Laserfiche WebLink
RULE 4 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS <br />patches in the future and encompass long sweeping slopes, moderate contour furrows will be established <br />to mitigate any future sheet flow and loss of the topsoil resource. Efforts will be made to establish <br />reclamation blocks along the contour of slopes in order to eliminate the loss of the topsoil resource onto <br />spoil areas. All other areas targeted for the grazingland land use will generally be on slopes greater than <br />10% and depending on the size of each reclamation unit will need to be chisel plowed (or ripped with a <br />dozer) at a minimum if topsoil laydown activities do not produce sufficient surface roughness to limit the <br />excessive formation of rills on first and second year reclamation blocks by "normal" seasonal runoff <br />events. Contour furrows will be created with regular frequency on slopes greater than 20% and less <br />frequently on areas between 10% and 20% slopes depending on the length of the slope and the size of <br />individual reclamation blocks as determined by topsoil laydown progression in any given year or series of <br />years. As indicated under "Mulching Techniques" in Section 2.05.4, use of mulch would be considered a <br />last resort, but is certainly an erosion control metric that may be utilized (where deemed necessary) for <br />long south - facing slopes. Spoil will be graded to minimize long, uninterrupted slopes. Replacement of <br />topsoil will be followed by chisel plowing and contour furrowing (when necessary). <br />The efficacy of these mechanical techniques will continue to be closely monitored as changes to the <br />reclamation program are initiated. <br />Grazing <br />All the lands reclaimed by Colowyo in the Collom area will not be grazed by livestock for a period of at <br />least three years after seeding or planting and will be managed to promote the postmining land use. <br />Grazing by livestock will not commence until Colowyo has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the <br />Division that the vegetation on the reclaimed surface is adequately established and can be expected to <br />withstand grazing pressures. Any grazing studies undertaken by Colowyo will not preclude or interfere <br />with postmining vegetation sampling as required in section 4.15.8. <br />Field Trials <br />Please refer to Volume 1, Section 4.15.6 for more details on specific field trials that have occurred on the <br />existing permit area in the past. <br />Given the fact the post -mine land use, reclamation plan, and mitigation efforts will focus on sagegrouse <br />brood - rearing habitat in conjuction with grazingland, Colowyo is not in favor of large scale "restoration" <br />activities associated with mountain shrub communities beyond the inclusion of many of the species of <br />concern within the reclamation seed mixes. However, Colowyo has a long history of supporting scientific <br />research through cooperative field trials involving the academic community, the Division, and other area <br />mining operations. Colowyo has made many unsuccessful attempts to establish tall shrub communities, <br />despite the utilization of the best technology of the time. Efforts undertaken to date include everything up <br />to and including live transplantation of local mature plants, containerized plantings, direct drill and <br />broadcast seedings. Therefore, a limitation of 12 acres of tall shrubs will be targeted for re- establishment <br />in the Collom expansion area if the following field trials are successful. The two field trials described <br />below are meant to provide information to Colowyo, DRMS and the CDOW about the appropriate <br />expectations for success /failure of establishing this habitat type at Colowyo in the context of a ten year <br />bond clock and also to provide some baseline information that can be used to modify practices and the <br />plant materials used to meet the current expectations (acres of tall shrub habitat identified above). The <br />standard interim revegetation monitoring techniques and practices (performed by a third party) applied to <br />the other reclamation areas at Colowyo will be utilized annually to measure progress of the trials. All <br />data will be captured, collated and presented as part of the Annual Reclamation Report provided to <br />DRMS. Alternative methods for complying with the tall shrub establishment areas may be negotiated <br />Collom — Rule 4, Page 28 Revision Date: 1/23/09 <br />Revision No.: PR -03 <br />