2005-11-15_REPORT - C1982057 ‎(5)‎

• Permit No: C1982057
• IBM Index Class Name: Report
• Doc Date: 11/15/2005
• Doc Name: 2004 Annual Reclamation Report
• From: Seneca Coal Company
• To: DMG
• Permit Index Doc Type: Annual Reclamation Report
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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three to four years to evaluate interactions between rooting depths and soil /spoil quality (Schafer et
al., 1979).
Spoil Sampling in the Lennox Coal Outcrop Area and the Graded Wadge Spoil. Spoil sampling
was conducted in 2004 and the data is presented in the Soils Report attached.
• 2004 Soil Replacement Thickness
SCC is required by Permit C -82 -057 and Section 4.06.4(2)(b) of Colorado's Regulations for Coal
Mining to document and record the soil replacement thickness for each reclamation block using a
minimum sampling intensity of one hole per five acres. The soil replacement thickness information is
used to adjust soil salvage depths, if necessary, and for bond release purposes. Sampling is conducted
on a 500 -foot grid. A random check of soil replacement on the "A" pit area indicated an average
replacement depth of 26 inches over 28 samples (sampled by RK and AB).
• Soil Balance
SCC submitted a soil balance with Permit Revision 04 (dated 9/04). The soil balance is completed to
ensure soil is salvaged, stockpiled, and replaced as recommended and approved in the permit, and, if
necessary, to readjust the soil salvage and redistribution thickness. The soil information is also used to
update the soil volume information previously submitted and confirm the mean soil replacement
thickness.
Soil Salvage and Storage. The disturbance area from which soil was salvaged and the soil stockpile
sites as of December 31, 2004 are shown on Seneca H -W Mine 2004 Reclamation Map.
The actual volume of soil salvaged and stockpiled from 1989 through December 31, 2004 was
determined by field survey of existing soil storage stockpiles. The Seneca engineering staff completed
the base and existing elevations for each stockpile. The stockpile volumes as of December 31, 2004
are listed in Table 04.1. As of December 31, 2004, 73.1 acre -feet of soil were stockpiled along the tie -
across haul road and 698.1 acre -feet of soil remain stockpiled in the mining area.
Soil Balance and Replacement. The soil balance is calculated for Seneca II -W Mine by comparing
the disturbance area that requires soil replacement as of December 31, 2004 and replacement depth
with the soil reserve in stockpiles. The disturbance area for Seneca II -W Mine, shown on the map,
with exception of the Tie - Across Haul Road, totaled 1,265 acres on December 31, 2004. No soil was
salvaged or needs to be replaced beneath the soil stockpile sites. Also, since Pond 005 (4.8 acres),
Pond 006 (7.9 acres), the Mine Entrance Road, Haul Road A, and Haul Road G are permanent
postmine facilities (11.2 acres), soil will only be replaced on a portion of those roads after removal of
the berms. Topsoil was replaced on 254.1 acres of disturbed area during 2004.
Soil Replacement Thickness. The overall soil replacement thickness for the II -W mine area was
projected to be 1.3 feet for the mine area and 0.7 feet for the Tie -Across Haul Road. The soil balance
for the remaining disturbed area, as of December 31, 2004, was calculated as follows:
Mine Area
Total disturbance area
Permanent Facilities & Topsoil replaced
Disturbance area requiring soil
Soil in stockpiles (Table 04.1)
Mean replacement depth
Tie Across Haul Road
Disturbance area requiring soil
2
1,265.0 acres
= 695.9 acres
569.1 acres
= 698.1 acre -feet
1.2 feet
96.6 acres
Revised 11/05