2009-04-22_PERMIT FILE - C1981019A

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RULE 2 PERMITS Following seedbed preparation, the area will be drill seeded with a heavy duty rangeland drill with depth bands using the perennial mixture as shown on Table 2.05-7, Reclamation Seed Mixture. At times, broadcast seeding may be required on steeper areas, wet areas or simply areas that were missed by the drill seeding. Broadcasting may be used with the drill seeding to broadcast a portion of this mix. The shrub establishment seed mix will be broadcast seeded. Any broadcast seeding is conducted in the fall or early spring, as soon as possible after snowmelt. During the early spring or, fall months following a previous year's seeding, any containerized or bare root shrub seedlings will be hand planted into the new seeding. Generally, it has been found that after the first growing season on a reclaimed area, the herbaceous vegetation has developed to a point which precludes he planting of shrub seedlings (containerized and bare root) due to the competition for moisture. Hand shovels and/or augers will be used to transplant these species. Planting during these periods results in minimal damage to the seeded vegetation and lessens the potential mortality that can be expected when seedlings are transplanted into herbaceous stands having a more developed root system. Transplanting of mature shrubs will be accomplished by the use of a front-end loader or other suitable equipment. The depth of sod to be transplanted will vary with the species being transplanted and will range between 12 and 36 inches. Soon after the transplant operation has been completed, topsoil will then be distributed over the remaining regraded areas between clumps. The topsoil will be distributed so as to blend with the shrub transplant area to ensure a uniform reclaimed surface around the transplants. The remaining reclamation practices will then be implemented on the topsoil areas. MulchinLy Techniques During the initial permit review process, Colowyo proposed that on slopes flatter than 4h:ly that rather than utilize a hay mulch, a stubble mulch or no mulch be used on reclaimed areas. The use of mulch on these relatively flat slopes was of no value towards reclamation at the Colowyo site. The application of mulch had become a very expensive, time consuming process which, in fact, produced additional problems on the reclaimed areas, rather than solving an assumed erosion problem that can be solved by other methods. The added flexibility of eliminating the use of any mulch greatly enhances the germination of seeds early in the spring given the moisture and soil temperature conditions found at the Colowyo site. Mulches tend to shade the soil, thus slowing the rise in soil temperature needed for germination of seeds. At Colowyo, soil moisture is not usually a limiting factor. Soil moisture is usually very high during the spring, due to precipitation during the winter and early spring months. The summer months are generally dry, often with little additional precipitation. By eliminating the use of mulch, the soil temperature is increased earlier in the spring, thus enabling the seeds to germinate earlier when soil moisture conditions are optimum. When the seeds germinate earlier, they are able to utilize soil moisture earlier in the growing season. This results in further root development by the plants, insuring survival through the dry summer months. Only south- facing slopes would benefit from the use of mulch under the moisture conditions at the Colowyo Mine. Without the use of a mulch, erosion control has been maintained with surface manipulation methods such as chiseling on contour, contour furrows, drainage benches and permanent drainage' channels. The initial reclamation at Colowyo that began in 1978 is indisputable evidence that the methods used at Colowyo Rule 2 Permits 2.05-29 Revision Date: 6/23/08 Revision No.: MR-91