_INSPECTION - C1981020 ‎(25)‎

• Permit No: C1981020
• IBM Index Class Name: INSPECTION
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 11/19/2007
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

III. COMMENTS - COMPLIANCE
Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made
during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection
and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action.
Backfill and Grading
Backfilled slopes along the access road and in the portal area held up well, with only minor rill erosion in some
areas, most concentrated along lower slopes in the portal area and along dome of the long slopes adjacent to
permanent channels along the reclaimed road. There were also short remnant gully segments immediately
below the silt fencing at the lower end of Channel "H". Riprapped permanent drainage segments functioned
well, with no evident erosion or siltation along their length, or at inlet/outlet locations.
Based on observations I made on the morning of November 19,some rill and gully repair work is
warranted along the longer rills on the portal backfill, below the Channel "H" lower silt fences, and in a
few locations along the reclaimed portal access road (including a gully on the eastern sideslope above
Channel "D").
There were no indications of slope instability(cracking, slumping, etc.)along the reclaimed road or on backfill
slopes in the portal area, when these sites were inspected on November 19.
Processing Waste
The waste disposal site(including the waste disposal cell and adjacent cover soil and topsoil stockpiles) had
been seeded with the permanent mix and straw mulched shortly before my inspection on November 19. No
problems were evident; the site appears stable with no appreciable erosion.
Topsoil
Backfill slopes in the portal bench area and waste disposal area (waste cell and cover soil stockpile area)were
properly topsoiled during the June/Julyi 2007 reclamation project. The lower road topsoil stockpile was fully
used up, and the stockpile footprint area was graded, roughened and seeded with "Quickguard"cover crop. A
small quantity of topsoil remains in the waste disposal stockpile site, to be used for final reclamation of the
sediment pond site when the pond is filled in. The remaining soil in stockpile was spread out, roughened and
seeded with the cover crop. There is also a small remnant pile of cover soil (subsoil) material in stockpile
adjacent to the sediment pond that will be used for final backfilling of the pond. The remnant topsoil stockpile
and lower road stockpile area footprint had been seeded with the permanent mix and straw mulched shortly prior
to my inspection of November 19.
Revegetation
As noted in the October inspection report, the"Quickguard" cover crop that was seeded in July on areas that
were graded and roughened in association with the reclamation project had established a moderate cover, with
plants averaging 4 to 6 inches in height in most areas. There had been further growth since early October, and
a number of the plants had produced sterile seedheads by November 19. It was noted that in areas along the
lower road that had not been fenced, the cover crop had been heavily grazed by deer and cattle. Cattle were
present along the lower road area on November 29 and deer sign was abundant on both dates.
Permanent seeding and straw mulching had been largely completed prior to my inspection of November 19.
Daniel Brandstadt of High Country Equipment, the seeding contractor, was on site with a small crew finishing up
the mulch distribution and some spot seeding on the 19th. Apparently, none of the mulched areas had been
crimped (Mr. Brandstadt said that lower road areas that were mulched while he was on the project had not been
crimped; he had not been on site when upper road areas and the portal bench area were mulched). From my
observations, it did not appear that upper road areas or the portal bench area had been crimped. I discussed
the fact that these areas would need to be crimped as specified in the approved permit with Mr. Brandstadt.
Also, there were a few locations, including outslopes of the cattle trail just below the reclaimed mine bench and
some ditch locations near the waste disposal site that had not been seeded initially. These areas were pointed
out, and the crew seeded the waste area ditch segments while I was on site. I also discussed the need to
stabilize rills and gullies in several locations on the portal bench and upper reclaimed road (soil fill or packed
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