_INSPECTION - C1994082 ‎(82)‎

• Permit No: C1994082
• IBM Index Class Name: INSPECTION
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• From: DRMS
• To: Seneca Coal Company
• Inspection Date: 7/18/2011
• Email Name: SLB
• Email Name: SB1
• Email Name: BFB
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

July 18,2011 C-1994-082/Yoast Mine SLB
saturated; the seep was also flowing into Pond 013.
No recent movement was apparent in the Neck Pit area slide,but the toe areas of the slide were saturated
and flowing.
The Pond 012 slide area remains active;particularly the north slope above Pond 012 where weathered
shale material continues to slough off. The pipe and underdrain on the north inlet to Pond 012 were under
construction. A truck was hauling rock into the drain.
There were two pair of mallards and their young on Pond 010. Several Dusky grouse were flushed on the
south area reclamation. An antelope was roaming the area between ponds 012A and 014, elk were
utilizing the neck pit area,and a young deer was sighted at the top of the Pond 012 drainage.
Roads were in good condition. The outlets of culverts YA-7 and YA-8 needed to be cleared, and the road
ditch between YA-8 and YA-7 was in need of maintenance. Downcutting had breached the check dams
and resulted in a gully 3' deep and 2' wide.
Phase II Bond Release Criteria and Observations:
Rule 3.03.1(b)allows for release of up to 85%of the performance bond upon the establishment of
vegetation which supports the approved postmining land use and which meets the appropriate standard for
cover. The discussion of the applicable inspection and evaluation for Phase II bond release in the
Division's 1995 Bond Release Guideline directs the Division to evaluate topsoil replacement thickness,
vegetative cover and bare areas, species composition,erosional features,the condition of sediment ponds
and any needed maintenance, and the construction and performance of permanent impoundments. The
Division's observations of those criteria follow.
Topsoil replacement: The required topsoil replacement depth at the Yoast Mine is 12 inches. SCC
sampled topsoil replacement depth in 172 locations over the entire 818 acre Phase H release request area,
for an average of 1 sample every 4.7 acres. The average topsoil replacement depth reported by SCC was
21.4 inches,with a standard deviation of 5.4 inches. The minimum depth reported was eleven inches at
one location. Topsoil replacement depth was not sampled during the inspection.
Bare Areas: One large bare area(approximately 0.5 acres)was observed in the North Pit area,on the
north side near the neck pit at the former TSS D topsoil stockpile location. The area is bare as a result of
having been treated for cheatgrass in 2009 and 2010. The area was reseeded in the fall of 2010,but the
seeding effort has not been successful to date. There are smaller bare areas in the South Pit area,
particularly along postmining channel YPM-5-1.
Cover: For the most part, cover is adequate throughout all of the reclaimed areas to control erosion.
Exceptions occur in the immediate vicinity of postmining drainage channels YPM-13 and YPM-9(not
proposed for Phase II bond release),and portions of areas surrounding YPM-5-1 and YPM-6-2. Rills and
gullies were observed in these drainages,where vegetation was sparse and dominated by weedy annuals
and noxious weeds(photo).
Composition/Diversity:
Overall, a diverse community of vegetation exists on all of the Phase II areas inspected.
Species observed include Lamb's quarters(Chenopodium album),White yarrow(Achillea lanulosa),Blue
flax(Adenolinum lewisii),onion(Allium sp),Aster(Aster sp.),Arrowleaf balsamroot(Balsamorhiza
Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 0
Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 1
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