Laserfiche WebLink
Approximately one acre of road fill slopes (below the outside margin of the road) were <br /> revegetated during the Project. These areas were scarified using hand tools and the <br /> track hoe bucket teeth to create small flat benches or shelves on the slopes. Seed and <br /> fertilizer were applied to the scarified slopes and weed free straw mulch was distributed <br /> following seed application. This was mainly accomplished at Road C, as the Road D <br /> outslopes were revegetated in 1999. <br /> Approximately 35 acres were reclaimed as a result of this Project. <br /> Pond Reclamation Project <br /> The Pond Reclamation Project was directed at converting the ponds into wetlands <br /> areas which do not require maintenance in terms of debris removal or dewatering <br /> device repair. The permit discussed removal of the ponds by filling them in with the <br /> material contained in the earthen embankments, however the permit contained no <br /> discussion of how or where to route the water which would continue to report to the <br /> former pond locations. In order to accommodate the continued water flows, and to <br /> retain the ponds as an enhancement to the area in terms of cattle and wildlife use, the <br /> concept of retaining the ponds as wetlands areas was developed. <br /> The Bid specifications called for removal of the corrugated metal pipe spillways at each <br /> pond, while maintaining the grade of the CMP through the embankment. The CMP was <br /> stockpiled at a number of locations throughout the area, and was removed by the <br /> Contractor at the end of the Project. The excavation created when removing the CMP <br /> was widened to five feet, and the cut (side) slopes were excavated to 2.5 H : 1 V. Two <br /> courses of rip rap, obtained from native rock located near the Road C crossing of Dutch <br /> Creek, were placed at each excavation area. The first course were worked into the <br /> base and up the sides of the excavation for one foot by pushing the rock into the dirt <br /> with a track hoe bucket . The second course was dumped over the first, without further <br /> work. <br /> The excavated dirt was primarily used as a topsoil substitute at the earthen <br /> embankments, and along the margins of the pond, as material quantities allowed. <br /> Following the earthwork, the margins of the pond, including the inside of the <br /> embankment, to a point ten feet in elevation higher than the water level, was seeded <br /> with a wetlands seed mixture. The outside of the embankment remnant and any <br /> disturbed areas above the ten feet limitation were seeded with the Coal Basin Mine Site <br /> Seed Mixture. Sixty five willow stakes were planted at each pond along the water line. <br /> A number of ponds had small access roads associated with them. These roads were <br /> reclaimed during completion of the Pond Reclamation Project. The roads were <br /> reclaimed by ripping the surface, placing two tons per acre of weed free straw on the <br /> ripped surface, then heavily scarifying the road remnant using a track hoe to create <br /> numerous small pockets. These areas were then hand fertilized, seeded and mulched. <br /> The same Contractor who was retained to accomplish the South Basin Road <br /> Reclamation Project was the low bidder for the Pond Reclamation Project. Although the <br /> 8 <br />