2008-04-15_REVISION - M1980244 (362)

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• Baseline Technical Report ARCADIS Report for Soils and Biological Resources, Cresson Mine Life Extension Project Area 3.0 SOIL AND GROWTH MEDIUM RESOURCES Historically, soil surveys by various entities have conducted within the Study Area in 1984, 1985, 1993, 1995, and 1996. The description of the soils resources in this section is based primarily on the most recent survey work performed for CC&V: a reconnaissance soil survey conducted by Greystone between August 16 and 20 and September 22 and 24, 1999; and a site reconnaissance by ARCADIS on June 21 through 22, 2007. In addition, the soils description includes a review of the Teller-Park Soil Survey. on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Web Soil Survey site. Soil mapping conducted in 1999 was updated as appropriate using the more recent NRCS soil units and field survey data collected by ARCADIS in 2007. There were no additional soil analyses deemed necessary in the most recent on-site surveys conducted in June, 2007. The soils analysis discussed in this section are considered to be an accurate description of the current soil conditions for the Study Area. • 3.1 SOIL RESOURCES Previous soil surveys were conducted within the Study Area by Nerco Minerals Company in 1984 and by Newport Minerals in 1985. These surveys are located in the northern portion of the District. Preliminary soil mapping was conducted by the NRCS (formerly the Soil Conservation Service) in 1993 and 1995. At that time, three dominant soil units were identified within the Study Area: • Grenadier-like-Unnamed very gravelly loam complex (HL), • Quander-Varden complex (PF), and • Rogert very gravelly sandy loam. In 1996, CC&V had conducted a modified Order II soil survey to map a portion of the Study Area to the series level in support of the Amendment No. 7 project (JBR 1997). Approximately 60 soil pits were used to determine soil characteristics in the field including the soil depth, types of horizons, parent material, structure, texture, color, pores, stoniness, roots, and other special characteristics. The mapped soils were identified to the soil series level where possible, using the named soil associations identified by the NRCS. The NRCS is in the process of updating the soils mapping for Teller County, including the District. As of March, 2008, the initial Teller-Park Soil Survey was still in the CCV Final Technical Report (3-28-08).doc 3