REP29936 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

SENECA II MINE 2004 ANNUM., RECLAMATION REPORT 2004 DISTURBANCE AREA No additional acres were disturbed. BACKFILLING AND GRADING No backfill or grading occurred in 2004 at Seneca II Mine. SOIL AND SPOIL MONITORING SCC is required by Permit C-80-005 to monitor the salvage, storage, and redistribution of soil and spoil handling operations at Seneca II Mine. Specific progratns include documenting soil recovery, verifying soil redistribution thickness, determining fmal graded spoil quality and soil fertility, evaluating plant rooting characteristics, recording the source of replaced soil, and completing an annual soil balance. The following sections present the soil and spoil monitoring data for the 2004 calendar yeaz. • Soil Recovery Documentation No soil was salvaged since no new disturbance occurred. • • Soil Pit -Spoil Fertility -Spoil Quality Soil fertility and spoil quality samples aze collected periodically from shallow postmine soil pits, which aze randomly located using a 500-foot grid. The posmtine soil pits are also used to evaluate plant rooting characteristics and to compare soil/spoil profile data with site specific revegetation data. Postmine soil pits are placed within reclamation blocks that have been soiled and seeded for a xninitnum of three years. Sitnilar tniniinum time frames are used for monitoring postmine vegetation. The permanent vegetation bas generally established sufficiently after three to four yeazs to evaluate interactions between rooting characteristics and soil/spoil quality (Schafer et. al., 1979). Historical soil and spoil quality data for the 1983 through 1988 reclamation blocks aze presented and discussed in previous Topsoil and Spoil Monitoring reports (PCC, 1987 and 1989) and the Annual Rec]amation Reports (PCC, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999,2003) that have been submitted to the Division. • Wolf Creek Spoil SCC is required to sample and analyze final graded spoil from the Wolf Creek miuing area prior to soIl replacement. Spoil is sampled on a 300-foot horizontal grid and tested Eor pH, acid base potential (ABP), and soil salinity (EC). Suitable spoil ropdressing (subsoil) is replaced prior to soil redistribution where acid strata (pH <5 and ABP <-5) are encountered The monitoring program . is outlined in Permit C-80-005 on pages 6-153, 6-153x, 6-164, and 9-40, Tabs 6 and 9, Volumes 3 and 7. No Etna! graded spoIl samples were taken in 2004. Analysis For existing graded areas can be found in the 1994 and 1998 Annual Reclamation Reports, (PWCC, 1995 and SCC, 1999).