rate will exceed the runoff rate by a considerable amount. Any siltation resulting from erosion of graded slopes prior to full revegetation will be controlled in the pit area itself. The rate of grading will initially be behind mining by a considerable distance.