2008-07-15_REPORT - M1988044

• Permit No: M1988044
• IBM Index Class Name: REPORT
• Doc Date: 7/15/2008
• Doc Name: Annual Report
• From: SES
• To: DRMS
• Permit Index Doc Type: Annual Reclamation Report
• Email Name: AJW
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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RECLAMATION PERMIT STATUS: The reclamation permit status is veiy much as it was last
year. The amendment has been approved and bond has been provided to activate the permit, but no
work has been done in the amended area. The operation status map shows the current condition
which is similar to the condition reported in the March 2008 annual report for the Reclamation
Permit. A few things such as seeding has been done since March 2008, but that! did not actually
change the map.
A technical revision was submitted and approved to add some acreage to the bonded land.
This was to allow mining of the remaining little pockets of sand described earlier. No mining in
those areas has occurred as of July 3, but may be in progress by the time this report is submitted.
County approval was issued on July 8, 2008. No work will begin in the amendment area until
all other provisions of the county rules have been met. Those provisions include preparation and
recording of final documents. It is expected that the first work in the amendment area will occur in
early August 2008. j
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404 PERMIT STATUS: As reported previously, five new riparian exclosures were established
at habitat specific locations along Coal Creek. Analysis of the woody vegetation in these exclosures
was done in October and the details of that analysis are provided in the 404 permit annual report
submitted late last year. In summary though, woody vegetation showed large gains in height and
width in the last year. Only the youngest two exclosures (1 and 2) showed limited gains, especially in
exclosure 1. This is mainly due to the prolonged period for establishment and competition with
adjacent, young woody vegetation. Examination of patterns of establishment and the pattern of losses
and gains in plant density showed that in these two exclosures interaction between willow and
cottonwood was still in the adjustment stage where each species is being environmentally selected
for the most favorable growth habitat. Initially, there was a rather uniform blend; of willow and
cottonwood plants but as that condition is not favorable for either species, the population is shifting
toward a more normal distribution of only moderate to minor overlap of the populations. Once that
adjustment process is completed it is suspected that both units will begin to show more pronounced.
gains in plant stature. However, the oldest three exclosures completed that adjustment several years
ago and in these areas the gains in plant stature in the last year is often quite dramatic.
MINING ACTIVITY IN THE LAST YEAR:
1. Depth of mining - In the last year, mining depths were extremely vari able due to the
spotty and highly variable configuration of the remaining sand. In many instances, mining
depth was quite deep, but also very large amounts of overburden and waste were generated.
The waste is mostly located near the plant and comes from pond cleaning's. Soils were
exceptionally deep in some places which generated large volumes of soil for backfilling.
Much of this soil is from deeper horizons and therefore of limited value for reclamation uses
other than for filling. I
2. Backfilling - Backfilling of mined areas has increased tremendously iri the last year as a
result of reaching the edges of deposits. As described in the plan, mining ontinues in a
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Status report for 2007 (July 15, 2007) Page 5 of 10