Laserfiche WebLink
DATE: July 28 , 1995 <br /> TO: Steve Renner <br /> FROM: Dan Mathews <br /> RE: Coal Basin Revegetation <br /> On July 26, 1995, I briefly visited recently reclaimed areas at the <br /> Mine 5 portal and adjacent AML reclamation sites. The main purpose <br /> was to assess the apparent success of revegetation efforts at these <br /> sites. <br /> The first site I viewed was the pre-law coal pile below the 5 Mine. <br /> I believe this site was reclaimed in 1991 . A small portion of the <br /> pile appeared to have a shallow soil cover, but the majority of the <br /> surface was weathered coal. Vegetation cover on the soiled area <br /> was probably 30-40%, while the vegetation cover on the remainder of <br /> the pile probably averaged 15-20%. The cover was dominated by low <br /> growing grasses and forbs, and had already been grazed off by <br /> cattle this summer. Primary species include orchardgrass, timothy, <br /> smooth brome, slender wheatgrass, rocky mountain penstemon, cicer <br /> milkvetch, western yarrow, blue flax, and white dutch clover. In <br /> some areas there was considerable hay mulch residue remaining, <br /> while in other areas there was no evidence of mulch residue. There <br /> was no readily apparent correlation between the amount of mulch <br /> residue and apparent vigor, density, or cover of vegetation. <br /> The second area I looked at was the Mine 5 area, which I believe <br /> was reclaimed by Mid Continent in 1992 or 1993 . Gentle slopes and <br /> flats between the backfilled portal cut and the sediment pond <br /> support a rather sparse low growing cover, similar in composition <br /> to the coal pile area described previously. The rough graded 2 : 1 <br /> backfill slopes immediately above are characterized by very coarse <br /> spoil , and they are essentially barren. The only vegetation <br /> establishment on the steep lower spoil slopes is in dozer tracks <br /> and depressions where mulch and seed has accumulated. The slope of <br /> the backfill is reduced to 3 :1 or less on upper portions of the <br /> fill . Toward the north end of the fill , the coarse spoil material <br /> is graded relatively smooth, with no furrows or depressions. These <br /> areas are essentially barren of vegetation, and no mulch residue is <br /> evident. To the south end of the backfill , the upper slopes have <br /> been left in a rougher condition, there is somewhat more soil size <br />